I received this press release from Local Matters, a new charitable organization whose mission is to provide everyone in our community with local products. Three partners from Local Matters have purchased the North Market Produce Stand and will offer many locally grown items; I am really excited to see this change at the North Market Produce Stand, and I think you will be, too. This will reduce some of the burden from those who want to eat locally, but aren't always able to get to the farmer's markets on Saturdays. Read on . . .
Ring In A Greener New Year in 2008!
The Greener Grocer, a locally owned, sustainably oriented produce stand, opens in the historic North Market January 8th of 2008. The operation replaces the North Market Produce Stand and will focus primarily on locally and sustainably grown produce.
New owners Michael Jones, Martha Balint and Susan Weber are hoping to utilize the high profile of the stand, located in the “Heart of the Market”, to promote the benefits of buying local, provide access to sustainably grown food, and to stimulate opportunities for local farmers, urban farmers and gardeners.
“We hope to offer the community an alternative way to think about their relationship with food and it’s impact on our lives and to demonstrate a different business model that speaks to social, environmental and economic factors”, says Weber.
According to Balint, who has worked closely with the farm community for the past 3 years on how to sell directly to restaurants and increase overall market opportunities, “it’s really all about the triple bottom line: People, Planet and Profit”.
While the Greener Grocer emphasizes local, sustainably grown produce, they also carry lemons, limes and other items that while not locally grown, allow North Market shoppers to have a complete shopping experience for the preparation of their meals. “Yes, we will have non locally grown items and some conventionally grown produce as well,” says Jones, “but we will strive to purchase “Fair Trade”, non local items as we can and our display signs will indicate farming techniques as well as prices.”
Friendly, knowledgeable service, frequent cooking demonstrations (both Jones and Balint are trained chefs) and value added items like cold salads, soups and “a killer salad dressing”, are all part of The Greener Grocers concept.
All three owners of The Greener Grocer, are also partners in Local Matters, a local nonprofit organization whose mission is the creation of a local food system and who works closely with the farm community, urban, community gardeners and the local schools systems to achieve it’s goal.
According to Jones, the Executive Director of Local Matters, “The Greener Grocer, which is operated as for profit business, really is a “real time” expression of our overall philosophy in our nonprofit work and provides us with a “public face” to put our beliefs into practice and have some fun conversations with folks at the same time.”
You can learn more about The Greener Grocer at their website: www.thegreenergrocer.com or by calling 614.223.1512. You can learn more about Local Matters at www.local-matters.org or by calling 614.263.5662.
