Monday, July 7, 2008

Wal-Mart Selling Locally Grown Produce

Wal-MartCyndi Young from Brownfield Network let us in on a new update in large department store produce--Wal-Mart is going against the grain and will be increasing the amount of locally grown food it offers.

Wal-Mart Selling Locally Grown Produce

Wal-Mart produce aisles are going local. The retailer announced it will source more local fruits and vegetables to keep produce prices down and offer affordable selections that are fresh and healthful.

Wal-Mart reports that partnerships with local farmers have grown by 50 percent over the past two years.

During summer months, locally sourced fruits and vegetables that are both grown and available for purchase within a state's borders make up a fifth of the produce available in Wal-Mart stores. The retailer estimates that it purchases more than 70 percent of its produce from U.S.-based suppliers, making the company the biggest customer of American agriculture.

This year, Wal-Mart expects to source about $400 million in locally grown produce from farmers across the United States.

For more information, visit the Wal-Mart website.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Could you define "US-based suppliers"? Would that include Chiquita, an Ohio-based company whose bananas are grown outside the US or other US-based companies whose products are grown outside the US?

Or is 70% of Walmart's produce grown in the US? If so, kudos to them.