Locally grown, fresh market booms on green culture, report

Sales of fresh and locally grown foods have shot up in recent years, driven by factors such as food safety fears and America's growing 'green' culture, claims a new report by Packaged Facts.

And based on the "exponential growth" of farmers' markets, as well as retail and foodservice initiatives to add more local products to their merchandise mix and menus, Packaged Facts estimates that locally grown foods could turn into a $7bn business by 2011.

The report defines 'fresh foods' as anything that requires refrigeration or has a short shelf life. 'Locally grown foods' are those that need to travel no more that one day from their point of production to their point of purchase.

According to Packaged Facts, consumers equate locally grown food with freshness, and freshness with higher quality. As a result, they are increasingly looking toward the perimeter departments of supermarkets for fresh foods that include locally grown and organic fruits and vegetables, fresh meats, seafood, dairy and baked goods.

Consumers are also turning to these products as they are increasingly concerned about the impact of businesses on the environment, which prompts a desire for 'greener' purchases. Another concern is a loss of confidence in the conventional food safety systems, which turns some people away from a reliance on a heavily industrialized food chain.

"New trends, including 'food miles', 'the Slow Food movement', and even 'locavores' who eat only locally grown foods, are just beginning to take root in the US and we anticipate these and other trends will swiftly drive growth of local and fresh market foods," said Don Montuori, the publisher of Packaged Facts.

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