Local and regional food business are about to get a lot more attention at the Pincher Creek Co-op food store. Partnering with the Localize Project, the program will help customers identify products that are made, grown, or raised closer to home with bright orange shelf labels which will be found next to the price tags on shelves. Pincher Creek Co-op will be highlighting over 370 products from 57 vendors, with more being added as the program expands.
The Localize labels highlight the place of food production and the place of food business ownership, assigning a score between zero and 10, with 10 being considered the most local. Each smart label has a quick-response (QR) code that allow customers to find out more about the product with their smart phones. The labels can be found next to products in all departments, highlighting both local and Western Canadian products.
Localize was founded in 2011 by Meghan Dear and Lita McDonald because of a clear lack of information regarding local products in grocery stores. “We started Localize because we wanted to find better ways to support local and regional food producers in grocery stores,” said Dear. “When grocery stores support local food production, they are supporting an entire community network of farmers, processors, and small businesses. We wanted to make it easier for grocers and customers to find those products that are most local to the store.”
“Pincher Creek Co-op is excited to be a part of the Localize Project,” says General Manager David Crowell. “We are always looking for innovative ways to share information with our customers about the number of local, regional and Canadian businesses we support. You don’t get more local than Pincher Creek Co-op and Localize will help us share our stories in a truly innovative way.”
Local grower Teresa Van den Hazel of Hazy Hollow Acres is excited about the Localize Project and the increased exposure that their product and story will have at Co-op. “We, as a small family garden, try to grow our food as healthy as we can with no chemicals, no pesticides, and no commercial fertilizers. We really believe in supporting local producers, and appreciate that there are stores in our communities that are willing to put in the extra effort to support local. Nothing is fresher than local food which comes out of the garden and into the store within 24 hours. Grown to achieve the highest level of nutrients possible and marketed to maintain this level.” Hazy Hollow Acres is located near Picture Butte, Alberta.
A listing of participating producers and processors can be found at http://www.localizeyourfood.com/pinchercreekcoop.
The Localize labels highlight the place of food production and the place of food business ownership, assigning a score between zero and 10, with 10 being considered the most local. Each smart label has a quick-response (QR) code that allow customers to find out more about the product with their smart phones. The labels can be found next to products in all departments, highlighting both local and Western Canadian products.
Localize was founded in 2011 by Meghan Dear and Lita McDonald because of a clear lack of information regarding local products in grocery stores. “We started Localize because we wanted to find better ways to support local and regional food producers in grocery stores,” said Dear. “When grocery stores support local food production, they are supporting an entire community network of farmers, processors, and small businesses. We wanted to make it easier for grocers and customers to find those products that are most local to the store.”
“Pincher Creek Co-op is excited to be a part of the Localize Project,” says General Manager David Crowell. “We are always looking for innovative ways to share information with our customers about the number of local, regional and Canadian businesses we support. You don’t get more local than Pincher Creek Co-op and Localize will help us share our stories in a truly innovative way.”
Local grower Teresa Van den Hazel of Hazy Hollow Acres is excited about the Localize Project and the increased exposure that their product and story will have at Co-op. “We, as a small family garden, try to grow our food as healthy as we can with no chemicals, no pesticides, and no commercial fertilizers. We really believe in supporting local producers, and appreciate that there are stores in our communities that are willing to put in the extra effort to support local. Nothing is fresher than local food which comes out of the garden and into the store within 24 hours. Grown to achieve the highest level of nutrients possible and marketed to maintain this level.” Hazy Hollow Acres is located near Picture Butte, Alberta.
A listing of participating producers and processors can be found at http://www.localizeyourfood.com/pinchercreekcoop.
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