LIVINGSTON, MT - From the ground to my kitchen, what is the story behind how this food arrives on my plate? This is one of the many questions I ask myself now as a consumer who has worked in the produce industry for 12 years now. Foodshed.io, a logistics and marketing company, is answering not only this question for the retailer, but is also helping major buying operations source produce from local, independent farms in a way that protects quality and safety for consumers—all through its innovative app.
“Major retailers have very particular needs, but also often have stable volume considerations. Being able to plan our seasons with buying teams and farmers creates lower prices, stable supply chains, and provides better quality for customers,” Dr. Daniel P. Beckmann, Chief Executive Officer, shares. “Starting with major retailers as our foundation has helped us to serve foodservice and other major food buyers, while, at the same time, stabilizing local food systems overall in areas where we operate. It’s win-win for everyone involved: farmers, local communities, consumers, and certainly our retail partners who experience sales lift across their stores, while at the same time having better supply chain stability due to our simple local supply chains.”
So, where did such a solution find its roots? Foodshed.io was started by Clare Sulivan and Tom Hallaran. Clare and Tom started one of the largest urban farms in Brooklyn, New York, called Feedback Farms. The couple ran into an issue one season when they grew so much local produce and didn’t have enough buyers at the time. Realizing that there were challenges with the supply chain for local food in their area, they teamed up with Daniel, the present CEO, and sought to make local food possible for major retailers, institutional buyers, and everyone else.
“‘Local' is influencing the way that buying organizations communicate and interact with consumers. This is a challenge that we help buyers solve. At present, language like ‘local’ and ‘farmers’ is often used to imply freshness and a locality to produce offerings, when in reality, there can be few if any year-round options for local provided—depending upon where the operation is located,” Daniel suggests. “Moving from a few items a year to over 70 items of local produce in, let’s say, the Midwest region creates an opportunity to build relationships with consumers who will seek out local items from their favorite retailers yearly if they realize that they are there.”
Foodshed.io uses a combination of digital assets through its exclusive and proprietary Fresh Produce Now alerts—combines these resources with instore signage and marketing—and powers a local brand for the retailer that allows them to communicate where produce is coming from as well as continuity to the consumer. This all occurs while preserving flexibility for the buyer and our supply chains.
“One thing that we are most proud of is our ability to safely, reliably, and cost-effectively get local produce in reach of everyday consumers from just about all walks of life. Some of our retail partners operate in incredibly diverse environments, both culturally and economically–and being able to serve all of their consumers, with fresh, flavorful produce at price points they are used to paying is something that gets up up in the morning every day. Quality produce does not have to be more expensive – and just about everyone can enjoy it,” Daniel expresses. “In a digital world, where buyers can shop online for groceries and all products are the same, Foodshed gives retailers an advantage by giving them something exclusive and unique to draw them out of the crowd of everyone selling commoditized products from far away.”
As the consumer changes and the means to the end become more and more important, companies like Foodshed.io are helping to replace issues with solutions and keep fresh produce a win-win for all.
