The Rural Voice, 1994-03, Page 32When participants at the end
of a two-day conference
have to be told it's time to
go home now, you figure
you've had a success, Karl Braeker,
chairman of Market Grey -Bruce says.
The fledgling organization,
backed by the Bruce and Grey
Federations of
Agriculture, held a two-
day conference in Owen
Sound February 14 and
15 to stimulate the farm
and business com-
munities to look for new
opportunities to promote
locally grown products.
"If I'd written a script I
couldn't have written it
better," Bracker said.
More than 50 farmers
were among the 148
people registered.
Although speakers were
brought in from as far
away as Vermont, the
speakers who seemed to
impress people the most
were two panel
participants from right
at home, Bracker said.
Charlie Fitch is a well-
known former manager
of the Food City
supermarket in Owen
Sound and an
enthusiastic promoter of
local agricultural
products and the Grey -
Bruce region. Dave
Zeigler has turned a
small Southampton
milling operation from a
part-time hobby to an
international business.
Bracker says the two
provided information everyone could
relate to.
Fitch told the group about the
essentials of trying to supply the
local food trade. Stores must have a
reliable source of supply. Once, he
said, he agreed to sell fresh corn on
the cob from a local farm. Having an
assurance the corn would be
available two weeks in advance, he
advertised the product, then the
farmer said he couldn't supply that
much because the crop wasn't as
good as he had expected. It's also
important that suppliers know the
regulations affecting their product.
Once he had to pull 600 dozen cobs
of corn off the shelves of his store
because an inspector found corn
borers in the cobs.
Despite corporate concentration in
the supermarket industry today there
are opportunities for local products,
Fitch said. "There are more small
chain's management. "Start as high
as you can," Fitch advised. If you
start with the general manager or
vice-president of marketing and can
convince him or her that the chain
needs your product, you won't have
to deal with the internal politics of
the company where upwardly mobile
junior executives
may want to take
credit for your idea.
Zeigler inspired
conference
participants with his
tale of success. "I
built a little mill for a
hobby," he said. "I'm
now shoulder -to -
shoulder with Robin
Hood Multi -Foods."
There are only six
Canadian -owned
flour mills left in
Canada. While all
the wheat used in the
mill is No. 1 Durum
wheat from
Saskatchewan, if he
could get a supply
locally there might
not be enough farms
in Grey -Bruce to
grow what he needs.
He estimated it
would take 70 1000 -
acre farms to supply
his needs.
Zeigler's success
was built on
supplying niche
markets. Asked how
to know what
opportunities there
are in the ethnic
communities Ziegler
said the first thing to
do is get acquainted. People think
nothing of flying down to Florida, he
said, but "I challenge you to cross the
`border' into a different ethnic
group" to find out what kind of
things people there might want.
If there is a demand for a product,
buyers will try to help you meet
that need, he said, perhaps even
helping with financing. If your
product is unique and needed,
"You'll be surprised how people will
co-operate."
Make your product unique,
Ziegler advised. "There is only one
Kellogg's Corn Flakes," no matter
GREBRUCE
Challenging perceptions of
what the future could bring
By Keith Roulston
Kate Finley Woodruff speaks on Vermont's campaign to sell its vision of
quality in everything from tourism to dairy products.
28 THE RURAL VOICE
fruit stands and meat markets now
than in many years," he said. He
spoke of one meat market that
specializes in meat produced through
Bruce Packers. At his former Food
City store now, he said, all the meat
coming through the back door comes
from agri-food giant Cargill.
If you have a product that you
think can stand up on a chain wide
basis (a buyer could be looking at
product for 2000 stores) start with the
support of a local store manager. If
the manager believes in your product
he can help you get a chance to
present your case to someone in the