Progressive Grocer - December 2008 - (Page 60)

Fresh food Go whole hog for local PG Webcast panelists detailed how connecting consumers to the places and faces behind their products has helped them move high-profit premium pork. By Meg Major T he “locally grown” label is here to stay—and fits the niche segment of the pork category quite well, according to retailers and suppliers who’ve had success with the segment. Consumers are placing a higher value on being able to connect a product to a face and/or a place, confirmed the quartet of panelists, consisting of Sharon Young, co-owner/v.p. of three-unit McGinnis Sisters Special Food Stores; McGinnis Sisters’ director of meat and seafood, Carl Pursh; pork producer Tim Beeler, president of Beelers Pure Pork; and Jarrod Sutton, director of retail marketing for the National Pork Board. (National Pork Board also sponsored the Webcast.) Pittsburgh-based McGinnis Sisters has a six-decade history of forging close alliances with family farmers and home-state producers, said Young, as part of a larger commitment to sourcing wholesome products that also support the local business community and the environment. “We’ve always promoted local as a key part of our brand,” noted Young, “but Carl Pursh, McGinnis Sisters Special Food Stores’ director of meat about four years ago, we started speakand seafood, works with a variety of local farmers. ing out loudly about it, and making it an integral part of our brand, and it’s really helped “part of our next-generation training program,” segregate us from our competitors.” added Young. A buy-fresh/buy-local mentality is a vibrant McGinnis Sisters meat director Carl Pursh, who D NE BUSINESS. WELL The 2009 Annual Meat Conference will provide tools and insights to help you improve operations and increase profits, market more effectively and increase customer loyalty. MARCH 8 – 10 60 • Progressive Grocer • December 2008 DENVER, CO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE PRACTICAL IDEAS TO MAKE YOUR BUSINESS A BUSINESS WELL DONE. WWW.MEATCONFERENCE.COM A H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T www.progressivegrocer.com http://WWW.MEATCONFERENCE.COM http://WWW.MEATCONFERENCE.COM http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - December 2008

Progressive Grocer - December 2008
Contents
Front End: Onstead Becomes Interim Bi-Lo C.E.O.
Nielsen’s Shelf Stoppers/Spotlight: Shelfstable Juices/Vegetable Juices and Drinks
Market Snapshot: .Seattle-Tacoma,Wash
Retailer of the Year: Taking the lead
Lempert Report: Obama Prepares to Tackle Food Industry Issues
Independents Report: What Grocers Need to Know About Market Day
Consumer Research: Reason for Relevance
Shopper Culture: Reimagining Convenience Foods
Wake-up Call: The Ballad of The Egg Man
Eggs: A Kinder, Gentler Egg
Shelf-Stable Juice: Making a Splash
Post-PMA Show Analysis: High Yield
Niche Pork: Go Whole Hog for Local
Pharmacy: Chronic Customer Service
Technology: A Small-Town Grocer Discovers Digital DIY
Equipment Innovations
What’s Next: Editors’ Picks for Innovative Products

Progressive Grocer - December 2008