Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/623506
What are some obstacles for chefs to source locally and sustainably? There are so many obstacles in a big city. I talked to a chef in New York City who has to go to Union Square Market every Saturday because the farmer refuses to deliver to restaurants. Sometimes farms make it hard for you. They feel if you want their stuff, you have to come and get it. They just don't have the money or time to truck it, and they can't buy trucks. They feel that coming to the market ought to be enough. I still think it's the exception that a chef or restaurant has enough time and manpower to go and fetch it. Some chefs in Boston go to the fish market every morning and actually wait for the boats to come in. There is now interesting software, even for smartphones, where a fisherman can telegraph what he's about to come in with and what time the boat is going to arrive. The chefs who have the time to do that are rare, so I'm all for the wholesalers and middlemen who are trying to have a more transparent way of pricing, a system of passing on markups and making it easier for both suppliers and restaurants. Why do you think the farm-to-table movement has such a following with consumers? Consumers really care and feel that they've been sold a bill of goods by the food industry. And it's mostly because they know so much about childhood obesity, they're worried about their health and I think they associate bad health with processed foods. There is a real need for more authenticity. Are we moving to a post-farm-to-table world where it will be assumed that premium producers are sourcing responsibly? I think we're far away from it because I don't know that there's ever going to be enough local supply for large-scale foods. Companies as large as Walmart are able to buy from small- to medium-size farms in certain cases. They can make a difference on a large scale by using smaller factories, farms, and suppliers. I don't think we're ever going to reach that stage but what I hope is that the Big Food industry will use smaller product factories while not losing out on economy of scale, and that it won't have to ship across the country. I hope they can use local co-packers so they keep the regional economy alive. If a specialty food producer asked your opinion about branding a new company as farm-to-table or sustainable, what would you say? I'd say go for it. But I would say have a really good story, and know how you're going to tell it. q&a "There are a lot of ways to support your local community that don't only mean buying from a local farm, such as working with a co-packer or packager that employs a lot of people in a small community. It's so important to supply local jobs and treat employees well, even if it isn't on some cute, pretty farm." 76 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com