Gluten-Free Stores - Wisconsin Grocers Association

ALICE IN DAIRYLAND
Christine
(Lepple)
Lindner
63rd Alice in
Dairyland
New Grocers Buy Local Wholesale Catalog
makes it Easier than Ever to Choose Wisconsin
Christine (Lepple) Lindner
63rd Alice in Dairyland
Alice in Dairyland Christine
(Lepple) Lindner, is Wisconsin’s
agriculture ambassador. She travels
over 40,000 miles each year to
spread the word about our
agriculture industry. Alice
in Dairyland can be reached by
writing to Wisconsin Department
of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection, DATCP Dairyland
Program at 608.224.5080 or
DATCPAlice@wisconsin.gov.
To learn more about Wisconsin’s
$59 billion agricultural industry
visit her travel blog at
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/alice/
or become a
friend on facebook (Alice
Dairyland), follow on twitter
(Alice_Dairyland) or LindkedIn
To find Something Special from
Wisconsin products and/or companies,
take a look at the complete directory
complete directory found
at www.savorwisconsin.com by clicking
on "Other Searches." To learn more
about the program and how your store
can get involved, visit
www.somethingspecialwi.com.
Today’s shoppers are seeking
more information about how
their food is grown and
produced. Grocers are vital in
bringing consumers and
producers together to share
knowledge while meeting the
source of their food.
Interest in Wisconsin’s fresh
produce, dairy, and meats is
growing. Now you can help
consumers choose locally
grown and produced products
that are Something Special from
Wisconsin —and it’s
never been easier.
New Catalog
Assists Grocers
The Wisconsin Department
of Agriculture, Trade and
Consumer Protection
(DATCP), in partnership with
the WGA, Thrive, and the
Agricultural Innovation Center,
have created a new
sourcebook: Grocers Buy Local
Wholesale Catalog. Retailers can
use the new catalog to identify
over 100 Wisconsin
wholesale suppliers. This
catalog is the first of its
kind to assist grocers in
bringing Wisconsin
products to local grocery
stores, where consumers
make the majority of
their purchases.
Buying Wisconsin
products is an
investment in our
state’s future. I
encourage you, the grocer, to
offer products that carry the
red Something Special from
Wisconsin (SSfW) logo. Since
1983, this
trademark has
been given to
companies who
guarantee that at least half of a
product’s ingredients,
production, or processing
activities are from Wisconsin.
SSfW is a marketing program
of the DATCP.
According to new consumer
research released by IGD food
and grocery analysts, nearly 30
percent of shoppers say they
have specifically purchased
local food over the last month,
up from 15 percent in 2006.
National support for local
foods has doubled in five years
and continues to grow. I visited
a grocery store in Madison to
hear firsthand from
Wisconsinites. I asked why
they feel it’s important to buy
locally-grown products.
Shoppers told me this:
knowing the source of their
food builds trust and
confidence. They appreciate
that shopping locally keeps
money circulating in the
community.
The Grocers Buy Local
Wholesale Catalog, available
online and in print, is second
in a series of tools developed to
assist SSfW member companies
and Wisconsin retailers find
each other. In January 2010, a
joint effort between the WGA
and SSfW produced the
website grocersbuylocal.com.
The site was developed to assist
producers to find retailers for
their products.
Get Started with a
“Buy Local” Food
Program
1. Obtain the Something
Special from Wisconsin
Wholesale Catalog from
DATCP (datcpssfw
@wi.gov) or the WGA
(888-342-5942).
Or visit www.something
specialwi.com to find
Wisconsin suppliers.
2. Use the Grocers Buy Local
Wholesale Catalog as a
guide; take an inventory of
Wisconsin products in your
store. If there are missing
products, use the catalog
to bring in additional local
suppliers and products.
3. Let your Wisconsin
suppliers know you
welcome their SSfW pointof-sale
materials. Contact
SSfW at datcpssfw@wi.gov
for help in communicating
with members.
4. Join SSfW. By joining,
products made in-store can
qualify for the program
(such as bakery or sausage).
Private-label products made
in Wisconsin for your store
also qualify.
5. Kick off your Buy Local
Food program with a
product sampling event.
Alice in Dairyland can
attend your event to
educate consumers on
buying locally-grown and
produced products. Contact
SSfW or the WGA for more
advice on how to organize a
successful event.
6. Make it your own with
your local suppliers. Every
store is unique. Promoting
Buy Local Food will set
you apart.
Encourage Consumers
to Take Action with
their Food Dollar
When consumers purchase
SSfW products they are
supporting Wisconsin’s
agriculture, producers,
communities, and economy.
Visit www.somethingspecial
wi.com for the latest Grocers
Buy Local Wholesale Catalog.
18 WISCONSIN GROCER www.wisconsingrocers.com