Small Bites December 30, 2021
onward into a new year
creating opportunities to promote & sell more
VT products to more buyers
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With only a few hours left in 2021, we are entering the third year with the pandemic. What lies ahead regarding the medical outcomes is of course yet to be written. What we do know is that "upstream" our food manufacturers & producers across all categories will be grappling with supply chain disruptions which feeds "downstream" challenges at distributors & stores. Unknown market forces lie ahead with the hundreds of cargo ships stuck at major ports or being re-routed to new locations. Inflation is expected to continue as are obscene profits in food related industries & there will be continued food insecurity & a need for assistance.
Through these past two years we have seen unbelievable creativity to get products to market. Teams have been challenged by ever changing decision variables from staffing to retooled delivery days to adjustments in wages & benefits. The dance has not always been easy, but it has been a wealth of knowledge that each business now carries into 2022.
Farm to Plate Retail Services took a back burner to instore & support services & in-person forums. In 2022 there will be new strategies to help continue to build sales of Vermont products. New collaborations & partnerships with local & national consultants will help roll out small-group business cohorts. Specific topics to be explored include operations & efficiencies at stores, working with distributors, making the most of your POS system, reviewing product mix to optimize opportunities to build your local program, training tools for folks new to food retail, AND topics you have encouraged us to explore.
Small Bites will continue & you are encouraged to share your insights & product highlights. 2022 is still expected to be rocky, & as we have seen, every year is different (not to be metaphorical or anything.... …..)
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Ahead in 2022
2021 set the stage for so many changes. However, keeping staff & customers safe remains front and center as we lean into 2022.
Throughout the duration of the pandemic Buffalo Mountain Coop in Hardwick has been exploring expansion & taking over the Hardwick Village Market a stones throw from the coop. Both stores have distinct product mixes & customer bases. There is potential for a 'crossover" store with a blending of natural foods with a wide mix from the Village Market for a combined product mix.
Across Vermont, partly related to the pandemic & for other reasons, some general stores are changing hands.
Long time owners have their reasons for seeking a life change. The Jericho Center Country Store, is for sale after owning the store for 36 years.
And, after 38 years running the Elmore Store, today is Kathy Miller's last day on the job. A project of the Elmore Community Trust, the new store operators are Michael Stanley & Kate Gluckman. The store will continue the tradition of servicing this small rural community while preserving the historic building for continued use. Cheers to Kathy, Michael & Kate in 2022!
Looking ahead, local distributors & food manufacturers will continue to collaborate from store branded beer to supporting Everyone Eats. Online wholesale platforms such as Mable, increase access to a wider range of VT products shipped direct from manufacturer or through distributor partnerships such as Associated Buyers of NH.
In November, Time Out for Whoopie changed ownership & in 2022 look to this 9 year old company continuing to service stores of all sizes.
Other changes in food production or ownership will likely emerge. One nationally well-known company, Fat Toad Farm makers of traditional goatmilk caramel is looking for a change to new owners as well.
Whatever lies ahead in 2022 it might just be the usual flux of the marketplace. Among all the factors & changes supporting Vermont companies will be a driving force for our local economy. There are many dynamic variables ahead & our hope is that everyone stays safe & takes time out to take care of each other as the pandemic evolves.
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"It is part of a movement to form a local micro-economy that extends beyond food. We have decided to first focus on botanical body care and household products based."
-Craft Farm VT
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Keep Your Eyes Peeled: 2022
The collision of climate & the pandemic has many rethinking their decisions. With shoppers finally leaning into reducing product packaging waste, buyers are expanding their product mix to meet this renewed trend.
At Farm Craft VT, they are creating farm-based products to meet the changes at hand. By making health & wellness products they are meeting the evolving market demands. Take their laundry soap as an example. The 1" cubes of natural laundry soap are made from a few simple ingredients but pack a powerful punch. They are safe, effective, non-toxic, all-natural, phosphate & chemical free. The essential oils help remove stains but wash out clean, leaving clothes fresh but not scented. There are no residual oils in the laundry soap & added natural vinegar is septic safe. Sweet Roots Market in Charlotte has been an early adopter of this product.
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Community Goodwill
Across the state there was enormous outpouring of support for our communities throughout the holiday season. In one such community endeavor, Jake's ONE, a store in downtown Burlington collected food &
wellness products for gifts to house-bound seniors. By partnering with HANDS- Helping And Nurturing Diverse Seniors, this team project was distributed 1000 gift baskets for Christmas.
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Vermont Farmers Food Center, a food hub in Rutland has just taken a hit. After many years building a marketplace in tandem with food processing & distribution recently contaminants were detected through state inspection. October testing found concerning levels of trichloroethylene, or TCE. The winter farmers market & food processors are seeking a new location. Read more from a recent article in the Rutland Herald.
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Teaming Up for Stronger Sales
Since the beginning of the pandemic, which honestly seems like a long time ago, Vermont businesses have stepped up to support each other & the food insecure in our communities.
Crisscrossing the state is the Food Hub Network & Vermont Way Foods. Under new leadership, more growth is expected. Meanwhile down in the Bennington area known as the Southshire, the year ahead will be a field day of changes as strong partnerships were forged this year. Bennington College, The Regenerative Ag Network, strong baseline support of producers through Northshire Grown Direct will all meld together to drive local food production, distribution & sales in southern Vermont.
Distributors have expanded local products across categories helping support the wider multiplier effect that sustains our economy. Some of that is through partnerships where inventory is purchased & resold. The cooperative, Associated Grocers of NE has an ever-growing list of Vermont food producers added to their product mix.
Upper Valley Produce works with area farmers & food manufacturers with BOL freight shipping as well as purchasing products to resell. Helping products reach buyers from Townsend to Newport to Brattleboro to St Albans & more! Freight services help store buyers access products that might otherwise be a challenge to get.
Associated Buyers of NH partners with Mable to help Vermont food manufacturers access new buyers through online product catalogs. This adds a layer of product visibility while extending efficiencies in sales.
“Mable has already freed up enough order processing time that we are shifting our customer service team into an inside sales team”- John Owen Associate Buyers
The year ahead is 2022 going to be dynamic in a positive way because of our strong collaborative network.
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Rebuilding in 2022: Silly Cow Retools After Fire
As a large employer in the Newbury Village of Wells River, Silly Cow has held a strong position in the community. A fire on December 21 completely destroyed the facility impacting their peak hot chocolate sales season at the junction of holiday & school vacations.
Seeking a new location nearby might be challenging as there are not many facilities or zoning for a new building. To keep production going right before Christmas, some employees were sent to Connecticut to work with a co-packer keeping product in the holiday & winter sales pipeline. Read more at VT Digger.
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Delis are moving to using brown kraft paper to wrap sandwiches. It is not plastic lined but is lined with a plant-based biopolymer coating that is grease resistant & compostable.
Regarding their decision, this from the new GM at the Middlebury Coop: "they are not recyclable & not compostable in much of Vermont. Therefore, all of these compostable packages end up in the waste stream. Now, the comforting thought is these are not plastic containers & will eventually break down on their own, eventually. Another consideration to have when looking into biopolymer compostable packaging is how it is made & what is it made with-corn. I have yet to find a compostable packaging that proudly states it is GMO free & I think that we may never find that product."
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What a year it has been & we still have 1 day to go! A shout out to all our store owners & managers navigating intense decisions. And to our distributors trying to keep pace (& communication) with supply shortages, food manufacturers dodging gaps due to lack of packaging & shipping materials & farmers who have been on the front lines of so many changes this year from climate to labor shortages. Remember to take time to take care of yourself & your staff.
Sadly, 2022 is looking like it might be 2020 too.
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was one of our favorite images of 2021. We wish her health & happiness in 2022
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Be proactive & share your business news to be broadcast to the network.
Small Bites comes to you via USDA & High Meadows grants. Content is created for farmers, food manufacturers, distributors, grocers to increase VT food sales
Contact: Annie H Harlow
smallbites802@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, photo credits are from company social media, websites or Annie Harlow
Silly Cow fire: picture from WCAX news
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