Pioneers in Produce: Three Case Studies

University of Massachusetts: Their Buy-Local Program Benefits Everyone Involved

As much as possible, The University of Massachusetts purchases produce from local farms for the 40,000 people it serves every day. It’s no easy task given the New England climate and the volume required, but in 2007, the school obtained 20 percent of its produce from nearby growers, putting more than $450,000 in the pockets of local growers. The objective is to hit 25 percent in the next two years.

“Our costs did not go up at all,” says Ken Toong, executive director of UMass dining, who has nurtured this buy-local program since 2002. One key to success is the cooperation of a local farmer who acts as a broker, collecting shipments from other farms in the region to offer the university one-stop shopping. The university’s prime vendor contract includes a clause that permits a percentage of local buying, and the clause adjusts annually.

The university also operates a farmers’ market in the fall and has worked with foodservice directors at other nearby campuses to engage them in the buy-local mission. Signage in the UMass dining rooms reminds students of the program, and local items are highlighted. UMass Dining received an award from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for its efforts. But best of all, produce consumption has risen.

Wegmans: Making Vegetables Craveable

Wegmans, the East Coast supermarket chain, keeps vegetable sales booming through employee training and paying attention to customer needs. “Vegetables continue to be one of our stronger growth areas,” says Jim Schaeffer, operations director of food preparation.

It’s no wonder. Produce department employees get in-depth culinary instruction so they are comfortable advising shoppers. “Once employees are well versed, it’s simple for them to stand in front of a mountain of Brussels sprouts and sell them,” says Schaeffer.

Supplying shoppers with pre-prepped vegetables has also fueled department growth. Cut and peeled butternut squash, cut green beans, even a ready-made mirepoix tempt shoppers who want to make healthful choices but have little time to cook.

The prepared foods area focuses on “making vegetables craveable,” says Schaeffer.

Self-service fresh food bars offer healthful options like roasted vegetables, edamame salad, and roasted chickpeas. The market’s meals-to-go often “lead with the vegetables,” says Schaeffer, in keeping with health professionals’ recommendations to make vegetables constitute at least half the plate.

California Olive Ranch: Ultra-Premium Quality Olive Oil at Affordable Prices

California produces less than half of one percent of the world’s olive oil, but the founders of Oroville’s California Olive Ranch want to see that number rise. And they have developed a model to do that.

Most of the people who have planted olive trees in California in recent years, hoping to make ultra-premium Tuscan-style oils with prices to match, have found the economics not on their side. Land and labor are so expensive in California that it’s hard to turn a profit. The California Olive Ranch founders had another vision: a high quality but moderately priced oil made with machine-harvested olives to keep labor costs down.

By planting the trees much more densely than usual and pruning to keep them low, the ranch can harvest mechanically at great savings. And because machine picking is faster than hand picking, the olives get to the press more quickly—a key component of quality.

Consumers love what they’re tasting. California Olive Ranch regularly wins gold ribbons at competitions and production has soared, more than quadrupling between 2003 and 2007.

Says Alan Greene, vice president of sales and marketing, “There’s now a possibility for the foodservice industry to embrace California-grown olive oil.” If production grows as expected and others adopt the model, California extra-virgin olive oil will be an affordable alternative to the European brands.