The Shelby Report ’s Post

Attention independent food retailers in CA, OR, and WA! The deadline to take advantage of the USDA's REAP grants is quickly approaching. To learn more about this opportunity, check out this article by The Shelby Report and learn how our colleagues at Ratio Institute can help guide you through the entire process. #IndependentGrocers #Grocery #GroceryNews #StoreUpgrades #FoodRetail #REAP #Grants #HVAC #Refrigeration #RenewableEnergySystems #Energy #EnergyUpgrades

🌟 Great news for British apple growers! 🌟 We're thrilled to hear about a groundbreaking 20-year agreement between Aldi UK and AC Goatham & Son, our largest grower in the sector. BAPL Chair Alison Capper shared, "It's fantastic that on the back of awarding Aldi Supermarket of the Year, they have committed to this incredible partnership. Growers make a 20-year financial commitment when they plant an orchard, and this deal means the retail relationship is secure for that period." Such a lengthy agreement is rare and signifies a true partnership, rewriting the rules of the retail-supplier relationship. It allows growers to invest in new technology, improve productivity, and plan strategically without the fear of short-term uncertainties. This is a monumental achievement for Ross Goatham and his team at AC Goatham & Son, and for Aldi. We look forward to seeing more long-term agreements between UK retailers and British suppliers, ensuring a sustainable future for UK farming. Read more about this fantastic news: https://lnkd.in/dcfkkdUb #GreatBritishApples #BuyBritish #UKFarming #BAPL #BackBritishFarming

Australia's fresh produce markets aren't functioning as markets. Most especially, our supermarkets. Coles and Woolworths conspired with category managers to block German frozen foods specialist Kaufland from entering our market (aka "racketeering"). Kaufland buys up fresh produce when it's cheap and would have made it available to Australian families at a low price all year round. Coles and Woolworths should be required to compensate Kaufland for the $500 million it lost investing in Australia, only to be blocked, and then we should roll out the red carpet and invite it back into Australia, to help defend our struggling everyday Aussie families who can no longer afford top quality food security. What happened with Kaufland is a good example of a TRADE + SECURITY fail in Australia.

Why are so many food producers failing? Over 7000 food related businesses have failed in the last few years. Numerous Vertical Farms, Glasshouse growers & produce marketing companies are among high profile collapses this year. Ten years into a supermarket price war, where, some supermarkets are selling below the cost of production to gain market share, other supermarkets price matching these and pressuring food producers to reduce prices. But also a sector that shoots itself in the foot chasing volume over profit in an attempt to survive. I spoke with the The Grocer about the first Lea Valley Corporate company to fail just a few years after buying a traditional Lea Valley family business. Unfortunately, many growers and suppliers have lost financially and it would appear they will be unable to recoup any of their losses,” said Lee Stiles, secretary of growers group Lea Valley Growers. He claimed there was a culture of price undercutting by UK Salads over the past two years as it sought to arrest its losses. “In some cases at 30% less than the industry standard, this appears to have been driven by the loss of supermarket orders and the need to recoup additional volume in order to maintain the business,” #Backbritishfarming #CEA #CEH #Horticulture #Food #Freshproduce

INWOOD GREENMARKET Isham St. between Seaman Ave and Cooper St. One of my favorite things to do, ever since I was little, was going to farmer’s markets. I don’t know why, but they have always attracted me and made me super happy. Probably because it was such a different experience than going to the normal grocery store. In New York City Farmer’s Markets, have grown in the last 15 years and now they are all over the city. GrowNYC has pushed efforts for New York citizens to be more aware of food waste and production, so their compost programs and farmer’s market programs are helping to build that awareness. The Inwood Greenmarket is one of the many farmer’s markets that has popped up in New York and they have been able to run year-round instead of seasonally like many others. It makes a big difference having local food producers selling their produce, baked goods, and treats themselves. It feels more personal and safer to know exactly where your food has come from. Vendors come from all over the state, mostly in nearby counties, and the market does a great job of bringing in variety. Follow the link for more information: https://lnkd.in/ecYC3QT2 #greenmarket #grownyc #farmers #food #vegetables #

When you consider the relationship between Foggy Bottoms Boys’ agricultural practices, ice cream and the little town of Loleta-- it’s easy to paint a picture of circular practices at work and having an impact. When Cody & Thomas Nicholson Stratton, owners and ranchers at Foggy Bottoms Boys, move their Jersey Cows in prescribed grazing patterns on their Eel River Valley landscape, those beautiful munching ruminants are helping to increase the soils’ health by drawing atmospheric carbon back underground. Greater amounts of carbon in the soil lead to complex soil structure which provides greater water retention, and less carbon in our atmosphere. Healthy soil is key to life as we know it, so finding ways to improve the soil that also mitigates the impact of climate change, is a high priority to the Foggy Bottoms Boys. However, these soil-regenerating practices increase costs to ranch practices, adding greater strain on already tight margins. To bring added value to their soil-regenerating organic dairy operation, the Nicholson Stratton’s strategized Jersey Scoops, an organic ice cream scoop shop nestled in downtown Loleta in a space that once housed a dairy processing facility. Creating an iconic ice cream parlor and a soon-to-be local, wholesale distribution channel with signature flavors packed into fully compostable containers; Jersey Scoops is already instilling hope, commerce, and tax dollars to the town of Loleta. Jersey Scoops employs locals to help create and market the products. In their vertical process, they make ice cream from their own eggs, milk and fruits from neighboring farms. They are also reigniting the town’s heritage, by creating an afterschool experience for the elementary school sect, and a reason to pop off the 101 for both Humboldt county residents and tourists. Jersey Scoops serves up an inclusive experience for all and proves that dairy products have a meaningful, organic and healthy place in the market. Marissa Steketee, PMP and I recently partnered with Foggy Bottoms Boys to craft a Working Capital grant via the USDA’s Value-Add Producer Program. This is the USDA at its finest --prioritizing environmentally sound, small and mid-size ranches who continue to evolve and iterate their practices for the betterment of all. Lke a triple scoop in an oversized waffle cone, Jersey Scoops brings environmental health, economic redevelopment, and a whole lot of joy to the town of Loleta. #Humboldtcounty #ferndale #usda #valueaddproducergrant #workingcapital #Fibershed #dairyfarm #organic #economicredevelopment #distressedcommunity #independentproducer #climateaction #climatechange #sustainable #soilregenerating #agriculture

Commercial Meat Grinder: Choices for Your Business

Here is an article regarding the NEW Sacaton Supermarket: https://lnkd.in/gRGvFBtn

A few thoughts on the ground breaking deal between Aldi UK and AC Goatham & Son - which is a huge step forward and what producers in the UK have been asking for some time. It will be interesting to see if others follow suit #freshproduce #farming #supplychains #supermarkets #relationships #fruit #vegetables #growers #farmersguardian https://lnkd.in/eX4HXBcb

Queensland governments promised inquiry into supermarket pricing gets underway, with a focus on disparity between produce grower returns and supermarket retail prices. Interesting to see our findings align with that of Federal Senate Inquiry #QueenslandGovernment #SupermarketPriceInquiry #Growerreturns