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Local Purchasing

Organic Produce Summit Recap

Organic Produce Summit Recap

Retailers, growers, wholesalers and more flocked to beautiful Monterey, CA on a sunny week in July for the 10th annual Organic Produce Summit. The conference is located strategically nearby California's Salinas Valley, known as America's Salad Bowl. The three day conference offered networking, educational opportunities and

Expo West Recap

Expo West Recap

Expo West has been described as the 'Super Bowl' of the natural foods industry. The comparison may be apt in a number of ways. 70,000 attended the 2026 Super Bowl at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, while 66,000 vendors, buyers and industry professionals gathered at the

The Anatomy of Snow Panic Sales

The Anatomy of Snow Panic Sales

Any local news station worth their salt will do a story about the run on grocery stores right before a snowstorm. Empty shelves, full baskets, and long lines at the registers are the typical B-roll. What is it like to operate a grocery store in the lead up to

Expo West Preview

Expo West Preview

In 2026 Expo West will celebrate 45 years of bringing together the natural foods industry in Anaheim. Fun fact: the first Expo West in 1981 featured a session led by Frank Abagnale, the con artist whose life was portrayed in the movie Catch Me If You Can. While the industry

Digital Infrastructure for a Truly Cooperative Food System

Digital Infrastructure for a Truly Cooperative Food System

When food co-ops and producers coordinate through platforms they collectively steward and govern, local food systems can become economically competitive with corporate alternatives while building the solidarity and economic power the movement was designed to create.