• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Agriculture / Convenience stores seen as possible market for local food

Convenience stores seen as possible market for local food

December 15, 2005 By admin

While convenience stores are probably best know for gas and slurpies — an Iowa State University study shows they could be an untapped market for locally grown products. Mary Holz-Claus says her study found convenience store managers and owners are interested partnering with people who grow products locally. She says there’s a movement by store owners to offer customers things are high quality and fresh, and she says they think local producers can by the supplier of the products.

Convenience stores have long been the headquarters for microwave burritos and other such pre-packaged frozen foods. Holz-Clause says a partnership with local producers could give customers some of the same options with fresher, healthier food.
She says they focused on whether there’s a niche for local growers to supply not only fresh produce, but also burritos with Iowa ground beef instead of from other sources.

Holz-Clause says the convenience stores are a natural choice in many areas to be the link to local growers. She says in a lot of rural areas the convenience store is also the grocery store and serves as “the mecca” where food is acquired. Holz-Claus says the next step is to link up the producers with the stores. She says Iowa State will hold a seminar in March to give details to producers on how to work with convenience stores.

Holz-Clause says they’ll talk about how they want the product, how they want it label and things like that. She says many producers are working with direct markets, selling directly to farmers markets. She says they want to work with them to see how they can sell to the larger markets offered by convenience stores. Holz-Claus says it’s another way to expand the markets available to local producers and help everyone involved.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business Tagged With: Food

Featured Stories

Bill would limit placement of solar arrays on farm ground

Marquette casino moving to land, leaving only 2 casino boats in Iowa

Reynolds signs her ‘school choice’ bill into law

Governor Reynolds touts 2024 Iowa Caucuses in Inaugural Address

University of Iowa grad presiding over U.S. House Speaker vote

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

No coaching changes coming for Iowa football

Iowa State names new receivers coach

No. 2 Iowa visits No. 1 Penn State in wrestling dual Friday night

Iowa’s Clark brings increased exposure to women’s basketball

No. 18 Iowa State women visit TCU

More Sports

Archives

Copyright © 2023 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC