Local Sourcing Innovation in Independent and Locally Owned Groceries

Local and regional food systems support community vitality, strengthen local economies, and enhance overall wellbeing. While independent and locally-owned grocery stores are a crucial part of the food system, many often lack local food offerings, especially on a broad scale. This is a missed opportunity for both grocers and producers: local food offerings can give grocers a competitive edge, while independent grocery stores can serve as stable marketing outlets for producers.

Independent and locally-owned grocery stores have great potential to sell more local food, but they face numerous barriers. These include, but are not limited to, labor, supply chain complexities, and variable/seasonal sourcing. Additional research is needed to identify innovative local sourcing models that can help independent grocery stores navigate and overcome these challenges. Rural grocers, in particular, have needed to innovate to overcome challenges; exploring local sourcing models used by rural grocers would allow connections to be drawn between their approaches and their applicability for independent grocers in other contexts.

This research project will answer, “What lessons can be learned from innovative local sourcing models that could help locally-owned, independent, and rural groceries become better integrated into local and regional supply chains?” By answering this question, it should become clearer how grocery stores could better adapt to structural challenges in the long run, as well as which models work (and where they work) to achieve integrated, resilient local and regional supply chains.

This project is carried out through a Cooperative Agreement between the Rural Grocery Initiative (RGI) and USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

 

Upcoming Webinar

July 24, 2025 at 1:00 PM Central

The research team developed five in-depth case studies of businesses and organizations that have pioneered solutions to increase local food access in grocery stores.

Join us for a webinar on July 24 at 1:00 PM Central to explore key findings from this research project.

Call for Innovative Local Sourcing Models

RGI and AMS are developing the new Catalog of Local Sourcing Innovations, which will highlight pioneering businesses and/or organizations that have developed unique solutions to connect locally-grown food with independent grocery stores. This information will be used to educate and inspire communities that are seeking more local sourcing opportunities.

To develop the catalog, we are seeking examples of innovative local sourcing models across the country. This could include creative methods of aggregating local food, streamlining distribution systems, developing programs to help grocers purchase local food, and more.

Please submit examples using this Qualtrics form.

 

Research Advisory Committee

Bill Brinkerhoff, Argus Farm Stop
Charlie Michel, Mission West Community Development
Deborah Rausch, USDA Rural Development
Diana Endicott, Good Natured Family Farms
Kameko Nichols, Common Market Southeast
Lauren Horning, FreshPoint
Liz Abunaw, 40 Acres Fresh Market
Margaret Bau, USDA Rural Development
Mary Hendrickson, University of Missouri
Meegan Moriarty, USDA Rural Development
Nikki Seibert Kelly, Growing Local South Carolina
Roberto Mesa, East Denver Food Hub
Robi Fauser Fink, USDA Rural Development

 

K-State Research and Extension is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities.

Program information may be available in languages other than English. Language access requests and reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, including alternative means for communication (e.g., Braille, large print, audio tape, and American Sign Language), may be requested four weeks prior to the start of the event.

To make a request, contact the Rural Grocery Initiative at 785-532-6868 or rgi@ksu.edu. Requests received less than four week prior to the event will be honored when it is feasible to do so. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to limited English proficient individuals upon request.