Richard J. George, Ph.D.

Wegmans Learns By Doing, Down on the Farm

June 10, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
Wegmans' Jim Heberle is excited. "We aimed for ripe tomatoes before Memorial Day, and we made it," he told Syracuse's Post-Standard newspaper. The we Mr. Heberle referred to are all of the people working on Wegmans' Organic Research Farm in Canandaigua, N.Y. What are your thoughts on Wegmans' approach to running its Organic Research Farm?      [more...]

Wegmans has become the market innovator in many ways and the addition of products from its own farms is further evidence of ongoing efforts to delight its customers.

Consumers who purchase locally grown products do so out of deeply held beliefs. To this demographic, local means fresh, better quality, authenticity, community and civic responsibility. While it may not fit strategically or be cost effective for other retailers to operate their own farms, local sourcing should be a given and not limited to fresh products.