Midwest retailer Meijer is expanding its sourcing of local produce with an increased emphasis on their "Home Grown" initiative which is expected to boost local economies throughout the Midwest by purchasing even more fresh produce from local farmers. The announcement was made today by Hank Meijer, Co-Chairman and C.E.O. of the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based supercenter chain.
Meijer handles more than 75 different locally-grown fruits and vegetables from area farmers, pumping more than $50 million into local economies through its "Home Grown" program that is dedicated to sourcing local produce.
With the continued emphasis on local produce, Meijer can offer the freshness of a farmer's market while still providing the variety Meijer customers expect. In fact, nearly half of the growers Meijer supports deliver fresh fruit and vegetables directly to Meijer stores throughout the Midwest. Today, Meijer is one of the largest buyers of locally-grown produce in Michigan, and one of the region's biggest, with local produce accounting for nearly 30% of all the fruits and vegetables sold by the 189-store supercenter chain during the peak growing season.
Meijer purchased more than 45 million pounds of locally grown potatoes.