Your hosts for these stories, Julie & Lee, couldn't be further apart in their historical connection to foods… Julie, a devout foodie from way back, Lee brought up on frozen foods and Oscar Meyer products. So, it couldn't be more surprising when Lee's reaction to visiting the Hawthorne Street location of New Seasons Market was: "Hey, I would consider moving to Portland just to be near this store."
So what sets the New Seasons Markets apart? Their core philosophy — a connection to place. This is apparent in many ways: commitment to the region, commitment to growers and suppliers, commitment to the community, commitment to each store's neighborhood and commitment to staff… locavore on a comprehensive scale.
In the broadest sense, their goal is to strengthen the regional food economy by working with growers in Oregon and Washington. According to Lisa Sedlar, CEO, the average Oregon farmer is now 60 years old and the regional farm business will be changing hands over the next decade. By providing an outlet for their products, the Markets are helping to preserve agricultural land for the next generation.
"It's not the most efficient distribution process dealing with literally hundreds of local vendors everyday," Lisa notes, "but it's part of our mission. While we negotiate price discounts with larger vendors, we don't with our smaller, local producers to help ensure their economic viability."
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Huffington Post
