Restaurants hunting for local produce, meat and dairy products are turning to organizations formed to put them in touch with area farmers. The buy-local groups can be godsends for operators who want to feature more seasonal foods but struggle to find nearby sources.
For example, Mountainside, N.J.-based Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse worked through Jersey Fresh, a marketing and inspection program run by the state agriculture department. The program helped the company line up local produce suppliers for its 35 restaurants. The program was developed in 1983 to help New Jersey farmers inform consumers about available fresh produce. The program expanded over the years and now connects wholesale produce buyers, such as restaurants, with growers in their counties.
Like New Jersey, many state agriculture departments have programs to promote buying from local farmers. A little detective work can reveal buyer/seller networks closer to home.
Here are some ideas to find something similar in your area:
• Visit farmers’ markets. Many farmers’ markets have sponsors devoted to connecting local buyers and sellers, says restaurateur, caterer and author Steve Poses. The owner of Ben’s Bistro in Philadelphia developed a farm-fresh cheese steak using ingredients grown within a 100-mile radius. He secured ingredients through local farmers through Philly Homegrown, a project of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp. The group launched Philly Homegrown to promote locally grown food, such as that sold at Reading Terminal Market downtown.
• Take advantage of the marketing. Philly Homegrown promoted Ben’s cheese steak to tourists as a true taste of the area. Don’t be afraid to do that sort of horn-blowing, Poses advises. Local produce might cost more, but the marketing advantages are more than an offset -- if you wield them, he suggests.
• Check out Slow Food chapters. Chris Fowler, executive director, SyracuseFirst, a non-profit group that connects businesses, organizations and citizens dedicated to buying local, suggests those groups might have informal supply networks waiting to be tapped. Empire Brewing Co. in Syracuse, N.Y., went through SyracuseFirst to find home-state sources of Angus beef and hops for the brew pub’s beer.
• Stay flexible. Seasons and yields dictate what’s available and at what price, so don’t over-commit to buying locally. Offer local items as specials so you don’t promise something on printed menus that might not be available, Poses says. Expand your options by forming relationships with growers. They might be willing to cultivate items if they know you’d buy them.
