Raley’s partners with Food Front
An in-store launch highlighting the partnership between The Food Front and Raley’s took place this week.
The event, held at the grocery store’s location at 367 West Main St. on Tuesday afternoon, introduced 16 partner businesses that would be promoted on-site as well as at the Bel Air on East Gibson Road.
The chain will support the Woodland-based producers in various ways including featuring items on branded end caps, allowing samplings or live-demos to introduce products to shoppers, through social media and online.
Raley’s owner Michael Teel addressed a crowd of roughly four-dozen attendees, sharing why he was excited for the pilot project:
“The mission that I’m really, really charged up about — and this is a part of it — is healthy living and healthy eating and sustainably produced products … sustainable farming, production and delivery to the food chain,” Teel said. “One of the biggest obstacles to this is the millions and millions of dollars our industry takes in to put products on the shelf and advertise them.
“Those products, ladies and gentlemen, aren’t doing you any good. They’re not all healthy and I want to see that change and you’re a part of it and I’m a part of it,” he continued. “It’s about opening the doorway for more and more food production in the region that’s healthier.”
As small businesses don’t have “megabucks” to advertise what they make and get it on shelves, the program offers them an opportunity to be seen.
“I’ve opened the door … but you as a consumer have to make a choice to buy these products and show that you have an interest,” Teel said. “Together we can change the way the world eats one plate at a time.”
The Food Front is a community and economic development initiative led by the city. Its focus is to drive innovation, grow existing food and ag business, welcome new companies, and share why Woodland’s community should celebrate its rich agriculture and vibrant food scene, according to materials provided at the event.
There are more than 180 food and ag companies involved and counting.
Those taking part in the pilot project include Blue Note Brewing, Matchbook Winery, Bright People Foods, Bullseye Farms/ Almond Lane, Pure Nature Foods, Cobram Estate, La Tourangelle, Seka Hills, Pacific Coast Producers, Pure Honey, Sola Bee Farms/Tauzer Apiaries, Z Specialty, Panorama Meats, Yolo Land and Cattle, Gallery Coffee Roasters and Micaela’s California Fresh.
Some notable guests were City Manager Paul Navazio, City Councilman Tom Stallard and representatives from Woodland Fire Department, the Chamber of Commerce and Yolo Food Bank.