Conversations Around Town-Size Matters to the Big Box

Today, I did the forbidden for a foodie. I visited my local super dupper big box...Superstore and caused a rucus, not intentionally of course. I just asked if they had any produce grown locally, or maybe from BC... in the middle of summer. The poor guy working, gave a me a strange look, and referred me on, the next guy shrugged. I just wanted to know the origin of the lettuce and maybe the peppers, or anything else I could include in my dinner. I was polite. Eventually I was directed to an older guy, who kindly explained with a puzzled look that yes they have some local produce, the lettuce is from the coast, but labelling that is not important, in fact they even have local Okanagan tomatoes next to the Mexican tomatoes, who knew.

Upon further conversation he indicated that he has a BBA (some kind of business degree) which provided the simple explanation for why no local labelling... it went something like "Superstore is a vertical rather than horizontal operation". Now I was puzzled. However, what I gathered he meant was it all boiled down to the quantity that is needed to supply superstore, they don't label, as the local supply is small, patchy and dynamic. It is simply to much to stick a local sign on the tomatoes, when at any moment they could switch to import. But, I mean really, I think they must not think we care. Produce guy pointed out what matters, the price difference and in this case local was cheaper, that is what counts.

The other thing that struck me in my conversation with the produce guy is quality, apparently three strikes and farmer Bob is out, doesn't matter if you are from California or Armstrong, the contract is cancelled for bad quality. Ah yes quality, something Slow Food Nation raves about, my only thought upon looking at the produce section a little closer was what does quality really mean to superstore...