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Food co-ops, farmers markets and niche establishments may first come to mind. But what about Wal-Mart?
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Heidi Pickwall, lead captain of the Wal-Mart Personal Sustainability Program at the Winona store, explains the environmental benefits of rubber mulch, made from recycled tires.
Wal-Mart is carrying more environmentally-friendly products in their stores and will include products from local vendors.
(Photo by Melissa Carlo/Winona Daily News) |
The world’s largest retailer, which serves more than 176 million customers a week, is now wielding its buying and marketing power toward earth-friendly products and services.
Wal-Mart is calling for local vendors to supply sustainable foods, products and services to its Minnesota and Wisconsin stores.
Whether its products made from recycled materials or energy-efficient technologies, Wal-Mart wants to provide “greener” options on its shelves.
It could be a local vegetable farmer. A company that pressure-washes sidewalks using technology to capture the water for reuse. A landscaper who uses innovative techniques to conserve water. A recycling company that collects paint, aerosol cans, old electronics or other items.
Wal-Mart knows it has a large impact on communities, said Winona Wal-Mart store manager Larry
Burch. He hopes it can be a positive imprint.
“Yes, we’re a Wal-Mart. And yes, we’re nationwide. But we’re also local,” Burch said. “I take community involvement very seriously. It’s all about getting the community to understand we are not just a grocery store.”
As store manager, Burch can select 25 percent of the store’s merchandise to best fit with the community. He hopes area vendors — local or organic — would be willing to sit down and offer a proposal “as long as the cost is right for the product.”
Winona Wal-Mart will soon add two Wisconsin produce vendors, La Crosse Produce and Jolivette fruit and vegetable farm in Onalaska, Wis., Burch said.
The complete line of Watkins Inc. products from lotions to spices will also launch in May, Burch said. He hopes that would spur other Winona businesses to step forward.
Jennifer Rupprecht, president of the Winona Farmers Market and owner of Earth-Be-Glad Farm in Lewiston, Minn., said many farmers are open to new markets.
“We’ve had talks with local supermarkets before, but supply always becomes an issue because we’re an individual farm,” Rupprecht said. “For ourselves, we prefer direct selling to the consumer or through existing channels of a local food (market).”
More local farmers would be willing to talk to Wal-Mart if they’re not just focused on organic, said Brent Greden of Greden Ponderosa Dairy Farm in Rollingstone, Minn.
He felt the organic label didn’t mean a higher quality, but a higher price to consumers.
Unlike Rupprecht, Greden shops at Wal-Mart. But they both agreed on one point:
“A fair price to the farmer is going to be a critical issue,” Rupprecht said.
Contact reporter Amber Dulek at amber.dulek@lee.net or (507) 453-3513.
