Farm-to-Table and Triple Bottom Line

4-2 Discussion: Farm-to-Table and the Triple Bottom Line

You are the chief operating officer (COO) of a local supermarket chain that

has 10 stores within an 100-mile radius. The farm-to-table movement has

been gaining momentum locally, and now it’s a consumer demand as well as

a good practice. This movement supports the use of local suppliers to limit

the environmental impact caused by the long-distance transportation of food.

It also supports small family farms that use sustainable practices, such as

avoiding genetically modified organisms and pesticides or using organic

fertilizers. The CEO of the supermarket chain has asked you to see if the

supermarket can apply some of the farm-to-table principles to how it selects

produce suppliers. Before moving too far in that direction, both you and the

CEO agree that the inventory-management implications need to be

understood.

Keep in mind that supermarket customers want a wide range of produce all

year long—even produce that does not grow locally during parts of the year.

For example, oranges cannot survive very cold weather, but local customers

expect to be able to buy them even during snowstorms in winter.

In your initial post, address the following:

• What are a few different ways that the supermarket chain could

incorporate farm-to-table principles into its operations while still

meeting consumer demands?

• What are the benefits and risks associated with incorporating farm-to-

table principles into the grocery chain’s supply chain?

• What data and communication with the local farms is necessary for the

supermarket to implement this endeavor?

• What factors or metrics will determine whether you, as the COO,

support applying farm-to-table principles to the supermarket, and

why?