2008 Woodie Awards
Being hip & trendy
Abby Harvey - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 12/21/07 Section: Metro
- < prev Page 2 of 2
"As far as the New Pioneer Co-op [being formed], you had people who wanted those products that weren't offered by regular-type grocery stores," Fleagle said.
Although traditional grocery stores are doing their best to jump on the natural-foods bandwagon, Allen Dix, the store director at the Waterfront Hy-Vee is the first to admit that it's not that easy. Hy-Vee stocks some of the new organic cereals from national brands, plus all of the frozen foods the co-op carries, but his store has a harder time maintaining the "fresh section."
"Our problem with home-grown organics is that nobody can grow enough in this area to make the volume for one store, let alone four stores," Dix said.
Whether it be from the streams of Minnesota or from the fields of sweet corn on the way out of town, co-ops support a variety of local to national vendors.
"And when natural and gourmet overlap, that's when our people are just happy; they're in Heaven," Carbrey said.
Those who shop exclusively at the co-op or choose to obtain membership status usually have a personal motive behind their choice.
"They don't use chemicals, so the food has a better taste," said Kari Statler, smiling across the cardboard bins of greenish-yellow D'Anjou pears. "Plus, it's better for your body."
The co-op helps people express their interest in emotional, cultural, health, and environmental effects of food, Carbrey said. For example, there are many environmentally friendly alternatives that have been made available upon customer request.
"So, at a grocery store such as New Pioneer, where people really want an emphasis on whole foods and supporting local as much as possible, sometimes you may end up paying a little more," said Jan Temple, a nutrition and health field specialist from Iowa State University extension. "But yet you are supporting the causes that are important to you."
Economically speaking - be it diamonds, automobiles, or electronics - a good, quality product will cost more.
It's easy to see how buying fresh and natural could be considered "hip."
"We're very trendy," Carbrey said. "I can't believe the popularity from when we started 36 years ago. This is fun, it's cool, it's interesting, it matters."
E-mail DI reporter Abby Harvey at:
abby-harvey@uiowa.edu
Although traditional grocery stores are doing their best to jump on the natural-foods bandwagon, Allen Dix, the store director at the Waterfront Hy-Vee is the first to admit that it's not that easy. Hy-Vee stocks some of the new organic cereals from national brands, plus all of the frozen foods the co-op carries, but his store has a harder time maintaining the "fresh section."
"Our problem with home-grown organics is that nobody can grow enough in this area to make the volume for one store, let alone four stores," Dix said.
Whether it be from the streams of Minnesota or from the fields of sweet corn on the way out of town, co-ops support a variety of local to national vendors.
"And when natural and gourmet overlap, that's when our people are just happy; they're in Heaven," Carbrey said.
Those who shop exclusively at the co-op or choose to obtain membership status usually have a personal motive behind their choice.
"They don't use chemicals, so the food has a better taste," said Kari Statler, smiling across the cardboard bins of greenish-yellow D'Anjou pears. "Plus, it's better for your body."
The co-op helps people express their interest in emotional, cultural, health, and environmental effects of food, Carbrey said. For example, there are many environmentally friendly alternatives that have been made available upon customer request.
"So, at a grocery store such as New Pioneer, where people really want an emphasis on whole foods and supporting local as much as possible, sometimes you may end up paying a little more," said Jan Temple, a nutrition and health field specialist from Iowa State University extension. "But yet you are supporting the causes that are important to you."
Economically speaking - be it diamonds, automobiles, or electronics - a good, quality product will cost more.
It's easy to see how buying fresh and natural could be considered "hip."
"We're very trendy," Carbrey said. "I can't believe the popularity from when we started 36 years ago. This is fun, it's cool, it's interesting, it matters."
E-mail DI reporter Abby Harvey at:
abby-harvey@uiowa.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
sarad
posted 12/21/07 @ 9:15 AM CST
Homegrown organics are available in more than adequate quanities. They just aren't packaged, stickered (you know the ones I mean)bar coded, homogenously sized (because they don't grow that way) and of the everlasting type for mega stores like the "Vee". (Continued…)
Post a Comment