Local Food Grocery Looks to CSA Model

In Toronto, Canada, a small local food grocer is struggling to make ends meet. Culinarium is local foods grocery that is now looking to sell shares of groceries over a three-year period in a similar fashion to the existing CSA share model. The program is called "The Shared Dinner Plate," with  focus on "innovating a new grocery concept, one centred on community not commodity." In effect, an investment of a $500 share is worth $600 in groceries spread over three years; A $1,000 investment share offers a $1,300 return.

According to an article in The Star, Kathleen Mackintosh, owner of Culinarium states, "A share program is kind of like a loan; It would let me put in place programs to drive sales for growth down the road."

One thing that small businesses like Culinarium provide is access to local foods. Culinarium hosts both summer and winter CSA shares that start at significantly less than $25/wk and include cheese. This is about the going rate for full-sized American CSA Shares (which often does not include cheese).

As the local foods movement grows in strength, having more opportunities to support local business people involved in the distribution and, ultimately, access points of local food is beneficial for everyone. In large cities, like Toronto, it can be difficult to source local food at any time of the year, but specifically in the cold winter months. Having an accountable source to the footwork for you is both beneficial and efficient.

For the cost-conscious consumer, $25/wk can augment even the tightest budgets all while supporting a good cause and a local economy. Further, Culinarium offers classes on how to preserve summer bounties, including Pectin 101 that dissects the differences between natural pectin and commercial pectin. This sort of "lost art" of preserving has put many people in a state of dependence on the factory food industry, increasing risks to food safety and food security by our own lack. By promoting and providing the knowledge of safe home preservation, we are not only preserving the foods from the summer, but preserving a culture of independence.