I Am Sel

These days, the question of “where are you from?” not only applies to people, but also food. The importance of knowing where your food is from is not just for the sake of trivia or building our personal library of useless facts. Since most of us are so far removed from the complicated food system and supply chain that we have, it may be nearly impossible to trace the entire product life cycle of most processed foods, such as snacks, cereals, frozen meals, etc., but perhaps at least knowing where our produce and meat come from is somewhat manageable if you ask. Questions could be directed to grocery store associates or restaurant staff/managers. Some may be very surprised at the question, and some may appreciate the concern and curiosity. Either way, the more that people pose the questions, the more the topic will be on the forefront of businesses’ priorities. Consumer opinion is likely a driver to instigate change.

Last week at my local Trader Joe’s, I pointed out to the store associates and manager that some of their produce were not consistently labeled. For instance, the organic Fuji apples I put into my basket had a sticker that indicated that it was from Chile, but the price sign and description indicated that it was from the USA. I am no produce auditor, but I then became curious and spot checked another item, such as the blueberries. Same inconsistency existed. Disappointed, I let the cashier know, who then immediately informed the store manager. Him and I had a brief conversation which consisted of me saying, “I just noticed that your produce is not always labeled consistently in terms of where a product is from and wanted to let you know. Not a huge deal to me (though it kind of is!), but I think it’s important for consumers to know where products are coming from.” The store manager’s rationale was that their produce is sourced from multiple suppliers, which makes it difficult to always have the proper labeling on a weekly basis. However, my comment did inspire them to enable a dry-erase system on their price and description signs so that they can be easily changed on a regular basis. Score! However, this matter may require some follow-up because I came back a week later to get apples and this is what I find:

Their suppliers really do change frequently, but the price label still indicated USA. Sigh.

On a side note, I felt good about catching the Chile/USA apple discrepancy, but at the same time, I was peeved by the fact that the apples were not relatively ‘local’ and had to travel from Chile to get to my grocery basket. I was surely getting pesticide-free apples, but the food miles kind of put a damper on my purchase. Sometimes it’s hard to win.

I adore Trader Joe’s yet have a mysterious-skepticism my because it is almost one of those too-good-to-be-true types of businesses that have amazing and innovative products, friendly staff, and hard-to-beat prices on a variety of groceries. Yes, I tend to always challenge things when it’s too good to be true because I think it’s good for validation and a sense of peace. Not all things that are shiny on the outside are healthy on the inside. There has been some angst among customers and activists about its seafood procurement, but the stores are aiming to phase out unsustainable seafood by 2012. Change is at least forthcoming, though gradually. Interestingly enough, if you look further into the company information page, Trader Joe’s does not boast about being the most environmentally friendly business — it focuses on value and cool products. If sustainability is not part of the vision and purpose of an organization’s mission, it becomes an afterthought. Therefore, I don’t blame them too much, but customer and public opinion certainly plays a role in influencing behavior. Now there’s some food for thought!