Small food helps MWFPA and 'big food' tell great new local stories consumers want to hear

This follows up on the recent post regarding the wide and valuable reach of the Midwest Food Products Association within it's core service area.  Amazing.  More that 80% of the total population of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota combined live in a county with an MWFPA plan or member office.  That's over 19 million people (out of 24 million total) living in a county with an MWFPA represented office or plant.

This is the kind of access to people and communities that advocates of local and regional foods dream about.  The trouble is, there are no good stories that tie these 'big food' and 'small food' groups together.

And at the same time, industry leaders are calling for new and better stories to help 'big food' tell its story to consumers.  The lead editorial in the May 2017 Food Processing Magazine was titled 'Big Food Needs Big PR'.  Amen.

The editorial ends with this call to action:  "There are so many good stories to tell.  The healthy Weight Commitment Foundation.  How do you feed a world of 9 billion people?  And so many individual-company stories of social responsibility.  The good stories deserve to be told.  Now, who will take the lead in making this happen?"

This is exactly where MWFPA can utilize the Artisan Food Processors Network (AFPN).  The AFPN is an opportunity to grow the story of food product production at the community scale.  As 'big food' companies went through mergers and acquisitions their ability to participate at the community level became harder.  This led to fewer consumers knowing much about the bigger companies left in the field or the good work they do.

With the amazing community reach MWFPA represents, local MWFPA member offices can help spread the word about community food production developments and local food fundraising programs sponsored by the AFPN Artisan network.

One such program is a unique new food products project that allows local high school students in areas with MWFPA offices to grow and create their own 'local pasta sauce' for community-specific fundraising programs, while doubling as a career and workforce training program for MWFPA members.  This early introduction to the entire range of careers in the food products industry can give MWFPA members an early start on attracting and growing the local workforce they will need to succeed in the future.

This partnership is unique in the food industry and promises to deliver the fresh new food stories local consumers are looking for, while laying the groundwork needed for industry growth in the region.

The AFPN artisan network helps develop new opportunities for a great industry to show itself in a valuable new light.  MWFPA  and the Artisan Food Products Network are leading the way.