UC Sustainable Agriculture and Education Program Distributor Interview Packer-shipper, Fresh-Cut Processor
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Last Update: Hello. My name is Jeri/Tracy/Gail from the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Program. We are conducting interviews with institutional buyers (colleges, hospitals and correctional facilities), distributors and produce farmers in California so we can better understand how fresh produce gets from the farm to the plate—the institutional plate. Did you receive a copy of our questions? Do you have about 30 minutes to talk with us today about your operation’s practices in buying/selling fresh produce? All information you provide will be kept confidential.
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS/ SCOPE OF BUSINESS
1. What is your working title?
2. What kind of business are you associated with (broadline distributor; general produce distributor; packer/shipper; fresh-cut processor; non-profit allied distributor)?
3. What was your overall annual sales volume in dollars in 2006? < $50K/year $51 - $100K/year $101 - $250K/year $251 - $500K/year $501 - $1 million/year $1 million - $2 million/year $2 million - $5 million/year $5 million - $10 million/year > $10 million/year
4. What was your overall annual sales volume (in dollars) for fresh produce in 2006? Well over $10 million, closer to $100 million
CURRENT OVERALL SALES TO INSTITUTIONS We are particularly interested in sales to institutions and purchases from regional growers.
5. How many institutional accounts do you currently have? With whom? (Or: If interviewee is an intermediary, which distributors do you sell to which then sell to institutions?)
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6. What percentage of your total sales is accounted for by College/universities ______% Hospitals ______% Correctional facilities ______% Other institutions (please name) ______% TOTAL institutional sales ______% $$ ______
7. About how much did you typically sell (in $$/week or month) in 2006 to these institutions, during your peak sales season and your lowest sales season? College/universities $______ Hospitals $______ Correctional facilities $______ Other $______
LOCAL/ SUSTAINABLE DEFINITIONS, PURCHASES We would like to know more about the types of producers you buy from.
8. Approximately what percentage of your total produce purchases in 2006 were from organic farmers?
9. There has been some publicity recently about sustainable agriculture. How do you define “sustainably produced”? [Prompt: IPM; certification labels, e.g., Food Alliance; reduced spray]
10. Approximately what percentage of your total produce purchases in 2006 were “sustainably produced”?
11. There has also been some publicity about locally grown produce. We’d like to know how you define “locally grown produce.” Same city/county Produced within a 50 mile radius Produced within a 200 mile radius Produced within a day’s drive Produced within a region of the state Produced within California Produced in the Western states Other ______
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12. Do you purchase produce from any local farmers, and if so, in what way did you purchase from them? From individual farmers From a farmer cooperative From a grower/packer/shipper Non-profit allied distributor for local grower Other
13. How many local farmers do you buy from?
14. Approximately, what percentage of your total produce purchases in 2006 came from local farmers?
15. How much did you typically buy (in dollars per week) from local farmers (all categories) in 2006 during your peak sales season and your lowest sales season?
16. Approximately what portion of the local farmers that you buy from are small to mid-scale producers?
17. What are the top 5 locally grown items you purchased in 2006?
18. Please describe how the produce gets from the farm, to you, to the purchasing institution:
SALES Now we would like to find out about your buyers… 19. Do your institutional customers express a preference for the following types of produce, and if so, please rate how important each type is to your buyers from 1 (not important) to 7 (very important).
Not Very important important Organic 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sustainably produced 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Locally grown 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Other (please specify) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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20. Do you specifically identify those products that are organic/ sustainable/ locally grown to your buyers? If so, how?
COST FACTORS
21. In general, is there a relative price difference between locally grown produce from small to mid-scale farmers and other produce you purchase? Approximately how much (percentage)?
22. What is your standard mark-up?
23. Is your mark-up always the same? If no, why not?
24. Is purchasing from local farmers and selling to institutions such as colleges, universities and hospitals ("Farm to Institution") economically viable over the long run? Why or why not?
25. What would it take to make it (or keep it) economically viable?
LOGISTICAL FACTORS
26. Are there any bidding requirements that make it difficult for your institutional buyers to purchase from local farmers? If so, how do you deal with that?
27. Does selling local produce to institutions impact your insurance requirements? If so, how do you mange this?
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28. Are there any different packing/ processing requirements in selling local produce to food service institutions?
29. Are there any different delivery arrangements for selling local produce to food service institutions? If so, what are they?
30. Are there any different payment arrangements in selling local produce to food service institutions? (What are the payment arrangements?)
OVERALL PERCEPTIONS OF FARM-TO-INSTITUTION PROGRAMS [Objective F]
31. What are the advantages to selling "Farm to Institution"? What in particular makes it work?
32. What are the advantages of working with local growers?
33. What are the challenges of selling Farm to Institution? (prompts: costs, delivery, invoicing)
34. What particular challenges do you face with local growers?
35. Do you have any other comments?
Thank you very much for your time.
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