Local Food Brands Study

Market Research, Promotion and Brand Adoption to Improve Economic Impact of Rhode Island Food Brands to Local & Regional Markets

This projects seeks to strengthen the two Rhode Island local food brands —“RI Grown” and “RI Seafood”— by studying the economic impact of their marketing programs and researching the best marketing methods to increase brand awareness and member participation.

Currently, it is estimated that New England produces just 10% of the food consumed in the region. With this in mind, two State-supported “buy local” brand initiatives that were launched within RI Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) to increase market demand for foods grown, raised and harvested in Rhode Island. These efforts support economic development and long-term food resilience within the region and seek to capitalize on the success of other state-grown brand initiatives by offering a single point of access for Rhode Island producers to receive technical assistance, market research, and marketing tools and resources through RIDEM.

As evidenced by “Vermont Grown” and “Real Maine”—two successful, locally grown-and-harvested programs—there is potential for regional/local consumers and food businesses to purchase more locally grown and harvested foods if they are made aware of these foods through effective and targeted marketing efforts. This project seeks to lay the groundwork for the State to establish a stronger local food brand by:

1) determining the current and potential economic impact of our “buy local” brands as well as

2) conduct market research to strengthen the impact of the local food brand programs and determine the best marketing strategies to increase brand awareness, member participation and improve the economic impact of the brands.

 

Andrew Moran Photography, RI Seafood

DEM RI Grown (apples small)

RI Department of Environmental Management, RI Grown

PROJECT TIMELINE

Phase 1 Summer & Fall 2024 Develop Economic Assessment Survey & Deploy Survey
Phase 2 Winter 2024/25 Deploy study findings and kick off strategy development
Phase 3 Winter 2025 Finalize strategies, establish retail partners and procure necessary supplies for testing
Phase 4 Spring - Summer 2025 Strategies Deployed and Tested
Phase 5 Fall 2025 Evaluate strategies and develop a report with updated toolkits

Project Team

  • Alison Macbeth, RI Food Strategy Project Manager, RI Commerce
  • Anika Kimble-Huntley, Chief Marketing Officer, RI Commerce
  • Andrea Rekrut, Director of Marketing, RI Commerce
  • Molly Ogren, Chief of Program Development (RI Seafood Program), RI Department of Environmental Management
  • Ananda Fraser, Environmental Policy Analyst II, Produce Safety Program Coordinator, RI Department of Environmental Management
  • Jack Sisson, Chief of Program Development (Agricultural Grants/ RI Grown Manager), RI Department of Environmental Management
  • Josh Daly, Associate Network Director, RI Food Policy Council

Advisory Council

  • Allison Montagnon, RI Food Policy Council
  • Jesse Rye, Farm Fresh RI
  • Fred Mattera & Shaye Rooney, Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island
  • Annie Bayer, Young Farmers Network
  • Susan Budlong, Dave's Fresh Marketplace
  • Dave Dadekian, Eat Drink RI
  • Lisa Townson, URI Cooperative Extension
  • Scott Bromberg, RI Food Dealers Association
  • Kathryn Farrington, Discover Newport

Consultant Team

Blaze Partners was selected through a competitive bid process to provide marketing research services to RI Commerce throughout this project. Blaze Partners has subcontracted with Camoin Associates to conduct an economic impact analysis on the RI buy local brands. Blaze Partners has conducted similar studies for the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and as well as private companies. In 2022, Blaze Partners became B Corp , a certification process for organizations who abide by the highest ethical, social and environmental standards. 

 Blaze Partners Logo      Camoin Associates Logo

 

Funded through USDA-AMS-TM-FSMIP-G-23-0014