Here is a manufacturer of locally made, locally sourced and locally distributed juices, dips and salad dressings. All of Here’s products are produced in small batches 25 miles outside Chicago, its major market. The products contain Midwestern-grown produce to support local farmers. Every Here product tells an honest story about its relationship to the farmers who grew the ingredients, the team members who made it and the partners who made it possible. The dressing line comes in 10-oz. glass bottles and is sold in refrigerated produce departments. Varieties are: Ginger Lemon Basil, Greek Olive Basil, Lemon Garlic Basil, Original Sweet Basil and Tomato Basil.
“In order for food to scale, we need to create demand for more product, and that demand has to be there 365 days a year,” says CEO Nate Laurell. He believes that by using local produce to create packaged products, the company can purchase a much larger quantity of fruits, vegetables and herbs from Illinois, Indiana and Michigan farmers. These longer shelf life retail products reach many more consumers than by just selling seasonal local produce. The company plans to replicate the program in farming regions around the country.
