You are the chief operating officer (COO) of a local supermarket chain that has 10 stores within an

100-mile radius. The farm-to-table movement has been gaining momentum locally, and now it's a

consumer demand as well as a good practice. This movement supports the use of local suppliers to

limit the environmental impact caused by the long-distance transportation of food. It also supports

small family farms that use sustainable practices, such as avoiding genetically modified organisms

and pesticides or using organic fertilizers. The CEO of the supermarket chain has asked you to see

if the supermarket can apply some of the farm-to-table principles to how it selects produce

suppliers. Before moving too far in that direction, both you and the CEO agree that the inventory-

management implications need to be understood.

Keep in mind that supermarket customers want a wide range of produce all year long-even

produce that does not grow locally during parts of the year. For example, oranges cannot survive

very cold weather, but local customers expect to be able to buy them even during snowstorms in

winter.

In your initial post, address the following:

What are a few different ways that the supermarket chain could incorporate farm-to-table principles

into its operations while still meeting consumer demands?

What are the benefits and risks associated with incorporating farm-to-table principles into the

grocery chain's supply chain?

What data and communication with the local farms is necessary for the supermarket to implement

this endeavor?

What factors or metrics will determine whether you, as the COO, support applying farm-to-table

principles to the supermarket, and why?