Ethnic, Local & Organics
Considering Detroit’s incredibly diverse population, it’s no surprise demand for ethnic produce is mushrooming.
“Any wholesaler doing business in this general metropolitan area has noticed the Hispanic and Middle East populations growing,” Stone asserts. “We can’t get a pepper that’s hot enough. I’d say the pepper selection has grown along with every other Hispanic item, and there’s high demand for Middle Eastern preferences,” he says, adding, “The area’s ethnic diversity is a factor in what we buy and sell every day.”
Locally grown produce continues to be in high demand at both Detroit markets, and is welcomed by the wholesalers. “We see the farmers who go to the market in the summer to sell to our independents, and we slow down a bit when the locals start to sell,” Russo admits. “But that’s great, because it gives local farmers a chance to sell their product.”
Given Michigan’s wide range of fruit and vegetables, there’s ample supply for growers and wholesalers. “We sell as much locally grown produce as we can,” Russo remarks. “We carry a full line of fruits and vegetables grown in Michigan, and we’ve had a lot of success.” Seasonal produce begins in June with zucchini and cucumbers and continues through the end of October with harvests of some types of squash (acorn, butternut, spaghetti, etc.), potatoes, and apples.
Urban growers in Detroit are bringing new meaning to the term “locally grown.” As part of this innovative movement, growers are taking over vacant lots across the city to plant and harvest fresh vegetables, fruit, and herbs.
“Urban growers increased from 80 in 2014 to more than 1,400 in 2014,” Carmody notes, adding that the Eastern Market continues to support the movement. “The largest 70 or 80 urban growers participate in a co-op that sells at our retail markets, and four urban growers have become vendors in the market.” While urban production is still relatively small, he believes some growers are moving from direct retail sales to wholesale, primarily selling to restaurants.
When it comes to organics, these particular items remain more of a niche market than a force to be reckoned with, at least for the time being. “I could say it’s been steady,” observes Stone. “With organics, even though some people in the general public are buying them, probably 80 percent of organic produce is consumed by a very small percentage of the population,” he points out. “The growth in organic is more in variety as opposed to volume.”
