Building the Foundation for a Growing Ethnic Market

Conference: Ethnic Market Potential &New Crop Possibilities

November 22, 2007Black Creek Pioneer Village

Elbert van Donkersgoed P. Ag. (Hon.)

Executive Director

Greater Toronto Area Agricultural Action Committee

The Market for Locally Grown Food

Ipsos Reid November 2006 Survey

Growing Ethnic Markets

3

What would you say are the benefits of buying locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables?

41

43

44

45

46

48

50

53

70

71

41

43

43

44

48

46

52

54

73

72

0 20 40 60 80

Preserves green belts

Environmentally friendly

Safer

No chemical/synthetic pesticides

Healthier

Not genetically modified

Are cheaper

Taste better

Supports family farmers

Help your local economy

Canada Ontario

Growing Ethnic Markets

4

When buying food in the past six months, how often did you buy locally grown food when it was available?

20

38

42

16

38

45

0 10 20 30 40 50

Rarely/Never

Sometimes

Always/Ususally

Canada Ontario

The Market for Locally Grown Food

Environics Summer 2007 Survey

Growing Ethnic Markets

6

Q22) How often do you buy locally grown fruits, vegetables, or meats? Do you buy them…

Key Differences:

• Women (57%) are more likely than men (51%) to buy locally grown fruits, vegetables or meats at least weekly.

• Post grads (62%) are more likely than those with high school or less (50%) to buy them at least once a week.

• Those with unaided awareness of the Greenbelt (62%) and those who live in the Greenbelt (58%) are more likely to say they buy locally grown fruits, vegetables or meats at least weekly.

• Regionally, those in Toronto (60%) are the most likely to say they buy them at least weekly.

Less often, 11%

Never, 3%

More than once a week,

12%

Once a week, 43%

Monthly, 12%

Every 2-3 weeks, 17%

2007

Not offered at grocery store

29Not convenient 21Don't know/care if it is local

12Too expensive 8Get at grocery/supermarkt

8Don't know 25

Why never? (n=21)

Growing Ethnic Markets

7

Key Differences:

• Those aged 18-29 are more likely to say it makes no difference (38%).

• Those with unaided awareness of the Greenbelt (91%) are even more likely to agree that they prefer to buy locally grown fruits, vegetables and meats.

• Toronto residents are less likely to say they prefer locally-grown fare (70%), with more saying it doesn’t matter (28%)

Q28) Which of the following statements do you agree with most?

I prefer to buy locally grown fruits, vegetables and meats – 79%

It makes no difference to me whether the fruits, vegetables or meats are locally grown or imported – 18%

I prefer to buy imported fruits, vegetables and meats – 1%

Don’t know – 1%

Growing Ethnic Markets

8

Key Differences:

• Women (39% and 38%) are more likely to strongly agree to both, as are those aged 50+ (41%, 41%).

• Those with children at home are less likely to strongly agree with either (26%, 31%)

• There is only a modest correlation with income on this item, with 31%/35% of those with household incomes below $40,000 agreeing, compared to 38%/37% of those with incomes above $80,000.

• Those who live in rural areas are more likely to strongly agree that they would be willing to pay more for locally-grown fruits/vegetables (42%) and meat (42%).

• Regionally, those in Dufferin-Peel-Halton are more likely to strongly agree with both (40%, 40%).

• Those who see the Greenbelt as an important source of food are more likely to strongly agree with both (43%, 45%).

34%

38%

14%

12%

35%

36%

14%

11%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Fruits & Vegetables Meats

Stronglydisagree

Somewhatdisagree

Somewhatagree

Stronglyagree

Q29) I would be willing to pay more for…that were locally grown or raised

Growing Ethnic Markets

9

Q30) Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree that locally grown food…?

Key Differences:

• Women are more likely to strongly agree that locally grown food is fresher (77%) and tastes better (58%).

• Those who live in the Greenbelt are more likely to see that locally grown foods support the Greenbelt (65%).

• Those in rural areas are more likely to strongly agree that it preserves farmland (75%), is fresher (79%) and tastes better (63%).

85%

13%

1%1%

82%

15%

2%1%

74%

21%

3%1%

70%

24%

3%1%

61%

26%

6%3%

57%

33%

3%2%

53%

32%

8%2%

47%

39%

7%2%

46%

36%

11%2%

15%

37%

31%

10%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Supports local farmers

Supports the local economy

Is fresher

Preserves farmland

Reduces transit GHG emissions

Supports the Greenbelt

Tastes better

Is environmentally friendly

Is healthier

Is cheaper

Stronglydisagree

Somewhatdisagree

Somewhatagree

Stronglyagree

Growing Ethnic Markets

10

Key Differences:

• Those aged 18-29 are more likely to say they rarely (17%) or never (9%) check food labels.

• Post-grads (61%) and those earning incomes over $80,000 (62%) are more likely to say they always do.

• Those with unaided awareness of the Greenbelt (67%) and those who live in rural areas (60%) are more likely to say they always check food labels.

• Regionally, those in Dufferin-Peel-Halton are more likely to always check (59%) while those in Grey-Bruce are less likely (48%).

Q31) How often do you check food labels that describe where fruits, vegetables and meats are grown or sourced from?

Always, 54%

Sometimes, 34%

Never, 5%Rarely, 7%

Growing Ethnic Markets

11

Q32) Food products can have labels describing where the food originated from, or how it was grown or raised. Please indicate whether each of the following would make you much more likely, somewhat more likely, or just as likely to buy the product.

55%

30%

13%

2%

44%

33%

20%

4%

40%

33%

24%

3%

28%

35%

31%

5%

27%

34%

31%

8%

20%

35%

39%

6%

18%

32%

41%

9%

18%

31%

35%

16%

12%

23%

38%

26%

8%

28%

56%

8%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Locally Grown

Foodland Ontario

Farm Fresh

Greenbelt Grown

Free Range

Grown in the GTA

Organic

Sustainably Grown

Small carbon footprint

Used by many top chefs

DK/NA

Just as likely

Somewhatmore likely

Much morelikely

Key Differences:

• Women are more likely to say that ‘Locally Grown (59%)’ and ‘Farm Fresh (44%)’ would make them much more likely to buy the product.

• Those aged 50+ say they would be much more likely to buy products with labels that say ‘Locally Grown (58%)’, ‘Foodland Ontario (48%)’ and ‘Farm Fresh (45%)’.

• Those living in the Greenbelt are more likely to say they would be much more likely to buy products with the ‘Greenbelt Grown’ label (32%).

• Those who see the Greenbelt as a very important source of food are more likely to say they would be much more likely to buy products with a ‘Greenbelt Grown’ label (42%)

• Rural respondents are more likely to say they would be much more likely to buy products that have the labels ‘Locally Grown (63%), Foodland Ontario (52%)’, and ‘Farm Fresh (51%)’.

Growing Ethnic Markets

12

A) I would buy more locally grown foods if my retailer offered more of themB) Governments should provide incentives for schools, hospitals and other public institutions to purchase and serve locally-grown foodC) If restaurants indicated on their menus which items were prepared with locally grown fruits, vegetables and meats, I would be more likely to order those than choose non-locally-grown itemsD) I would be more likely to buy locally grown fruits, vegetables and meats if they had a label indicating they were grown in the GreenbeltE) Governments should make it mandatory for schools, hospitals, and other public institutions to use a minimum percentage of locally-F) Retailers should not sell imported food when locally grown and raised foods are in-season

Q36) Please indicate whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with each of the following

66%

25%

6%2%

59%

26%

8%6%

49%

31%

12%

6%

43%

38%

12%

6%

40%

29%

13%

16%

32%

25%

22%

19%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Stronglydisagree

Somewhatdisagree

Somewhatagree

Stronglyagree

Key Differences:

• Women are more likely than men (72% vs. 58%), and those 50+ are more likely than those aged 18-29 (72% vs. 47%) to strongly agree that they would be more likely to buy locally grown foods if their retailers offered more of them.

• Those who live in rural areas are more likely to strongly agree that they would buy more locally-grown foods if retailers offered them (75%), and if restaurants indicated them on their menus (58%).

• Those living in the Greenbelt (50%), those aged 50+ (49%), immigrants (48%), and those with household incomes of less than $40,000 (48%) are more likely to strongly agree that they would buy more locally-grown foods if they had a label indicating they were grown in the Greenbelt.

Growing Ethnic Markets

13

Ontario is food import dependent — growing gap

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2202 2004 2006

Exports

Imports

Growing Ethnic Markets

14

Discover: Local Harvest, Local Food, Local Flavour

Demographic Profileof the GTA

Census 2001Census 2006

GTA Agricultural Working Group

Growing Ethnic Markets

16

Population per Square Km

Growing Ethnic Markets

17

Population Aged 65+

Growing Ethnic Markets

18

Population Aged 45 to 64

Growing Ethnic Markets

19

% Born in Europe

Growing Ethnic Markets

20

% Born in Asia

Growing Ethnic Markets

21

Immigrants as % of Total

Growing Ethnic Markets

22

% Speaks Only English

The Market for Locally Grown Food

GTA AACNovember 2007 Survey

Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

Growing Ethnic Markets

24

Is the distance a food product travels a concern to you?

89.8

10.2

0102030405060708090

100

Yes No

Percent of 1513

Surveys at The Royal

Growing Ethnic Markets

25

Do you support public institutions (schools, hospitals and jails) adopting a policy that commits them to serving a minimum percentage of locally grown food?

86.9

13.1

0102030405060708090

100

Yes No

Percent of 1513

Surveys at The Royal

Growing Ethnic Markets

26

As the seasons change and the locally grown products change, do you change your diet based on what is seasonally available?

78.7

21.3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Yes No

Percent of 1513

Surveys at The Royal

Growing Ethnic Markets

27

Do you buy food based on price more than you buy food based on where it is grown or raised?

30

63.1

6.9

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Yes No Sometimes

Percent of 1513

Surveys at The Royal

Growing Ethnic Markets

28

Should supermarkets create dedicated and visible sections to make it more convenient for you to buy locally grown food?

97.2

2.80

20

40

60

80

100

120

Yes No

Percent of 1513

Surveys at The Royal

Growing Ethnic Markets

29