Local food innovations are nothing new, but the way in which entrepreneurs market and create ways for communities to consume food, buy groceries and cook meals is constantly changing. Generally speaking, the idea of eating locally, that is, as a movement, only came about in the early 21st century as a reaction to corporate farming practices and global capitalism. More specifically, the 100-mile diet and its many offshoots have encouraged urban dwellers to challenge import practices, which creates an environment in which food travels hundreds of miles before it ends up on your table.
From two-wheeled drive-ins to ethical gastropubs and kitchen gardens, consider this Social Business top list of local food innovations the next time you shop for delicious goodies.
24 Local Food Innovations
24
Upscale Border Town Restaurants
Chef Javier Plascencia Brings Fine Dining to Tijuana, Mexico
23
Foods as Barcodes
Belgian Food Banks 'Donate a Barcode' Ads Help to Feed the Hungry
22
Urban Foraging
Eating Local Goes Inner City As Pedestrians Pluck Food From Trees
21
Solid Spicy Invitations
The Ray Lemon Bar in Germany Sends Delicious Invites
20
Community-Driven Produce Projects
Just Food Gives Access to Healthy Foods in Underserved Urbanity
19
Subscription Soup Deliveries
SoupCycle Brings Portland Organic Locavore Meals Via Bicycle
18
Kitchen Gardens
The Herb Pot by Toyokitchin & Living Corporation
17
Impromptu Urban Markets
Stockbox Grocers Create Petite City-Friendly Food Stores
16
Food Desert Distributors
The Corbin Hill Road Farm Supplies Fresh Produce to Those in Need
15
Seasonal Vegetable Deliveries
Growing Places Enterprise Makes It Easy to Eat Local and Organic
14
Local Food Movements
SPUD.ca and SPUD.com Stock Your Fridge with Organic Groceries
13
Ethnic Exchange Cuisine
Culture Kitchen Employs Immigrants to Teach Cooking Classes
12
Local Eating Guides
Edible Manhattan Offers Critical Analysis on Food Sustainability
11
Locavore Fast Food
Pacific Northwest's Burgerville Restaurants Use Local Ingredients
10
People-Powered Produce
The Food Assembly Services Pop-Up Farmer's Markets Chosen by You
9
Vegetable Bicycling Campaigns
The Braise Local Food Ads Wholly Integrates Green Living
8
Thin Triangular Bars
Roslyn Street Bar and Restaurant by Durbach Block Architects Maximizes Space
7
Consumer Flour Power
Stone-Buhr's 'Find the Farmer' Provides Product Traceablity
6
Local Food Biz Connectors
Sustaination Makes It Easy and Efficient to Get Healthy Food
5
Relationship-Based Baking Businesses
King Arthur Flour Company is Employee-Owned
4
Ethical Gastropubs
The Duke of Cambridge Serves Organic and Local Foods
3
Online Locavore Platforms
Foodhub Aims to Facilitate the Locavore Movement
2
Socially Responsible Giving
Publicis Vancouver Gives Paper Plate Greeting Cards to Clients
1
Two-Wheeled Drive Ins
The Bike-In-Theater Celebrates Biking and Summer in NYC
Related Ideas
Newsstand-Style Pop-Up Series
Uber Eats x ALDI Celebrated Their Partnership with 'The Daily Feed'
Fan-Created Menu Items
Creative Customer Orders Inspired the Taco Bell Fan Style Menu
Experiential Convenience Stores
FamilyMart Announced IP-Centered Store Experiences in Japan
Nutrition-Forward Treat Shop Pop-Ups
Bloom Nutrition Hosted the Very Successful Treat Shoppe
Snackable Frozen Appetizers
TAST!EZ's New Products Bring Restaurant-Quality Snacks Home
Last-Minute Meal Pop-Ups
HelloFresh's No-Need-To-Go-To-The-Store Store Saves Commuters Time
Dirty Soda Drive-Thrus
Olipop's Pop-Up Served Spicy Pickle Sodas and Cereal Milk Sodas
Automotive Restaurants
Hyundai is Opening Backseat Bites, the UK’s First Restaurant Inside a Car
Novel Toddler-Focused Food Brands
Beyond the Bib Has Officially Launched Across the United States
Creative Economy Meal Replacements
Sneak EATS Launched a Nutrition Product Built for Creatives
Flavor Mashup Snacks
Mad Genius Snack Lab Makes Globally Inspired Bites for Gen Z & Millennials
Farming-Inspired Cocktail Menus
Agri/Culture by Little Red Door Explores Agricultural Methods
One-Night-Only Dining Events
The Saratoga Supper Club Turned a Convenience Store into a Speakeasy
Gourmet Lunch Pop-Ups
Uber Eats' Sandwich Studio Elevated the Classic Combo Meal
Cross-Industry Insight Networks
The Think Party Explores the Future of Socialization
Packaged Microgreens Expansions
80 Acres Farms Promotes Healthy Eating with Expanded Distribution
Meal Sustainability Blueprints
The Food Is Medicine Coalition and Partners Release a New Framework
Chef-Led Meal Subscriptions
CookUnity Delivers Restaurant-Quality Meals by A-List Chefs
Comprehensive Fast Food Reports
Yum! Brands, Inc. Explores Food Trends Influencing the Industry
Workplace-Inspired Salad Campaigns
BrightFarms Launches the Salad Freaks in the Workplace Campaign
Foodie Charm Bracelets
Goodles Gave Expo West Attendees the Chance to Make Custom Charm Bracelets
Functional Health-Focused Packaging Aesthetics
Cleveland Kitchen Upgrades Its Packaging & Identity
Consumer-Driven Grocery Stores
The Waitrose Home of Food Lovers Concept Store is in Newbury
Branded Retro-Inspired Wellness Houses
Lifeway Foods is Hosting a Special Pop-Up in Palm Springs
Ambitious Urban Revitalization Proposals
Yujin Cao & Xiaofan Ye Design the Brooklyn Dairy Project
Takeout Meal Drone Deliveries
Deliveroo Drone Delivery is Taking to the Skies in Dublin, Ireland
Subscription-Based Food Delivery Services
Fresh Meal Plan Emphasizes Nutrition and Convenience
Curated Discovery Stores
The Shelf Spotlights Emerging Food, Drink and Wellness Brands
Campus Food Insecurity Initiatives
Chartwells Higher Education Debuts 'United Through Food'
Protein-Forward School Products
Prepared Foods Focuses on USDA Protein-Focused Nutrition Updates
Plant-Based Dessert Expansions
Over the Moo Emphasizes Indulgence & Health-Conscious Recipes
Stylishly Comfortable Restaurant Concepts
The Frederick Restaurant is Led by Chef Cory Vitiello
Local-Led Culinary Experiences
Intrepid Offers a Diverse Range of Food Tours for Curious Travelers
Latin-Inspired Youth-Focused Foods
Little Spoon and Siete Foods Debut Two Limited-Edition Meals
Convenient Meal Campaigns
Ben's Original Debuts Its New Campaign — Keep It Original
Localized Game-Day Food Activations
Martha Stewart Joins Pepsi’s Bay Area Local Eats
Automated Commercial Kitchen Gardens
Instafarm Lets Restaurants Grow Their Own Ingredients
Chef-Designed Read-To-Eat Meal Services
WeCook Brings Home-Style Meals to Canadian Doorsteps
Regional Culinary Identity-Inspired Menus
Culver's Reveals a "Forward-Looking Menu Strategy"
Autonomous Menu Systems
Deliverect AI Optimizes Restaurant Menus in Real Time
Gas Station Meal Expansions
7-Eleven Enters Fast-Food Territory with Chicken Items
Traveler-Focused Nutrition Features
Flykitt Expands Its Health-Focused Travel Technology Suite
Permanent Lobster Food Trucks
Cousins Maine Lobster Announces a Permanent Food Truck Activation
Social Good Dairy Campaigns
Tops Friendly Markets and Garelick Farms Announced a Partnership
Honest Mealtime Campaigns
Little Dish's 'Guaranteed to be eaten by kids' Was Crowdsourced
Independent Burger Restaurant-Focused Campaigns
Hellmann’s Boasts the Mom & Popular Campaign
Dining Delivery Platform Partnerships
Toast and Uber Partnered to Streamline Operations
Food-Inspired Street Art
Knorr's Dish Pics Campaign Replaces Unwanted, Unsavory Images
Restaurant Reservation App Features
Uber Eats' Dine Out Streamlines Restaurant Bookings and Rides
Culinary Tradition Food Campaigns
The Merchant Gourmet 'Yes Chef!' Campaign is Running Now
Chef-Led Dairy Video Series
Milk Masters on the Moove Showcases Ontario Dairy
Collaboration Prepackaged Plant-Based Foods
Gosh! and Urban Eat Partnered for Plant-Based fare
Moving Company-Supported Food Initiatives
Go Mini’s & Move for Hunger Form a Strategic Partnership
Community-Centered Dining Experiences
Joyous Enriches Seniors' Lives Through Food & Experiences
Abandoned Coffee Shop Strategies
Good Earth Coffeehouse is Continuing Its Expansion
Region-Specific Pizza Campaigns
Emmy Squared Pizza Launches Regionally Inspired Pizzas in the US
Gastronomic Coffee Experiences
illy Blends Coffee and Fine Dining in a Chef-Led Series
Fitness-Focused Food Drives
In March, Technogym Hosted the Let's Move & Donate Food Campaign
Healthy Eating-Focused Franchises
Project LeanNation is Actively Expanding in the United States
Fine-Dining Pizza Events
The Pizza Hut Supper Club Let Quality Ingredients Speak for Themselves
Inaugural Drone Food Deliveries
This Drone Delivery Test Program Will Launch in New Jersey
Gastronomy-Based Travel Adventures
Tourradar Features Cross-Continental Culinary and Food Tours
Consumer-Driven Bread Products
Flowers Foods Expanded on Two Well-Known Bread Ranges
Globally Inspired Plant-Based Patties
Taste of the World Burgers Let Recognizable Vegetables Shine
Restaurant-Supporting Loyalty Platforms
inKind Boasts Its Successes on Its 10-Year Anniversary
Menu Discovery Challenges
Original ChopShop's Feel Good Foodie Challenge Rewards Menu Exploration
Future-Facing Food Menus
Fura's Future Food Menu Explores the Impacts of Climate Change
Food Sharing Platforms
TotallyChefs Connects Users to Share and Discover Recipes Globally
European Food Tours
Air Canada Offers Curated Food Tourism Packages and Guides
Drive-Thru Markets
Goods Offers Instant Grocery Pickup from an Underground Delivery System
Community-Centered Rooftop Events
Heineken's Rooftop Revival Turned Building Tops into Social Hubs
Expansive Meat-Free Food Campaigns
The Meat Free Made Easy! Campaign Features Over 40 Brands
Plant-Powered Superfood Meals
GRUBBY's Plant Points Menu Helps People Eat 30 Unique Plants Weekly
Flexible Catering Formats
Build Your Own Sweetgreen Bar Brings Customization to Group Occasions
Culinary-Focused Travel Experiences
EF Go Ahead Tours Launches the Food Tours Collection
Local Food Discoveries
Streeats Helps You Find Hidden Street Food Gems Recommended By Locals
Novel Stake-Inspired Dining Concept
Paris Steak Officially Opened in Liberty Village on May 5th
Convenience-Focused Grocery Network Partnerships
Kroger and Uber Expand Their Existing Partnership
Global Product Launch Events
Uber Unveils a New Go-Get Exhibit Featuring Interactive Vignettes
All-in-One Digital Dining Marketplaces
This OpenTable Marketplace is for Private and Group Dining
Nutrition-Focused Temporary Dining Menus
Ford's Garage Launches the Fuel-Efficient Fare Menu
Social Networking Hubs
Internet Social Café Lets Users Explore Cafés and Build Online Connections
Medically Tailored Meal Programs
WellCare of Kentucky Expands Food is Medicine Program
Plant-Based Street Food Bites
Gosh! Street Food Bites Come in Two Options
Social Food Delivery Apps
The 'Zesty' App from DoorDash Helps Users Find New Restaurants
School Nutrition Certification Programs
Eat Real is Expanding Its Evidence-Informed Approach
Sustainability-Focused Cultivated Meat Partnerships
Meatable Announces Its Plans to Collaborate
Week-Long Restaurant Celebrations
Goldbelly Introduces its 'National Restaurant Week' in the U.S.
Customizable Packaging Solutions
Wax Paper Global Has Introduced an Innovative Packaging Solution
Food-Focused Social Platforms
Flavorist Expands Flavorist Food App Access to the General Public
City-Focused Influencer Platforms
Storytime Launches Storytime Marketplace in Cities
Urban Indian Dining Experiences
The Cottage Cheese Features Menus Showcasing Chef-Driven Artistry
Vineyard Trail Experiences
Yorkshire Wineries Unite to Offer a Multi-Stop Wine Tourism Journey
Modernist Burger Interiors
Studio Danel Designs an OMG! Burger in Houston Around a Communal Table
Family-Friendly Weeknight Meals
Family Dinneroo Shares Affordable, Convenient Mid-Week Dinners
Nourishing Community-Focused Initiatives
Fresh Thyme Market Expands Efforts During the Holidays
Stylish Shopping Trolleys
Roulette Carts Transforms Grocery Shopping with Designer-Like Trolleys
Local Story Creators
Word oh Mouth Lets Users Share Experiences And Support Local Businesses
Canadian Entrepreneur-Focused Marketplaces
Futurpreneur Marketplace Emerges as a Timely Initiative
Cultural Dining Discovery
AuthFoodMaps Helps Users Find Authentic Ethnic Restaurants Nearby
Summer-Forward Food Billboards
Waitrose Launched its 'Let Your Summer Side Out' Campaign
Virtual Dining Platform Expansions
GreetEat Corp. Expands to All Users in North America
Japanese Gourmet-Focused Websites
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Debuts GO TOKYO Gourmet
Italian Cuisine-Celebrating Ventures
Barilla Supports UNESCO's Recognition of Italian Cuisine
Granola-Focused Restaurant Expansions
The Granola Bar Restaurant Group Expands in the US
Global Recipe Hubs
'I’ve Been Cooking' Offers Diverse Recipes to Inspire Your Home Cooking
Highly-Localized Village Restaurants
THE PIG–near Bath Features Home-Grown Produce
Heat-and-Eat Artisan Omelettes
The Happy Egg Co. Omelettes Come in Two New Flavors
Food Delivery Solutions
'Food Delivery App Development Solutions' Help Businesses Launch Apps
Regionally Flavored Meatless Foods
The Tofoo Co's Products are Perfect for Fans of Meatless Meals
Fruit Tree Edible Neighbourhoods
The Rijnvliet Project Integrates Food Growing into Community Life
Gothic Romance Restaurant Campaigns
Eggslut's Egg Yearning Explores an Unexpected Symbol of Desire
Nutritional Education Grocer Events
Giant Talk & Tours are Led by Dietitians
Regionally Inspired Plant-Based Foods
These New The Tofoo Co. Products Come in Tw Options
Artisan-Inspired Bakery Products
These Deli Kitchen Bakery Products Shake Up Traditional Offerings
Halloween Season Candy Campaigns
World Business Chicago is Promoting Chicago-Based Candy
Pizza Chain Evolution Strategies
Donatos Pizza Has Outlined a Series of Strategic Developments
Music Venue-Led Food Drives
The 9:30 Club Addresses Hunger and Food Waste
Longevity-Focused Meal Kits
Green Chef's Longevity Recipe Collection Supports Inner Vitality
Swipe Interface Restaurant Platforms
'Foodie Call' Helps Users Find Options for Meals
Commission-Free Food Marketplaces
Lunchbox & OPA! Deliver Alternative to Third-Party Marketplaces
Converted Mobile Dentistry Food Trucks
Flo's Eats Launched A Food Truck From A Winnebago
Inaugural Pizza Food Trucks
The Via 313 Food Truck Will Be at the 512 Brewing Company
Experimental Soup Varieties
Crosse & Blackwell Surveyed Consumers for Product Feedback
Small-Scale Restaurant Catering Options
Chipotle Build-Your-Own Offers an Easy Option for Groups
Recipe Sharing Networks
ICanCookFood Lets Foodies Share Recipes And Follow Culinary Creators
Plant-Based Catering Guides
The ProVeg International Catering Guide Offers Inspiration
Meal Delivery Brand Advantages
Clean Eatz Kitchen Signals to Its Advantages in the Market
Regional Innovation Funds
Michigan Launched a Startup Investment Program Across Multiple Sectors
Regional Noodle Restaurant Rollouts
Foodtastic Introduced the Noodlebox Expansion Plan
Civic-Led Buy Local Campaigns
City of Toronto Launches 'Love Local' Campaign to Support Businesses
Dining Organizer Apps
Yumbox Helps You Track And Filter Your Favorite Restaurants
Elevated At-Home Dining Subscriptions
The Gousto Premium Range Features Three Tiers
Agriculture-Focused Summit Competitions
The Grow-NY Program Will Distribute 3 Million in Funding
Collaborative Dining Tools
Where Are We Eating Tonight Helps Groups Decide Restaurants Easily
Grocery Surplus Discount Programs
Kroger Launches the Cost-Effective Flashfood App Pilot
Shared Cooking Platforms
Wheat Helps Friends Combine Ingredients At Home For Smarter Cooking
Fermented Vegetable Meat Alternatives
GRUBBY and Symplicity Collaborated on Limited-Edition Dishes
Group Dining Finders
Where to Eat Helps Locate Restaurants Convenient for You and Friends
Local Business Finders
BuyLokals Helps Users Discover and Support Community Businesses