'Not Far from the Tree' is a volunteer program based in Toronto, Canada that aims to eliminate waste by picking fruit that would otherwise go bad. In 2009, they picked a total of 8,135 pounds of residential fruit.
Not Far from the Tree picks tons of different kinds of fruits, including sweet cherries, serviceberries, mulberries, apricots, black walnuts, apples, pears, crabapples, sumac, elderberries, sour cherries, ginkgo nuts and plums.
Implications - As a part of the widespread effort to reduce the global carbon footprint, consumers are educating themselves on the various methods of doing so. The locally grown food market is rapidly expanding as a result, and natural farming methods are becoming an increasingly popular method of food gathering. This has significant impacts for food vendors and grocers, who are expected by consumers to follow this pattern.
City Fruit-Picking
'Not Far from the Tree' Picks Pounds of Residential Fruit
Trend Themes
1. Locally Grown Food - Opportunity for food vendors and grocers to meet consumer demand for locally grown produce.
2. Natural Farming - Growing demand for natural farming methods presents opportunities for agribusinesses to innovate and provide sustainable alternatives.
3. Reducing Food Waste - Increasing awareness of food waste creates opportunities for businesses to develop solutions for efficient resource utilization.
Industry Implications
1. Food Vendors - Food vendors can capitalize on the trend of locally grown food by sourcing and promoting sustainable produce options.
2. Grocers - Grocers can respond to consumer expectations by offering a wide range of locally sourced products, supporting natural farming methods.
3. Agribusiness - Agribusinesses can explore innovative techniques and technologies that align with natural farming practices to cater to the growing demand.