Bringing Rural to Public Institutions, Sudbury $76,000 

Eat Local Sudbury (ELS) hit the road running with their efforts to shorten the distance between northern farms and local tables. During this project, ELS purchased a cooler van to safely and efficiently deliver produce and meat grown and raised within a 150-mile radius of the city to broader public sector institutions. The van purchase allowed ELS to maintain adequate stock levels and meet customer demand, resulting in increased sales. Institutional sales increased 45 percent in a five-month period, which encouraged ELS to develop and implement steps to track orders and measure their cost effectiveness. The increase in sales also led to ELS taking on additional suppliers.