DATCP: Include “Something Special from Wisconsin” in your store

Grocers Buy Local Wholesale Catalog Available

Contact: Lois Federman, 608-224-5124

Ashley Huibregtse, 608-224-5002

MADISON – Including Something Special from Wisconsin™ products on store shelves has never been easier. Retailers can use the new Grocers Buy Local Wholesale Catalog to identify over 100 Wisconsin suppliers who sell products wholesale.

“This catalog is the first of its kind to assist retailers in bringing Wisconsin products to consumers where they make the majority of their purchases – local grocery and convenience stores,” said Lois Federman, a Senior Agriculture Marketing Specialist at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. “In addition to dairy, there is a wealth of Wisconsin products available to consumers that are Something Special from Wisconsin™.”

Something Special from Wisconsin™ is a trademarked program administered by the Division of Agricultural Development at DATCP since 1983. The trademark logo guarantees that at least 50% of a products’ ingredients, production or processing activities are from Wisconsin.

The Grocers Buy Local Wholesale Catalog is second in a series of tools developed to assist Something Special from Wisconsin™ member companies and Wisconsin retailers find each other. In January 2010, a joint effort between Wisconsin Grocers Association and Something Special from Wisconsin™ produced a website, http://www.grocersbuylocal.com, developed to assist producers find retailers across the state that want to offer Wisconsin products to their customers.

The new catalog, available online and in printed form, includes a list of suppliers including their contact information and available products. This catalog is possible through a partnership of DATCP, the Wisconsin Grocers Association, Thrive, and the UW-Extension Agricultural Innovation Center.

“Consumers care where their food comes from, and using this catalog will make it easier for retailers to offer Wisconsin products,” added Federman. “Purchasing Something Special from Wisconsin™ supports local farmers, business, communities and the economy.”

To download the Wholesale Catalog, visit http://www.somethingspecialfromwisconsin.com. To request a printed copy or for more information, contact Federman at datcpssfw@wi.gov. Follow Something Special from Wisconsin™ activities on Facebook and Twitter.