It Worked for Me

Reno, NV—The Great Basin Community Co-op, in collaboration with creative director Steve Cook, is adding new depth to business transparency with the release of the Meet Your Farmer app.

In recent years, connecting customers to the source of their food has been a priority for many health food businesses. Amber Sallaberry, cofounder and general manager at the Great Basin Community Co-Op, believes a mobile app is the perfect technology to help bring shoppers closer to the farm in a lot of ways and strengthen their connection to local products.

She stated, “It’s a whole different concept to be able to connect with that person…to see their face, to see their hands in the soil, to see their bees hovering around them." 

The Reno, NV-based co-op spent a year developing its unique mobile app that allows customers to “meet” the very person who grew a particular local produce item on the shelf with a quick scan of signs placed near foods around the store. The free app will launch a video of one of 25 local farmers, talking about how the item was grown, the size of the farm or ranch, overall farming practices and more.

"Consumers are becoming more concerned about their food. They ask a million questions. They want to know when and how food is harvested. This app only helps to tell that story better...if you can provide that information up front, it's a win-win," says Sallaberry.

Great Basin Community Co-op was also very careful about how the material was produced, and is thrilled with the result. "The best part is that the videography is really well done," Sallaberry says. "Standing in our urban grocery store, you can see these big beautiful images of ranches and farms and production sites in Northern Nevada."

The store is hosting a large block party in honor of its 10-year anniversary where the app will be officially launched on September 19.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, November 2015 (online 9/11/15)