Uploaded March 2017 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
David Geed is the Category Manager for Lakewinds Food Co-op, a local food focused grocery at three locations in the Minneapolis area. We met David when visiting one of his customers, Localize.
David makes decisions about sourcing local food and joins us today to explain what produce managers look for. If you’re a farmer or if you’re aspiring to sell to a similar grocery, take notes on how to grow and approach grocery stores.
The traits that David looks for in farms are:
- An interesting story
- Entirety in product
- Fills a need in the market
- Satisfies the organization’s mission
The best way to get into a grocery store? “Identifying the need in the market and finding a way to meet that need is the best step to take in the beginning,” says David. “That’s how you hit a home run.”
This takes research, and strategy to figure out how to deliver, but it can mean the different between success and failure.
Lakewinds Food Co-op works with dozens of local farmers to sell food to customers who care about local, sustainable food.
What crops grow the best? David said that if a farmer can grow a crop so consistently and well that they build a name behind it, then they will do well. This comes down to old fashion branding.
----------------------------------------------
Connect with us:
Website: zipgrow.com
Facebook: facebook.com/ZipGrowTM
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/zipgrow-inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zipgrowinc
Instagram: instagram.com/zipgrowinc
David Geed is the Category Manager for Lakewinds Food Co-op, a local food focused grocery at three locations in the Minneapolis area. We met David when visiting one of his customers, Localize.
David makes decisions about sourcing local food and joins us today to explain what produce managers look for. If you’re a farmer or if you’re aspiring to sell to a similar grocery, take notes on how to grow and approach grocery stores.
The traits that David looks for in farms are:
- An interesting story
- Entirety in product
- Fills a need in the market
- Satisfies the organization’s mission
The best way to get into a grocery store? “Identifying the need in the market and finding a way to meet that need is the best step to take in the beginning,” says David. “That’s how you hit a home run.”
This takes research, and strategy to figure out how to deliver, but it can mean the different between success and failure.
Lakewinds Food Co-op works with dozens of local farmers to sell food to customers who care about local, sustainable food.
What crops grow the best? David said that if a farmer can grow a crop so consistently and well that they build a name behind it, then they will do well. This comes down to old fashion branding.
----------------------------------------------
Connect with us:
Website: zipgrow.com
Facebook: facebook.com/ZipGrowTM
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/zipgrow-inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zipgrowinc
Instagram: instagram.com/zipgrowinc
