Buying local food in western Newfoundland is easy, but producers say the service is underutilized

With Newfoundland and Labrador pushing a buy local campaign as a way to push back against U.S. tariffs, an organizer with the Western N.L. Food Hub says people still have to show up.

The hub is operated by Food First N.L. and has been open in Corner Brook for over a year. It connects customers and local food producers through online orders.

But program coordinator Richard Butt says less than one per cent of the city's population uses it.

"A lot of people don't know we're here," Butt told CBC News on Wednesday.

"When you look at western Newfoundland as a whole, I mean there's just so much room for growth. We got all these producers that really want to be selling more and more food."

The hub works with around 45 producers to get their products online platform. Customers buy directly and can pick up their order or have it delivered. There are also seven drop-off points across western Newfoundland from Wiltondale — north of Deer Lake — to Stephenville, which is south of Corner Brook.

Looming economic tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump have highlighted a desire to shop local, Butt said.

However, he believes buying local should be on the minds of residents all the time.

WATCH | Less than one per cent of Corner Brook's population avails of the local food hub:

Corner Brook businesses hope desire to shop local translates into action

6 hours ago

Duration 2:24

While the province promotes shopping local, two big locations in Corner Brook are offering vegetables, jams and meats at two big locations. But as CBC's Colleen Connors reports, people are not actually buying much of it.

Part of the food hub's work also centres around building a more resilient food system in Newfoundland and Labrador, he added, and to cut down on the reliance of outside goods, including from the United States.

Butt believes shopping local allows people to get a higher quality product than what is sold big box stores at comparable or sometimes even lower prices.

"The biggest hurdle for the customer is just to make a conscious effort to order from the food hub," he said. "They got their grocery shopping routine where they go to the same grocery store and walk the same aisles, and it's difficult to change routine. Making the food hub a part of your routine is what it's all about."

Lukas Doman, owner of Deep Roots Farm and Market, also hopes more people choose to buy local.

His business offers vegetables, meats, coffee and more from its farm in Cormack, and recently launched a retail location open on Fridays and Saturdays in Corner Brook.

"This gives an opportunity and probably highlights a little bit more to people that, you know, local businesses and local communities can be the solution to unpredictable events in the world," Doman said.

"There's a lot of good businesses and people out there that try and push local business and products."

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