WHAT EMBRACING LOCAL LOOKS LIKE

Words By VICKIE MAGIC

as we can, if we have a broken piece of glass, for example, we will always go to the local bloke. A lot of people think that going to the local bloke is going to cost them more, but it absolutely does not.

I encourage everyone to really be open to this amazing philosophy, not only will it help your dollar go further, you are also becoming part of a sustainable community that’s diverse, vibrant, economically sustainable as well as ethically good for the environment for both local people and their local families, there is nothing not to love, it is really my first choice, it’s a no brainer, it just makes complete sense to me.”

White’s IGA are what embracing local really looks like, they live and breathe local with every move they make.

I have personally known Roz White pretty much since I first arrived on the Sunshine Coast 13 years ago, the thing that constantly jumps out at me, every time I catch up with her, is her humility. No matter how many new White’s IGA stores that open, year on year, (currently six) Roz has always remained her same humble self, always giving praise and gratitude to those around her.

She has the ability to make everyone around her feel special, feel like they are the only person in the room, the only person on the planet, her whole persona is gentle, humble, kind and caring, it isn’t any wonder that her team of 500 at the White’s IGA empire, love her, and love where they work.

They have truly mastered the ability of embracing local, they do it every single step of the way. “The team are locals themselves and this is their local community. We believe that there is just so much on the Sunshine Coast to embrace, so much to enjoy, not just the natural beauty of the rivers and the mountains and the ocean and the beaches, but the people too,” Roz says. “Of course, being in the supermarket game, we pride ourselves on embracing the local food and agri business, which is literally hundreds of innovative producers, growers, suppliers, and bespoke artisans.

“We love that we are able to provide that first market entry for a lot of these businesses because often they are small and in the learning phase. Over the past two decades, we have been totally aligned with local suppliers, some of our first very suppliers from right back in the early days, in the mid-nineties, have become lifelong friends. It’s relationships and embracing local that gives us the most reward.

“We also believe that this gives our customer choice, you can’t beat fresh and local. It simply tastes better, our motto at White’s IGA is, ‘Taste the difference at White’s IGA’ because it’s true, you really can taste the difference of fresh and local.”

Roz says if shoppers want to embrace local a little more, they can make a conscious effort to scan the market. “Perception is reality for a lot of people, unfortunately people often have the perception that if you buy local it’s going to cost you more, it doesn’t, it really doesn’t, it’s just a perception, it’s just not true,” She says. “For example, think about food, it’s a very sustainable way of doing business, because you are buying food that has travelled the least amount of miles, so you are minimising your freight, making it a lower cost to get the food from the farm to the store. People need to be competitive, even providers and professionals, we do business locally with as many local providers

White’s IGA practice what they preach with their instore ‘Locavore Program’. White’s IGA encourages everyone to become a ‘Locavore’. A locavore is a person who chooses to consume food that is grown, raised, or produced locally, usually within 200 kilometres from home. A locavore connects food consumers with the food producers within a small, targeted radius developing better food networks, improving local economies and enriching health, environmental, community and social impacts. Local products not only keep money in our community, they make it from ‘paddock to plate’ in the shortest possible time frame to ensure the freshest possible product at a great value. The program extends right across their entire supplier network, including the food and agri sector, in fact their whole supply network; local farms, direct from local manufactures, direct from producers, for example; Noosa Gourmet who are scratch bakeries, supplying fresh bread and beautiful cream filled jam rolls, the German bakehouse, Walter’s Artisan bread, Maleny and Kenilworth dairies, Mooloolaba fisheries, and many more, across every single commodity there is.

The Locavore Program is exclusive to White’s IGA and was initially set up in 2013, even though they had been supporting local their whole business life, (which spans an incredible 30 years this year), the idea was to show just how amazing the local supplier network was to the consumer. To encourage the consumer to take ownership of their local suppliers. Roz went about trying to create a bit of an identity around it, so that customers could recognise local products at a glance, so she created, with the help of her graphic artist, the little tractor symbol, which was a way they could identify and label each local product and to help share these local stories with their customers.

Now every local product in every white’s IGA store can be identified by the little tractor symbol. “This helps every customer to feel that ownership and pride of supporting local, and it adds total authenticity around the whole program”, Roz says.

Forest Glen is their sixth store, and it is the third ‘greenfield’ store, which means that it was built, created and designed from scratch. The greenfield stores were opened in Peregian Beach in 2016, Baringa in 2019 and now Forest Glen which opened in 2022.

Roz spoke about the evolution she has witnessed since 2006. She noted from her perspective just how quickly things change, people change, industries change, behaviours change, it’s mostly influenced by global change. There was a different shopper in 2006 than there is in 2023, completely different. “We evolve as humans and the market has to adjust, because you have to be relevant to your market, I’ve learnt a lot from 2006 to 2023. I have done more research, I have become more involved, doing this for 30 years, we’ve learnt a lot, you have to continue to change, and embrace change, you have to be relevant to the consumer and shift with the market, you have to go where the consumers are,” Roz says “I try to identify where the consumers are going and get there first. So by the time we built the Forest Glen store in 2022, it was very different, because I have honed a lot of my skills I now understand more about the consumer, I do an enormous amount of research, not just for our industry but for the local area and then try to create something that is really relevant and captures the nuance of the area, the history, the background, the stories and then integrate the White’s story into that too, and then of course our love for all things local. We get to showcase the uniqueness of Forest Glen. It's a unique, purpose built, destination store.

“It’s unique in that it really does have its own personality, each White’s IGA store has its own unique individual personality , developed with the individual area the store is in.”

When describing what is unique about the Forest Glen store, Roz says Forest Glen is very market style. “It reflects the old roadside market stalls that used to exist in that area, there’s a lot of farming that existed in the area, a lot of pineapples, beans, citrus fruits, all grown locally and the farmers would put up these tin shed roadside store and sell their goodies. I love that, it’s awesome. You still see a lot of that around the Coast, the honesty system, this really appealed to me and inspired me, it resonated with me, being a farm girl, I guess, but also I just thought that is what I want to capture and I wanted to do a modern interpretation of that that’s fit for the modern shopper. So that’s what is different about Forest Glen, it’s built reflective of the history of the area, telling stories about the local area, local families, our family.

“Creating beautiful spaces for people so that they can linger and stay and socialise and encourage people to connect. Not just with each other, but through the Locavore program, connecting the consumer to the producer or the farmer or the grower through storytelling. This is what my Locavore podcast is all about. Deepening connection and telling stories about the people that grow and produce our food so that the customer can connect with and understand. You can listen to the podcast on spotify or any podcast platform. Just Google ‘Locavore podcast’.”

At Forest Glen, Roz had the opportunity to create a lifestyle store within the store, it’s kind of set back and integrated as part of the store, but it has its own dedicated space. “When I saw the space, I just knew that‘s what I wanted to do with it, create this little lifestyle store, it’s got beautiful gifts and homewares and flowers, a chocolatier, coffee, we even have our family dining table in there, so that people can come in and sit and have a coffee, I think it’s Sunshine Coast’s latest dating site,” Roz quips. “It just came to me. I decided I needed to call it Grace and Grace, it is the name of my grandmother and also Michael’s grandmother, they were both such strong warrior women, we love them dearly, they were similar women, it just felt completely right. It’s such a beautiful space.”

Roz went on to point out that while she is extremely proud of what her and Michael have built, the thing that is significantly important for them, is that whilst you can have all these ideas and programs and a real heart for community, a heart for local, nothing can really gain momentum, nothing can really happen without the full dedication and commitment from the whole team. “They are the ones who deliver each and every day on our mission, on our values and that makes me more proud than anything else. Our team’s community commitment has to mirror ours, they are advocates, they are ambassadors, they are ultimately, in effect, the front line, they have to have the pride, they have to embrace the community, engage, be active, they have to ‘GET IT’ and luckily for us, they do,” Roz says. “That’s where we have gained so much momentum over the years, you can’t sell a secret, we have the stickers on the products, to highlight to the customers about our local products, we truly want them to understand, we want to encourage people to support local families, but those stickers don’t put themselves up on the shelf, our team are engaged, interested, and proactive, they go out and seek new suppliers, they truly embrace what we do. We have a team of 500 people who embrace local, and to be honest that is pretty cool, that lights me up, that makes my heart sing.”

Some of the White’s IGA team have been with them for a very long time, there are two team members that have been with them almost the entire time they have been in business. One of the team members came with one of the stores when they bought it and has been with them since, he went from being a cashier, to now being one of their senior leaders as business analyst, after putting himself through university. The team become family. They have many team members who are heading towards twenty years, that’s pretty special.

In conclusion Roz, Michael, and the team at White’s IGA pride themselves on their ongoing commitment to embracing their local community, on putting people first. “Being in business is all about people, not just your team, but your industry colleagues, your suppliers, producers, manufacturers, your customers, your whole community,” Roz says. Roz left us with a simple truth she and the team live by: “WHEN YOU EMBRACE LOCAL, LOCAL EMBRACES YOU BACK!” a

In recent years, there has been a growing movement towards embracing local businesses and products. From locallysourced food to locally-made crafts and art, more and more people are recognising the value of supporting the businesses and products that are made in their own communities.

There are a number of reasons why we should all embrace local, including the economic, environmental, and social benefits that come with supporting local businesses and products.

First and foremost, supporting local businesses helps to boost the local economy. When we buy from local businesses, our money stays in the community and is reinvested in the local economy. Local businesses also tend to employ more local people, which means more jobs for the community. This can lead to a cycle of economic growth and prosperity, as the increased economic activity attracts more businesses and investment to the area.

In addition to the economic benefits, embracing local also has environmental

Words By VICKIE MAGIC

benefits. When we buy from local businesses, we are reducing our carbon footprint. This is because products that are made locally don't need to be transported long distances, which means less fuel is consumed and less greenhouse gas emissions are released into the atmosphere. This is particularly important when it comes to food, as buying locallysourced food means that we are reducing the carbon emissions associated with the transportation of food from far-off places.

Another reason to embrace local is the social benefits that come with supporting local businesses. Local businesses are often run by people who live in the community, and as such, they tend to be more connected to the community and more invested in its well-being. This can lead to a greater sense of community and a stronger social fabric, as people come together to support the businesses that are important to them. This can also lead to a greater sense of pride in the community, as people take pride in the businesses and products that are made locally.

Of course, there are also personal benefits to embracing local. When we buy from local businesses, we often get to know the people behind the products and services that we are buying. This can lead to a more personalised and fulfilling shopping experience, as we develop relationships with the people who make and sell the products we love.

Additionally, when we buy locally-made products, we are often getting products that are unique and of higher quality than massproduced products. This is because local artisans and craftspeople are often more focused on producing high-quality products that reflect their unique style and perspective.

Buying locally-made products can help to preserve traditional skills and crafts that might otherwise be lost. It can also help to promote innovation, as local businesses are often more nimble and able to respond to changing trends and consumer demands. And, of course, buying local can simply be a fun and rewarding experience, as we discover new products and businesses in our own communities.

There are many ways that we can all embrace local in our everyday lives. One way is to simply be more mindful about where we shop and what we buy. By making an effort to seek out local businesses and products, we can start to shift our buying habits in a more local direction. We can also support local businesses by promoting them on social media, recommending them to friends and family, and attending local events and markets. v Share your experiences and recommendations with others to encourage them to embrace local as well.

I also believe that embracing local can really give us more of a sense of belonging, which is a fundamental human need that involves feeling accepted, valued, and supported by others.

It helps us become part of our community, group, or culture, sharing common values, interests, and goals. It is a feeling of connectedness and inclusion that brings a sense of purpose, meaning, and identity to our lives.

HERE are a few thoughts from Matters Magazine on how you can personally embrace local more.

You can: v Shop at local businesses and farmers' markets. v Use public transportation or walk/bike instead of driving. v Support local artists and artisans. v Eat locally sourced and seasonal food. v Volunteer for local charities and community organisations. v Attend local events and festivals. v Participate in community clean-up and sustainability initiatives. v Get to know your neighbours and build a sense of community. v Learn about the history and culture of your local area.

Belongingness is a vital component of our well-being, affecting our mental, emotional, and physical health. It provides us with a sense of security and safety, and it helps us develop self-esteem and confidence. People who feel a sense of belonging are more likely to be happier, healthier, and more resilient than those who feel isolated or excluded.

In conclusion, a sense of belonging is a crucial human need that helps us feel connected, accepted, and supported by others. It is a key factor in our mental and emotional health, and it can be fostered by engaging in activities and relationships that align with our values and interests. Ultimately, a sense of belonging is an essential aspect of our identity and well-being, and we should strive to cultivate it in our lives.

Embracing and supporting local wherever we can is vital for the ongoing success of the Sunshine Coast. f