Big world, small world
I have friend who can recall nearly every business in the main street where we grew up and most were locally owned and run. Unfortunately the majority are now gone, or going, having been out-competed by the multi-nationals, nationals and on-line providers. Buying groups have helped some with pricing and margins however product differentiation is still a major issue. However there are signs of a local resurgence which is being driven by social forces. Demand for local food products is one example and we typically see this at both retail and hospitality levels. In addition to local produce we also have access to a huge and diverse global cottage marketplace […]