
The restaurant market is highly competitive, with razor-thin margins and an overall industry-wide staffing shortage both in Vermont and nationally. The obstacles that restaurants face to increased purchasing of local food include product cost, staffing shortages, staff training, storage, and consistent product quality and supply. Because of limited distribution resources, many farms deliver once or twice per week (larger restaurants and/or restaurant groups prefer three or four times per week). Lack of technology and limited distribution networks put small and medium-sized farms at a disadvantage when competing against large distributors serving the restaurant markets.
To increase the purchasing of local food in the restaurant market, we need to remove barriers in the farm-restaurant relationship. These barriers can include the cost to consumers, inefficient communication, lack of awareness of what’s available, and the lack of farmer utilization of or interest in distribution networks. It is important for restaurants and farmers to understand each other’s businesses, and to strengthen their partnerships with increased communication and education. Statewide organizations and smaller regional organizations provide resources, tools, and marketing assistance that foster linkages between restaurants and producers, and should build on current efforts while removing duplicative ones.
In 2018, there was an estimated $1.1 billion in sales at Vermont’s 1,413 eating and drinking locations.