Good LSM: Serve Your Community

Some of our favorite examples of local store marketing have to do with small businesses making donations to charities. Companies with great culture often make an effort to spread the good fortune around, and we think it’s important for businesses to make a difference in their community in a way that is relevant to the company’s goals and the community’s values.

We spotted this great example in Integral Yoga Natural Foods, a natural food market in Charlottesville, Va.: 

Located at check out, the bin collects customers’ donations for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. We learned via their Facebook page that they also provide culled produce items and scraps from their juice bar for customers to take home to use for compost or to feed their livestock. For a store that prides themselves on carrying local, healthy and sustainable items, these two charitable acts are very aligned with their brand.

Did you know that more than a third of the food produced in the world goes uneaten? The United States is one of the worst offenders, with over 35 million tons of food being thrown away every year. The United States Department of Agriculture provides resources on how restaurants, stores, caterers and farmers can donate their excess perishable (but not spoiled) goods to local food banks, soup kitchens and shelters. You can find information on the laws, tax breaks and the organizations that your business can support by donating your “waste” instead of throwing it out on the USDA website.

How does your small business give back to your community?