DAYTON, Ohio — Dorothy Lane has changed the way it identifies locally produced foods and beverages.
Rather than defining them as anything grown and/or produced within 250 miles of a Dorothy Lane store, as it's done in the past, the retailer has created new shelf signs that list the city closest to where the food originated. Signs also include a nickel-size “DLM Honestly Local” logo.
The purpose of the new signs is to let shoppers see the location and decide for themselves if it's local, said Ron Williams, produce manager for Dorothy Lane's Washington Square store.
“Local means different things to different people,” Williams said. “To some, it means [anything within] 250 miles; others, 50 miles.”
Already being used in produce, the signs are rolling out in Center Store, dairy and meat. Locally produced items include canned tomatoes, honey, wine and beer.
The new signage comes at a time when Dorothy Lane Market is emphasizing local foods in another way by launching a membership-based local food club.
Members pay for an eight- or 16-week membership.
A large box of produce, which contains about $30 worth of produce, costs $200 for eight weeks. Members can then prepay for additional items, such as artisan bread, wine and beer.
Boxes will be available for pickup each Thursday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. through two, eight-week periods: June 9-July 28 and Aug. 4-Sept. 22.
