The closure of a high-end Edmonton-based market has put things into perspective for some local suppliers. "We can take the hit when something like what happened (with) L'Oca unfortunately happens. It's definitely a bit of a setback, but we're going to be able to bounce back," said Riccardo Baldini, founder and owner of Strathcona Microgreens.
Baldini's organic produce company was supplying to L'Oca Quality Markets before the grocery store announced it would be closing its two Edmonton-area locations in March. "As a general client base that we have, it's a very sustainable and resilient business … we have 100 plus medium-sized clients," Baldini continued.
Strathcona Microgreens can be found in a number of recognizable local venues – the Italian Centre and Community Natural Foods, to name a couple – and Baldini says his company's strength is in being able to deliver hyper-local ingredients straight from his vertical farm on Whyte Avenue. "It's unmatchable, especially in the winter. If you get stuff from grocery stores in the middle of January, most of the time it comes from afar," he added.
Despite the cost-of-living crisis, Baldini says the appeal of fresh food and especially fresh greens in an Edmonton winter is marketable. So he was surprised, he said, to find out L'Oca had decided to shut down. "Never had an issue with them since the day we started … Always been very kind to me and kind to our operation, how we work, and have been very consistent in their orders and payments."
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