There’s no telling whether an ambitious idea from local entrepreneur Carl Bain is viable. But his plans for an independent grocery store in downtown Vancouver are emblematic of changes in the industry.
Bain envisions a store called Essential Provisions Market, featuring produce and protein from independent farmers. He is eyeing a former bank and Family Solutions building at 1014 Main St. for the project.
“Essential Provisions Market is the culmination of my belief in clean packaging and small economics in the food and beverage industry,” Bain told The Columbian. “By cutting big corporations out, we actually create a platform for independent brands who are creating things for themselves and for their families.”
Whether or not the project comes to fruition, it provides an opportunity to examine the grocery industry and how independent outlets are managing to thrive in a competitive market.
In 2021, the National Grocers Association reported that independent grocers accounted for one-third of national grocery sales — an increase from 25 percent a decade earlier.
That might seem hard to believe. Large outlets such as Walmart, Safeway and Fred Meyer (owned by national chain Kroger) appear to dominate the grocery landscape, using their heft to buy products in bulk, provide competitive prices, and offer online shopping and delivery — all while spending millions on advertising.
That can make it difficult for the descendants of mom-and-pop grocery stores to compete. But the National Grocers Association report shows that from 2012 to 2020, sales at independent grocery stores grew 94 percent while overall market sales increased 47 percent.
That growth reverses a long-standing trend. From 1992 to 2013, according to one study, the 20 largest grocery store chains increased their national market share from 39 percent to 64 percent, often squeezing out traditional neighborhood stores.
The revival of independent stores reflects the changing tastes of consumers. As Greg Ferrara, president of the National Grocers Association, said: “The continued strength and growth of the independent supermarket industry shows consumers are supporting local, community grocers who continue to innovate and bring value to the communities they serve.”
Vancouver has been witness to that support and the possibilities of independent grocers. In 2010, the first Chuck’s Produce & Street Market opened as a family-owned operation along Mill Plain Boulevard. A second store followed in Salmon Creek, and last year the stores were sold to a division of Pattison Food Group, which is based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
But while small grocers are carving out a niche in urban areas, they are struggling in rural locales. This is disconcerting, with a study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture concluding, “Independent stores play a vital role in rural communities, particularly those not adjacent to urban counties, or remote rural counties.”
Having local owners helps keep dollars in the community rather than shipping that revenue to far-away headquarters. As an industry website looking at the future of grocery stores wrote last month: “Equally as valuable as technological advancements is something that has been around for a very long time in the independent grocery space — a sense of community. Independent grocery stores are the backbone of their communities.”
That is enough to fuel an ambitious idea for a local store.
