PRESS

Imagine entering your neighborhood grocery store and heading over to the apples. Of the half-dozen varieties on display, imagine that four are grown in orchards you’re familiar with or by people whose names you recognize. And as you push your cart through the aisles, you find products manufactured in Maryland on every shelf. ……. Robertson’s Greek Table product line, which features about 20 packaged meals made with natural ingredients, has been available at Whole Foods and other natural or specialty grocers in the mid-Atlantic since 2008. But this past fall, her products caught the attention of a much larger customer: Costco, the national warehouse retailer.  The company recently ramped up its initiative to stock more locally made products on Costco shelves nationwide. Regional buyers look for items made in their area to be offered in select stores for a “trial period” of several months, Robertson said. If a product does well, Costco officials might opt to carry the item year-round in stores in the rest of NE or nationwide, representing significant growth potential for small businesses. To satisfy Costco’s size requirement, Robertson created 2-pound packages of three varieties of her prepared meals, which can be found throughout the local region, including in Maryland. Robertson is still waiting to hear the verdict on her sales figures, but she said numbers look promising so far. Even if her products don’t move beyond regional stores, Robertson said the opportunity with Costco helped her get her feet wet in the wholesale market, similar to Wegmans’ certification program for farmers.