Mission-Based Chicken?
Growing up in Lancaster, a small city of 50,000 in central PA, I was surrounded by small businesses and a plethora of fresh produce from the Amish community. Unfortunately I took this access for granted and it wasn’t until I left that I realized what I had at my fingertips. While I would shop at some local staples and Central Market (the oldest continuous farmers market in the US going back to 1730), it was never a thought to consistently support local over big-brand names or chains. The idea of shopping was purely transactional; finding the most convenient option, the cheapest option, or the fasting option. The concept of supporting mission-based small businesses just never occurred to me.
I like to think my roots in Lancaster served as the foundation of my transformation, laying dormant in the back of my mind for years. Flash forward to the present and this idea of intentional shopping at mission-based companies is a daily cornerstone of my thought-process. There was no specific moment or change overnight, but I’m positive travelling played a key role in my gradual shift of mindset. One of my favorite things to do when visiting a place is to sample fare at a local marketplace or try the cuisine at a restaurant. Time and time again, I was blown away by the flavor of the local fare and this led me to explore why it was different from the same food I’d previously enjoyed.
One of my most vivid eye-opening experiences occurred shortly after 8ARM opened in Atlanta in 2016. I ordered a chicken caesar salad and was blown away by the flavor of the chicken (I now am a pescetarian but still think about this one specific chicken). I’d had countless chicken ceasar salads all my life yet this flavor was so distinct. I had to ask about it!
The server said my reaction was normal; this really was a phenomenal taste. The secret wasn’t flavoring or spices. She said it’s simply where the chicken was raised. It spent it’s life on poultry farm a short drive outside of Atlanta, where they had a relationship with the supplier. They could see how the chickens were raised on open range and had conversations about the food products that the chickens received because of that relationship. I started looking closer at ingredients after this and I discovered that places priding themselves on local organic sourcing and quality of ingredients actually translates into an undeniable difference that can be tasted. I can unequivocally say that was the tastiest chicken I’ve ever had and will be for a long time, unless I give up my pescatarian ways :-).
After exploring this idea of the ingredients truly changing the flavor of my meal, my thought process expanded beyond food and I became more aware of the places I was shopping. If I just noticed the difference at a restaurant who focuses on local sourcing, what else had I been overlooking for years?
I found myself gravitating towards more small businesses that prided themselves on fostering community, partnering with a charitable organization, or promoting sustainable efforts. What I’ve found is that when a business has a purpose beyond making profit, it allows the consumer to become a part of something bigger. This mission offers everybody who conducts business there a chance to opt-in to a purpose, support a meaningful cause or just help them grow their story. Going one step further, by aligning with small mission-based companies, we all have the ability to shape what type of community we aim to build.
Local Union aims to create these connections so we can all find a business or mission that we feel connected to, all while supporting our local businesses. We truly believe that we all play a role in shaping the future of our communities, one purchase at a time.
What is your favorite mission-based company and when did you first become aware of businesses working for a greater purpose?
-Brent, Local Union Co-Founder