Food Swap

From trendcentral, presented by The Intelligence Group. I get these newsletters everyday. Some really interesting stuff. Today's trend:


TODAY'S ARTICLE
Monday, September 22, 2008
THE LATEST TREND IN FOOD FOOD SWAPPING
Food prices are increasing at the fastest rate in nearly two decades, and as consumers feel the pinch, they're looking for alternatives to the grocery store. One of the most creative money saving strategies we've seen is food swapping in which people barter food for other edibles they don't have in their own respective pantries.

In London, the organizers of an organic farmers market hold an annual event called The Great Food Swap. Hundreds of people show up looking to trade their homemade preserves for another's garden grown veggies, homemade bread or freshly caught fish. The event is not only a place for people to score quality local food, but it also fosters a unique community by giving consumers the opportunity to actually meet the people who make, bake, or pick what they eat. Also in the UK, a pub called The Pigs lets patrons exchange food for pints; items such as free-range eggs and homegrown fruit that regulars bring in then make it onto the food menu.
Stateside, we're increasingly seeing neighborhood message board postings with offers of food giveaways, shares and swaps. Not limited to those looking for budget cuts, people looking to cut waste are also trading and sharing food. Example include someone going on vacation getting rid of their perishables, CSA members who can't eat half of their large bounty of kale, and those who want to trade a home cooked meal for house repairs. And with the growth and success of online swapping communities in other sectors, such as crafts, expect to soon see a Craigslist-style site connecting consumers who want to swap and barter using cuisine as currency.


* trendcentral articles are designed to be trend reports, not endorsements * The Intelligence Group is a trend-forecasting and marketing Consultancy focused on Gen X, Gen Y and Tweens. For more information on our services, or to subscribe to our syndicated studies, The Cassandra Report, Tween Intelligence, Latino Intelligence, and Mom Intelligence, contact Liz Gray at 212-277-5244 or via email at egray@intelg.com.