The regional vegetable division of Austrian food cooperative LGV Fresh Vegetables is set to launch a “farm shop” (Gärtnergschäftl) supermarket in Vienna as a test bed for its growers’ new vegetable and convenience products.
The “stylish urban shopping concept”, which will be financed through a crowdfunding campaign, will sell produce from the more than 100 LGV cooperative growers based on the outskirts of the Austrian capital. Thirty of them have already signed up to supply the store.
If all goes to plan the store will open in Vienna’s fourth Bezirk (or district), Wieden, at the end of May 2017.
The idea is to combine the lively atmosphere of a market square with traditional farming culture, while developing products to meet customer demand.
The store will feature extensive product information, selling rare varieties of products such as pointed peppers, chilli peppers and aubergine, in addition to traditional seasonal vegetables from the Greater Vienna region.
New packaging solutions will be tested out at the store, but most fresh produce with be offered fresh and unpacked to allow customers to try out novel or rare products in small quantities.
The cooperative’s chairman Florian Bell said: “With the farm shop, LGV Fresh Vegetables will establish a test market for new vegetable and convenience products. Direct feedback from customers will forms the basis for our product innovations or new packaging, which will also benefit our long-term partners in the trade.”
Through crowdfunding organisation Lion Rocket, LGV is seeking funds from a group of 14,000 registered investors.
