Increasing the diversity of our supply chain is a worthy cause for co-ops to tackle. Supplier diversity promotes greater innovation and a healthier competitive environment, and it more equitably distributes benefits among all community members. This isn’t a trend, but a long-term goal that ultimately benefits everyone.
We can’t promise you’ll change the supplier landscape overnight, but sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. Here are five ways you can highlight diverse suppliers right now by using Inclusive Trade resources.
1. Print and hang profile signs
This couldn’t be easier. NCG provides print-ready vendor profile signs for every Inclusive Trade brand that appears in the Co+op Deals flyer. Visit the Inclusive Trade Marketing Materials page, where you’ll find a link to design and print-ready materials on Dropbox. Once on Dropbox, navigate to Inclusive Trade > Vendor Partner Profile Signs > Print-ready profiles. Choose from more than 50 vendor profile signs and print signs to hang at the shelf. Shoppers love getting to know the people behind their favorite products!
2. Order Inclusive Trade shelf signs
These eye-catching signs bring extra flair to Inclusive Trade products at the shelf. By ordering through NCG, co-ops leverage collective purchasing power to get great prices on high-quality, durable signs. Visit the NCG store and place an order for the signs you want to use at your co-op.
3. Feature a vendor on your website*
Inclusive Trade vendor profiles are also available digitally on grocery.coop. Use content syndication to quickly transfer website content from grocery.coop to your co-op’s own website. Pick vendors to highlight on your website based on deals offered, cultural heritage months or promotional themes.
4. Shout out a vendor on social media*
Look up a vendor partner on social media and tag them in a post, story or reel. Share a recipe using their product, show off your product selection, introduce shoppers to a vendor or amplify a vendor’s story or cause. Let the vendor be the hero of this message!
5. Sample an Inclusive Trade product
Recent research (Kantar/Mintel, 2023) suggests that about 50% of shoppers would be interested in more samples during their in-store shopping experience. Pick a ready-to-use Inclusive Trade product for sampling and display the products alongside a vendor profile sign.
*Vendors with a print-ready profile sign from NCG have already consented to have their business advertised as Inclusive Trade. Before publicly promoting any other vendor as Inclusive Trade, be sure to verify their business meets the requirements and ensure they consent to be identified in this way.
