BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — It’s a sure sign the COVID-19 pandemic is loosening its grip, more and more people are returning to the office. That's something one local food producer is trying to take advantage of.
“The FarmHouse Fridge is just an extension of our store,” said Julie Blackman the owner of Farmers & Artisans in Snyder.
The store is expanding its footprint, a very small expansion of its footprint. Blackman is looking to add more of her “FarmHouse Fridges” around the Western New York area. They’re vending machines. The FarmHouse Fridges exclusively sell local, fresh produce.
“It's just nice that there's something fast that you can grab that's not a bag of chips or a Coke and is more accessible for everyone,” said Danielle Driscoll with The Grove.
Blackman wants the process to be easy. She says you swipe a credit card, take what you want, and go. The fridge can tell what you took and charge the user accordingly.
There are five FarmHouse Fridges throughout Buffalo, most of them are at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, another one is in Seneca One Tower.
“This is really bringing locally freshly prepared goods to people's workplaces, there residential towers, anywhere that needs food 24/7,” said Marla Guarino, a director with the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Department of Health and Wellbeing.
And one day, the fridges could one day help provide fresh, local produce to Western New York’s food deserts.
“We're also trying to get healthy foods to the population. I think more than ever we need to understand that's such an important part of our lives,” said Blackman.
