Regina produce vendors see growing demand for local foods – Regina [Video]

Saturday marked 10 years in business for Regina-based local food vendor, Local and Fresh.

Owner and CEO Tim Shutlz is a fourth-generation farmer who started the business exclusively online as a way to get produce from his farm to his customers.

Success in the business led him to open Local Market in 2019, a brick-and-mortar store in Regina that features the food from Local and Fresh and other products from other local vendors.

“We want to be that connection point between the producer to the consumer,” Shutlz said, “make them feel connected to that process. I think that’s why our community supports places like us.”

The direct-to-customer relationship is what helped his business survive the pandemic, Shutlz continued. And although his customers are feeling a financial pinch post-pandemic, he has high hopes of their continued support.

“The importance of having people support us is beyond dollars and cents. It’s validating, …