Local food innovations are nothing new, but the way in which entrepreneurs market and create ways for communities to consume food, buy groceries and cook meals is constantly changing. Generally speaking, the idea of eating locally, that is, as a movement, only came about in the early 21st century as a reaction to corporate farming practices and global capitalism. More specifically, the 100-mile diet and its many offshoots have encouraged urban dwellers to challenge import practices, which creates an environment in which food travels hundreds of miles before it ends up on your table.
From two-wheeled drive-ins to ethical gastropubs and kitchen gardens, consider this Social Business top list of local food innovations the next time you shop for delicious goodies.
24 Local Food Innovations
24
Upscale Border Town Restaurants
Chef Javier Plascencia Brings Fine Dining to Tijuana, Mexico
23
Foods as Barcodes
Belgian Food Banks 'Donate a Barcode' Ads Help to Feed the Hungry
22
Urban Foraging
Eating Local Goes Inner City As Pedestrians Pluck Food From Trees
21
Solid Spicy Invitations
The Ray Lemon Bar in Germany Sends Delicious Invites
20
Community-Driven Produce Projects
Just Food Gives Access to Healthy Foods in Underserved Urbanity
19
Subscription Soup Deliveries
SoupCycle Brings Portland Organic Locavore Meals Via Bicycle
18
Kitchen Gardens
The Herb Pot by Toyokitchin & Living Corporation
17
Impromptu Urban Markets
Stockbox Grocers Create Petite City-Friendly Food Stores
16
Food Desert Distributors
The Corbin Hill Road Farm Supplies Fresh Produce to Those in Need
15
Seasonal Vegetable Deliveries
Growing Places Enterprise Makes It Easy to Eat Local and Organic
14
Local Food Movements
SPUD.ca and SPUD.com Stock Your Fridge with Organic Groceries
13
Ethnic Exchange Cuisine
Culture Kitchen Employs Immigrants to Teach Cooking Classes
12
Local Eating Guides
Edible Manhattan Offers Critical Analysis on Food Sustainability
11
Locavore Fast Food
Pacific Northwest's Burgerville Restaurants Use Local Ingredients
10
People-Powered Produce
The Food Assembly Services Pop-Up Farmer's Markets Chosen by You
9
Vegetable Bicycling Campaigns
The Braise Local Food Ads Wholly Integrates Green Living
8
Thin Triangular Bars
Roslyn Street Bar and Restaurant by Durbach Block Architects Maximizes Space
7
Consumer Flour Power
Stone-Buhr's 'Find the Farmer' Provides Product Traceablity
6
Local Food Biz Connectors
Sustaination Makes It Easy and Efficient to Get Healthy Food
5
Relationship-Based Baking Businesses
King Arthur Flour Company is Employee-Owned
4
Ethical Gastropubs
The Duke of Cambridge Serves Organic and Local Foods
3
Online Locavore Platforms
Foodhub Aims to Facilitate the Locavore Movement
2
Socially Responsible Giving
Publicis Vancouver Gives Paper Plate Greeting Cards to Clients
1
Two-Wheeled Drive Ins
The Bike-In-Theater Celebrates Biking and Summer in NYC
Related Ideas
Food Waste Sneakers
Hellmann's Canada Launched 1352: Refreshed Sneakers with Food Waste Items
Time-Stamped Dietary Items
Cycle.me Unveils 7-Eleven Limited Edition Food Products
Indoor Organic Waste Gardens
The Conceptual BOSCH Eco-Hub by Batuhan Duran is Sustainable
Street Food-Inspired Rice Bowls
Ben’s Original Just Added Four New Street Food Rice Dishes
Hydroponic Plant-Growth Ecosystems
The Square Greens Pod is a Compact Device to Cultivate Food
Eco Storytelling Workwear Campaigns
Patagonia's We Can Get There From Here Tells is Inspiring
Anti-Food Waste Delivery Services
Gopuff and Misfits Market Partnered to Expand Fresh Food Options
Upcycled Ingredient Ice Creams
Salt & Straw's Upcycled Foods Series Rescues Wasted Food
Takeaway Tasting Menus
Ynyshir Partners with Uber Eats to Create a Tasting Menu for Home Delivery
Ghost Kitchen Towers
Dowen Farmer Architects Proposes a Multistorey Ghost Kitchen Tower Block
Plant-Based Breakfast Menus
Alpro and a Michelin-Trained Chef Collaborated on Inspiring Eats
Content-Based Shopping Experiences
Gopuff Launches 'Recipe Hub' for Quick Meal Ideas
AI-Powered Restaurant Recommendations
Google Maps Now Uses AI to Recommend New Food Places
3D Printed Medical Food
Gastronology is Working on 3D-Printed Foor for Dysphagia Patients
Playful Restaurant Pop-Ups
The Play-Doh Restaurant of Imagination Turns Kids' Creations Edible
Smart Food Transportation Systems
Runner Delivery System Ensures Pizzas Arrive Ultra-Fresh
Food-Inspired Interactive Booths
The Nourishing a Better Planet Sustainability Program Debuted
Local Restaurant Campaigns
PEPSI X Kelly Rowland Present the Local Eats Better With Pepsi Program
Cartoon Underdog Soda Campaigns
Tractor Beverage Company Launches a Moving New Campaign
AI-Powered QSR Campaigns
allplants Leverages AI To Transforms Fast-Food Ads
Rebranded Food Delivery Apps
Skip Revamps Its Brand Identity to 'Skip to the Good Part'
Influencer-Inspired In-Car Dashboards
bibigo Launches its New 'Dashboard Kitchen'
Revitalized Culinary Efforts
Moroccan Hotel Takes Food Localization to New Heights
Plant-Based Toaster Pastries
Ghetto Gastro's Toaster Pastries are Powered by Whole Grains
Upcycled Circular Design Products
Cyrc Designs Expansive Products with Sustainable Themes
Loyalty-Focused Grocery Initiatives
Tony’s Fresh Market Boasts a New Website and Loyalty Program
Mobile All-in-One Ramen Restaurants
2m26 Designs a Compact Restaurant with Locally Sourced Timber
Dairy-Free Ice Cream Trucks
Oatly Crashed an Ice Cream Event with a "Dairy Deprogramming Zone"
Autonomous Agricultural Robots
Chipotle Mexican Grill is Investing in Greenfield Robotics
Leisure Activity Grocery Stores
The FreshTake Concept Grocery Store Blends Experiences
Zero-Waste Hotel Menus
Hilton's The Taste of Zero Waste Aims to Cut Landfill Contrubitions by 50%
Inventive Retail Strategies
H&M is Working to Localize Its Shopping Experience
Food-Themed Holiday Campaigns
Kroger’s 2024 Holiday Campaign Celebrates Food and Connection
Street Food Meal Kits
Sharwood's Street Food Sizzler Range Includes Four Recipe Options
Expanded Food Delivery Apps
Instacart Partners with Uber Eats to Expand its Delivery Services
Delivery-Based Food Rescue Initiatives
Albertsons Companies and Uber Partner on Food Rescue
Fermented Grain Pastas
Bionaturae Organic Sourdough Pasta Supports Gut Health & Digestion
Regionally Inspired Meal Kits
HelloFresh & Colavita's Ciao, Italia Recipes Share a Taste of Italy
Nutritious Meal Delivery Service
Factor's Meal Delivery Service Revolutionizes Healthy Eating
Eco-Friendly Pop-Up Restaurants
The Green Vic is End-to-End Sustainable in London
Longevity-Boosting Frozen Meals
Blue Zones Kitchens Makes the Blue Zone Diet Accessible
Pop-Up Plant-Based Food Stalls
This Impossible Foods Foodservice Concept is at XMarket in Chicago
Globally Inspired Dog Meals
Restaurant Favorites Inspired Tiki Dog's Taste of the World Recipes
Sustainability-Targeted Grain Products
These Great River Milling Products Come in Many Options
Chain Restaurant Food Festivals
Chain is the Worlds First Gourmet Chain Food Festival
Globally Inspired Burgers
Hard Rock Cafe's World Burger Tour Shares Culturally Inspired Burgers
Pizza-Focused Climate Campaigns
Pizza Futures Explores the Impact of Climate Change on Pizza
Homemade Food Delivery Partnerships
Grocer Sobeys Partners with Homemade Food Marketplace Cookin
Virally Inspired Virtual Menus
The Creator's Kitchen As Seen on TikTok Menu is Ever-Changing
Hyper-Local Dining Establishments
Hotel Belmar Stands Out with Its Sustainable Cuisine
Eco-Friendly Pet Programs
Mars Petcare and Big Idea Ventures Launch a Sustainable Pet Food Program
Global Digital Marketplaces
Renaissance Hotels' R FINDS Shares Goods from Local Artisans
Plant-Based Meat Diner Partnerships
IHOP and Impossible Foods Will Offer Meat-Free Fare to Diners
Cultivated Pet Foods
Meatly is Introducing the UK to a Sustainable, Ethical Pet Food Solution
Regenerative Agriculture Partnerships
General Mills is Working with Walmart for a Greener Future
Loneliness-Combatting Grocery Shopping Experiences
Oma's Soep Debuted a Shopping Basket Initiative
Celebrity Offspring Pop-Up Restaurants
Uber Eats Brings Brooklyn Beckham's Cooking to Your Door
Upcycled Meat Alternatives
Migros Crafts Alt Meat from Spent Brewer’s Grain
African-Inspired Vegan Cuisine
Afrobeat Kitchen Cooks Up Vegan African Dishes in Parkdale
Late-Night Chicken Shop Pop-Ups
Bird's Eye Launched a New Range with an Exclusive Experience
Locally Sourced Bread Offerings
Turkish Airlines Serves Bread Made from Wheat Anatolia-Cultivated
Travel-inspired Brand Campaigns
Michelin Launches the On the Road and Beyond! Campaign
Streaming Platform Dining Experiences
KTV's U Presents a TV Dinner Pop-Up Event
Tech-Driven Drive Thrus
Pita Pit's New Drive-Thru Design is Flexible, Scalable and Efficient
Familial Meal Kit Campaigns
HelloFresh, Hello Dinner Spotlights the Uniqueness of Households
Interactive Digital Menus
Tabmeal Empowers Restaurants to Revolutionize the Way Guests Order
Biodynamic Curry Sauces
Mike's Curry Love Makes Sauces with Regeneratively Farmed Ingredients
Sustainable Bread Ranges
Wildfarmed Life Changing Breads are Launching in the UK in Five Styles
Sustainable Department Store Initiatives
John Lewis' Furniture Will Use Local Farm-Sourced Leather
QSR-Inspired Grocery Products
Aldi Launches the New McDonald’s Inspired Burgers
Industrial Artisan Baking Products
GoodMills Innovations Slow Milling Ingredients are Natural
Community-Oriented Cookbook Stores
Foodies Cookbook Shop Acts as a Culinary Hub in Stratford
Hybrid Community Supermarkets
The After Market is a Grocery Store and a Food Pantry
Student-Focused Foodie Tours
Deliveroo The Grub Crawl Offers Free Foodie Tours to Freshers
Multi-Vendor Food Marketplaces
Chef's Hall Offers Multiple High Quality Restaurants Under One Roof
Battery-Powered Food Trucks
Food Trucks are Replacing Dirty Generators with Clean Battery Systems
Frozen Italian Grocery Debuts
Zizzi at Home Debuts Three New Dishes Alongside Menu Improvements
Food Court Footwear Shops
Skechers' Food Spot Drives Foot Traffic to the Footwear Store
Zero-Waste Tasting Menus
Ficoa Introduces a Culinary Concept Curated by Chef Gerry Quintero
Sponsored Tailgating Events
The Popeyes x DoorDash Wing Truck Makes Game Day More Memorable
Retail Food Preparation Stations
Urban Eat Debuts a Smart Retail Solution for its Food-to-Go Range
Buildable Dinner Boxes
DIG's Dinner in a Box is Affordably Priced and Serves Four
Short-Form Foodie Feeds
Uber Eats is Testing Out a New Vertical Feed Like TikTok and Instagram
Greek Cuisine Meal Kits
The Gousto Greek Odyssey Range Has a Number of Traditional Dishes
Wellness Lifestyle Clubs
The Health Cafe Introduces Social Wellness Programming in Toronto
Heat-to-Eat Snack Ranges
This Urban Eat Food-to-Go Range Can Be Heated Inside its Packaging
Interactive Juice Packaging
Gulf Union Foods Launched Fun Connected Packaging for its Juices
Nutritious Pouch-Packaged Broths
Daylesford Organic is Launching Two New Products for 2024
Eco-Friendly Cafe Vehicles
This Conceptual Solar-Powered Coffee Truck Operates Anywhere
Vertically Farmed Bagged Salads
Homegrown Bagged Salads are Making Their Debut at Asda Locations
Digital QSR-Backed Cookbooks
Chick-fil-A Unveils a Cookbook to Support its Shared Table Program
Sustainable Personal Cup Initiatives
Starbucks is Allowing Personal Cups to Be Used Again
History-Centric Recipe Cookbooks
The Tasting History Cookbook Features Global Recipes
Hybrid Meat Vegetable Concepts
Leyu Li Presents Broccopork, Mushchicken, and Peaf Hybrids
Artisan-Quality Fermented Foods
These Cleveland Kitchen Products are Arriving at Publix
Made-to-Order Baby Food
Indian Startup Timios Launched a "Made to Order" Fresh Baby Food Category
Self-Driving Food Delivery Services
Uber Eats is Launching Waymo Delivery Services in Phoenix
Chef-Driven Farm Salads
Farm Burger is Adding a New Farm Salad This Summer
At-Home Tasting Menus
Uber Eats Partners with Michelin Restaurant Ikoyi for a New Tasting Menu
Restaurant-Inspired Frozen Comfort Foods
The Boston Market At Home Frozen Foods Has Been Expanded
Food-Focused Corporate Wellness Programs
Mind Food Body Addresses Unhealthy Eating Behaviors
TV Dinner Restaurants
TV Dinners for U Serves Meals to Enhance the Streaming Service Experience
Global Food Retail Expansions
Supermarket Italy Emphasizes Global Flavors from Around the World
Emissions-Free Meal Deliveries
Zoomo and Uber Eats Have Partnered for Deliveries in London
Endangered Ice Cream Trucks
Climate Basecamp's Save the Flavors Brings Awareness to Climate Change
Friend-Finding Dinners
Timeleft Fights Big-City Loneliness by Matching Strangers for Dinner
All-in-One Meal Planning Tools
Eatlicious Optimizes The Cooking Process, Start to Finish
APAC-Focused Protein Alternatives
Kinoko-Tech and Metaphor Foods Debut Sustainable Protein Options
Tech-Focused Restaurant Councils
Lunchbox's Food Tech Council Consists of 15 Professionals
Retailer Bakery Product Expansions
These New One Stop Lines are Perfect for Picnics and Sharing
Local Retail-Championing Initiatives
The 'Reps are Local Too' Initiative is a Nationwide Movement
Circularly Grown Mushroom Croquettes
GRO Makes Nourishing Bites with Oyster Mushrooms
Globally-Inspired Ready-to-Eat Foods
The Asda Food-to-Go Range Has 47 New Options
Chef-Supported Dairy Campaigns
Anchor Food Professionals Debuts the Taste of Tradition Campaign
Updated Fresh Food Lines
One Stop Refreshes its Product Range to Offer Healthier and Fresher Items
Eco Meal Program Initiatives
The Home Chef Food Rescue Program Redirects Surplus and Waste
Elevated Vegan Restaurants
Community Resto is a Vegan Haven with a Heart for Giving Back
On-Demand Grocer Deliveries
Sprouts Farmers Market and Uber Eats Partnered for Fast Delivery
Grab-and-Go Hot Food Services
The Onvo Food on the Fly Program Prioritizes Time Savings
Virtual-First QSR Brands
IHOP Unveils a New Expansion for its Virtual Restaurant Concepts
Vegetarian-Only Delivery Services
Zomato Introduces the New Pure Veg Mode for Vegetarian Consumers
African Fusion Food Trucks
Chef Safari's Fusion Truck is Reviving African Flavors in Durango
AI-Powered Local Recommendations
Epic Fusion Connects You to Your Ideal Local Spots Effortlessly
Two-Ingredient Organic Fries
Roots Farm Fresh Debuted First-of-Their-Kind Fries at Expo West
Plant-Based Cafeteria Options
This School District is Launching Plant-Based Lunch Options
Sustainable Indian Curds
Khyber Agro Debuts a Sustainable Curd Product in a New Packaging Format
Takeout-Inspired Pizza Ranges
The Urban Pizza Range is a New Private Label Offering at Waitrose
Unconventional Foodie Magazines
Food& Magazine Explores the Weird and Wonderful World of Food
Griddled Food Fairs
The 2023 Iowa State Fair's Introduces 64 New Foods
Sustainable Imperfect Groceries
Spud Delivers Unique Foods to the Homes of Eco-Conscious Consumers
Expanding Pasta Institutions
Lina Stores Opens a New Location in London's South Kensington
Restaurant Discovery Websites
Find Me a Restaurant Will Help You Pick Where to Eat
Food-Focused Travel Guide Platforms
'FoodieTrip' Connects Hungry Travelers to Experienced Guides
Fakeaway Grocery Store Products
These Iceland Foods Products Enable Restaurant-Inspired Meals
Vegetable-Packed Recipe Deliveries
The Gousto 'Veg Table' Recipe Boxes Include 12 New Dishes
Ultra-Fresh Deli Meals
Fresh Food For Now Debuts a New Assortment of Sandwiches, Salads, and Wraps
City-Wide Food Drive Events
VGTNYC Supports City Harvest Through a Food Drive Event
Shared Kitchen Initatives
Metro & Food Banks of Quebec Address Food Insecurity
Collaborative Restaurant Recipe Kits
GRUBBY and LEON Grocery Partnered on Limited-Edition Dishes
Community Cohesion-Promoting Grocery Campaigns
EDEKA Provides Insights of Neighborhood Relations