Taste The Local Difference

Taste The Local Difference Taste the Local Difference® is a local food marketing agency specializing in effective strategies for agriculture, food, and beverage producers.
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Taste the Local Difference® is Michigan’s local food marketing agency. It is a social enterprise of the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, based in Traverse City, MI. We are proponents of the Michigan Good Food Charter and are signatories to their resolution seeking to have 20% of all food sold in Michigan come from Michigan farms and food businesses by 2020. Our Mission:

“TLD helps foo

d businesses and the communities they serve benefit from the economic value of local food, while ensuring that fresh, healthy, local food is available to all consumers.”

Our job is simply to sell more locally grown and processed food in the region’s we represent. We accomplish this with specialized marketing solutions for:

Farmers
Specialty food producers
Beverage producers
Wholesale distributors and food brokers
Retail stores
Restaurants
Institutions
Food hubs
Event promoters
Our on-farm and in-store marketing solutions include a library of printed materials used by our partners to differentiate their goods from commodity-scale products where consumers shop for food. We also provide a robust system for consumers to learn about and differentiate local food wherever they shop. We produce printed local food guides and also offer a searchable online database through our website and our TLD smartphone apps. Our full-service marketing agency provides advice, consulting services, training, expertise, and the power of cooperative advertising. These products and services are available at down-to-earth prices for our partners. All of this is driven by our passion for creating vibrant communities through food and farming economies. TLD is actively seeking new communities to partner with us on bringing our proven local food marketing and support system to you. If you or someone you know are interested in helping us connect TLD to your city, county, or region, please let us know.

Have you pre-ordered our Local Lover tote yet? We're excited to support local artists and makers with the creation of th...
05/21/2026

Have you pre-ordered our Local Lover tote yet? We're excited to support local artists and makers with the creation of this tote - and for you to fill it with local food!!!

Saturday is the last day to order! P.S. You get free shipping on all orders!

A tote for local lovers. Tuck away your veggies, cheese, bread, and all of your farmers market favorites!

When you purchase local food, you’re supporting your community, farmers, makers, your tastebuds, and an entire system th...
05/15/2026

When you purchase local food, you’re supporting your community, farmers, makers, your tastebuds, and an entire system that relies on investment into the REAL stuff of life.

If you don’t know where to find local food near you, head to our website’s directory and search your region. Our trusted partners are listed at the top.

If you don’t see you favorite local food biz, tag them in the comments to spread the word! And farms and food businesses, dm us about partnership to learn more.

Thanks for supporting the local food community 🌿💕

This morning, we talked spring gardening with Patti Travioli of , then our team blocked off time to step away from our s...
05/11/2026

This morning, we talked spring gardening with Patti Travioli of , then our team blocked off time to step away from our screens and work in our own gardens. 🌱

A few projects from the team:

- Built a trellis and planted sweet peas
- Dug up a new bed, added compost, and planted Oaxacan green corn
- Cleared out very ambitious dandelions and weeds
- Potted up dahlias, scabiosa, and two survivor columbine
- Planted an herb spiral with sage, oregano, and chives

It was such a fun way to make space for learning, fresh air, and the kind of seasonal work we love. Big thanks to Patti for sharing her time and gardening wisdom with us!

Spinach is in the spotlight for this month’s Crop Spot! This cool-weather green is loved around the world, grows quickly...
05/08/2026

Spinach is in the spotlight for this month’s Crop Spot!

This cool-weather green is loved around the world, grows quickly for farmers, and can show up in Michigan year-round thanks to greenhouses, high tunnels, and indoor growing.

Spinach has a mild, earthy flavor and works in just about everything: eggs, sandwiches, salads, pasta, soups, and more. Pro tip: add a squeeze of lemon to help your body absorb more of its iron.

Read the full Crop Spot and get fresh spinach tips at the link in bio.

If you want to position your farm or food business as an essential part of Michigan’s local food community, become a TLD...
05/05/2026

If you want to position your farm or food business as an essential part of Michigan’s local food community, become a TLD partner!

All of our partners take a pledge to:
- Make locally grown products a priority in their business
- Maintain and defend the integrity of local food
- Help local food and farm businesses succeed
- Build the demand for local food
- Operate their business with respect for all people

Partners also receive monthly newsletters with resources and grant opportunities, a priority listing in our online directory, and discounted marketing services.

Are you interested? Send us a dm! 🧡


Address

414 E 8th, Unit 201
Traverse City, MI
49686

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