• Ad Age, Wednesday, June 6, 2007 11:15 AM

"Locavores"--consumers who favor the local farmer and grocer over big national brands--are gaining traction across the country. There are no direct boycotts, protests or petitions. Locavores simply opt out of buying big national brands to shift market share back to locally owned businesses.

Though it stems from personal epiphanies, the collective movement is growing. In 52 small towns and cities, "Local First" campaigns are being waged to draw more consumers. And there are signs that mainstream consumers are becoming more interested. The memoir from novelist Barbara Kingsolver of her family's year of eating only homegrown or locally bought food--"Animal, Vegetable, Miracle"--has risen as high as No. 4 on the New York Times best-seller list.

To fight the trend and win customer allegiance, big companies should seek out local sourcing for goods, says Michael Shuman, author of "The Small-Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses are Beating the Global Competition."

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