
Several of us who live and work in Michigan simply refuse to participate in the so-called one state recession. Here is a fantastic idea, first floated by Detroit's Hour Magazine, confirmed by the Michigan Agritourist Department, and more recently circulating around via email. Think and act! Instead of moaning about how bad things are in Michigan economically, this is an opportunity to make things better.
'If we all spent $10 per week on Michigan products, more than $36 Million would be pumped into the state's economy - EVERY WEEK!'
How powerful is that? The idea is to consciously shift at least $10 of your weekly grocery budget to products that are from Michigan companies. Take this a step further by making your purchases at grocery stores which are also Michigan owned. There are several of these: Spartan stores are a cooperative; this means that if you buy a Michigan made product from a Spartan affiliated store, you get a 'triple-dip'. The product is made in Michigan, the store is independently owned by a Michigan family, and Spartan Stores headquarters is located in Grand Rapids. Other independent stores include Randazzo's and Westborn markets. Meijer is located in Grand Rapids, and also counts as a 'double-dip.'
The website Buy Michigan Now has more great information.
Here is just a partial list of Michigan products, brands, and company locations to get you started:
Flatout Bread - Saline, MI
Kellogg's Cereal - Battle Creek
Reny-picot Cheese - Benton Harbor
Yotta Bar granola bars - Warren
Morley's Chocolates - Sterling Heights
American Spoon condiments - Petoskey
Keebler cookies - Battle Creek
Baremans Dairy - Holland
Melody Farms Dairy - Livonia
Nature's Select snacks - Owosso
Cole's Garlic Bread - Grand Rapids
Basha Hommus - Ferndale
Kowalski Hot dogs - Hamtramck
Old Orchard Juice - Sparta
Weight Watchers Muffins/ snacks - Jackson
Koegel's Lunch Meats - Flint
Jiffy Mix Muffins, etc. - Chelsea
Eden's Natural Foods - Clinton Twp.
Faygo soda pop - Detroit
Aunt Mid's produce - Detroit
Better Made snacks - Detroit
Absopure water - Plymouth
St. Julian wines - Paw Paw