In the last few years, many books critical of the global food delivery systems have appeared on bestsellers lists. These books document a system of food production that does not necessarily provide safe or nutritious food to consumers. A growing consumer segment being aware of these limitations, seeks a healthier alternative to mainstream food suppliers. We call this segment `close-contact consumers because they desire to have more knowledge about food suppliers and seek to avoid perceived dangers in the predominant food supply system.

The present food retailing environment indicates that a growing segment of consumers is taking an active interest in the system that produces and delivers their food. Many contemporary bestselling books document a food system existing in the world that regularly provides substandard food to its customers, which is not healthy to consume. Based on the knowledge of these trends, a growing number of consumers want to know more about the origins and specific content of their food.

Table 1 points out some of the trends, contributing to the growing body of literature, that documents the shortcomings the food system. For example, at the time of this writing, the US did not have `Country of Origin' Labeling (COOL) requirement for fresh meat products. Therefore, the consumers have no way of knowing the exact origin of fresh meat, poultry and seafood they consume. For large, multinational businesses, this represents an opportunity for doing business, thanks to the concepts of efficiencies of scale and outsourcing. However, for small and independent US businesses that is `country bound' due to financial and geographic characteristics - it is a fact that must be considered. For example, if a US beef rancher is based in the state of Wyoming, it does not make economic sense to outsource fresh beef from Brazil. The higher `psychic' price paid for fresh beef in the absence of COOL laws provides a good example of the position of the customers.

A `close-contact' consumer will refuse to buy and consume a beef roast if he/she lacks the knowledge about the origin of the meat. As a popular advertising campaign once pointed out in the US, that the meat-portion of the product of "Chicken McNuggets" - "parts is parts", is mysterious, at best and completely unknown, at worst. This is of particular concern given the present consumer worries about "Mad Cow" (B.S.E.) disease, bacteria-borne diseases, SARS, and many other clear and potential dangers surrounding consumption of tainted food.

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