A Local and Sustainable Food Park
Blue Mountain Station is designed to create a home for local, organic, and/or sustainable food processing businesses. Today, the historic relationship between farmer, food processor, consumer and railroad that Columbia County enjoyed in the 1800s is being recaptured in the style of this brand new, eco-friendly food park. Blue Mountain Station is the catalyst of a vertically integrated marketing program blending sustainable, locally grown produce and artisan food processing methods with the fun and entertainment of food tourism. All this comes together in a setting that respects the historical, environmental and architectural integrity of the region.
Why an Eco-Friendly Food Park?
Eco-friendly because it is the right thing to do!
An eco-friendly facility will provide greater efficiencies for your operation and enhance the site’s attraction as a tourism destination.
Food Park because it creates a cluster!
Clusters generate more traffic, greater sales and increased brand exposure. With the popularity of food-related programming on television, celebrity chefs gaining rock star status and increasing interest in how products are made, group tours to food processing facilities, or food tourism, has become popular entertainment. Blue Mountain Station will be the ultimate food tourism destination. As the site continues to develop, craft beverage processors are taking interest too! Current tenants onsite include a meadery, and a liqueur processor.
Why Local, Organic, and Sustainable?
Because they are the fastest growing segments in the food industry!
- Local food sales grew from $5 billion to $12 billion annually in the US between 2008 and 2014.
- $24.8 billion in organic food sales in 2009, compared to $14.2 billion in 2005
- Organic food sales in 2009 were up 5.1%, compared to total food growth of 1.6%
- Organic food sales had market penetration of 3.7% in 2009, compared to 1.2% in 2000
- $19.8 billion in natural food sales in 2009, 3.9% growth over 2008
