HAMPDEN – More than 16 Maine producers and growers brought their finest to Graves’ Supermarket in Hampden Friday afternoon as the five-store, Maine-owned grocery chain kicked off a new initiative to conspicuously feature locally grown, raised and processed foods.

Customers, including first lady Karen Baldacci and Agriculture Commissioner Robert Spear, strolled through the aisles, sampling Maine-made mustards, breads, potatoes, cider, ice cream, milk, jams and seafood.

Alban Bouchard of Fort Kent was cooking up ployes, a buckwheat pancake. He and his son Joseph said that the Graves’ sampling campaign “is one way to introduce our product to people who may not have tried it before.”

Originally a potato farmer, Bouchard grew buckwheat as a rotational crop. “But one pallet of ployes mix shipped to Graves’ or Hannaford brings me more money than two tractor-trailer loads of potatoes.”

Diversification is the changing face of Maine agriculture and the Graves’ family stores are committed to raising consumers’ awareness of Maine products.

In addition to labeling all Maine-grown, Maine-raised, Maine-harvested and Maine-processed foods in their stores, Maine producers will be doing in-store taste tests of their products in each of the Graves’ stores in Bar Harbor, Camden, Dover-Foxcroft, Hampden and Presque Isle.

“We have always carried Maine products,” said Dana Edwards, Graves’ director of operations. “The difference now is that we are going to make sure our customers know where the Maine products are in our stores and that our vendors know how much we support them.”

Spear said every study conducted of Maine consumers’ buying habits has shown they overwhelming want to purchase local products and to be able to identify them.

“This program is only the beginning,” Edwards added. “Each month we will be spotlighting different vendors. As we move forward, we will bring in as many locally grown products as we can.”

Carefully watching the event were two representatives of Hannaford Supermarkets, which supplies the Graves’ stores. Marty Greeley, vice president of government relations at Hannaford, was optimistic about Maine’s largest chain of grocers adopting a similar plan.

“We plan on talking with the Agriculture Department,” said Greeley. “The five Graves’ stores are doing this as a test, and we’ll see how it goes.”

First lady Karen Baldacci stopped at each vendor, tasting samples and checking the product labels for Maine’s logo. “This is a great way to support Maine’s economy,” she said, “by supporting Maine’s farmers.

“This is a first, a first in the sense of what we can do to help the economy of Maine: Buy locally and know your grower.”

Pushing her shopping cart through the displays, Betty Ann Thurlow of Hampden said Graves’ effort to make Maine products more visible and available “is extremely important. I know Maine farmers and how difficult it is for them to survive. If I’m spending my money, I want to be spending it on Maine products.”

Sampling Sisters Salsa of Blue Hill, customer Lorraine Richard of Hampden said it was important for her to support Maine’s farmers. “I already buy a lot of these products,” she said, but added that Graves’ marketing plan will give the products more visibility and allow her to choose even more local items.

Apple grower Peter Ricker of Turner said it was important to remember “we are in competition with growers outside of Maine. It is hard for Maine consumers to recognize Maine products. It is going to be much easier with the signs and logos.”