Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Introduction

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Lucy Goodman <goodows AT infinet.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Introduction
  • Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2003 08:39:30 -0400

There is a protocol to cold calling on restaurants. i have been selling
to a few for years and before that i managed several kitchens and bought
some local food.

First never talk to the owner unless the owner is the head Chef. The
Chef should be the one doing all the food buying, if they are not you
really do not want to deal with the restaurant. Go to the kitchen door
between 2pm and 4pm (the period between lunch and dinner). Never ever
call on a restaurant for the first time during meal time. This a sure
way to lose the contract. Bring samples of what you have available to
give to the Chef to try out and also have a list of what you plan to
have with your contact info on it. Ask how they want to order. I have
one Chef who loves to go through our produce and will not put in an
actual order. I have dealt with others who like a very formal system of
ordering.

look at the menu to see what is served-this will give you a good idea of
what they will and will not buy.

Don't under charge. if you have high quality produce that the Chef
cannot get anywhere else charge for it, you can bet he will. one poster
said they sold basil for less than what the restaurants are getting
wholesale plus they destem the basil. Their Chefs rave about the product
and would likely pay $10lb for it and yet he charges only $6. Don't put
yourself out of business by under charging. we all raise food that is
superior to that of the mass produced food change, we all need to
reflect this in our prices.

Keep away from chain restaurants (Chilis, Applebys, etc)-for those you
need lots of liability insurance and a contract with the home office. By
no means impossible to do but daunting for a newbie.


>
> I figure just to go to the restaurant, ask to speak to the
> owner, have with me a basket of lovely fresh stuff,
> attractively arranged and ask them if they'd like to buy
> this type of thing regularly from me. I'd have a written
> list of how much I could produce, and when it would be
> available, for them to look at.
>

Lucy Goodman
Boulder Belt Organics
New Paris, OH
Check out the Boulder Belt website:
http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/boulderbeltcsa
"There is no way to peace---peace is the way."
A.J. Muste




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page