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market-farming - Re: Market niches

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: "Elizabeth Pike" <pike AT always-online.com>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Market niches
  • Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 16:10:46 -0500


Salads!!! This is my specialty, though I do not sell to restaurants.
I do have a few chefs of the small downtown restaurants (bed &
breakfasts, supperclubs) who buy from me at the farmer's market. When
I began doing research on this particular fm, I noted that the vendors
sold very few salad ingredients-2 kinds of lettuce & that's it.
Knowing that salad produce is the only produce that can't be frozen or
canned, I eat so many of them myself, & this is a market that can be
supplied year round here in my climate, I saw this as my niche. I
kept anywhere from 10-19 types of lettuce on my tables at all times
(except the heat of summer-still working on that), various greens
(including arugula) & herbs, and a few other things like baby squash,
baby carrots, baby cukes, etc. I charged $8.00 a bag-mix or match, or
$4.00/lb. Now, the psychology behind this is that the bag held 2 lbs
approximately. But because of the thought of having a whole bag of
produce versus just a pound, made more people go for the bag. This
single strategy doubled my sales.

After the first days of market, several vendors began copying me, and
as I've said, I had to vary this all through the year (keeps the other
vendors on their toes). No matter-I got the initial customers &
turned them into loyal customers who spread the word.

Liz
Morningstar Gardens
Pollocksville NC






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