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market-farming - [Market-farming] Re:Food quality

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  • From: "jay gee" <JayGee AT jghelp.com>
  • To: "Multiple List Recipients" <Market-Farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Cc:
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Re:Food quality
  • Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 14:39:59 -0800 (PST)

This was intended as a public post.

On Wed, 31 Mar 2004 08:01:40 -0600, Bill Shoemaker wrote:

> >If local NJ peaches can't hold their own against California
> >peaches, either the product or the marketing of the product
> >is deficient. A good local product has a much better story
> >to tell than an import when it is handled correctly.
> >jay gee
> >not a farmer -- but interested in farming
>
> I think you're missing the point Jay, probably because you're not in the
> business. It isn't that "local NJ peaches can't hold their own". It's that
> consumers aren't given a choice. They have to buy California peaches because
> that's the only thing in the market. Why? Because produce buyers for big
> distributors want the cheapest product from the fewest sources. They want
> fewer accounts and the most profitable ones. Quality is never figured in,
> except for "shrinkage", which is how much produce get's thrown out from the
> stores collectively. And don't believe for a minute that California peaches
> are "better". They are emphatically NOT better. They are hard as a rock and
> will not ripen. They have no flavor. They are horrible. Quality is not a
> part of the equation because free choice for the consumer is not an option
> in the supermarket.

Bill,

I think you're missing or confusing the point if I read your last
post correctly. Direct marketing is part of the future,
but proper branding is an integral part of getting a
product into otherwise "closed" retail channels at
the price the producer wants to sell for.

A middleman takes a markup and if the product sells,
the middleman places another order.

When farmers market effectively, the choice is placed
in front of consumers who then decide for themselves.
The process reduces the power of the middleman.

Local produce versus cross-country produce and
the story of middle men controlling both ends of the
supply line is an old story.

Lots of firms have learned to beat the system set
up by middlemen. Farmers who don't want to deal
with retail clients can do the same thing, but only
if they are established as their own "Brand."

As Willie McKmie can testify, the value of a brand
label on a product and package is greater than
their cost.

Jay Gee
not a farmer - but interested in farming







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