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Subject: Market Farming
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- From: "William H Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
- To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales
- Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:04:41 -0500
Mark I would just comment that this is how
things were when many of our growers started pursuing direct marketing back in
the 80’ and 90’s. They couldn’t get anyone to even look at their
product,..except consumers. They had to find good locations and set up direct
sales sites (roadside sales) or sell from their farm. Once people found out how
fresh their product was and the superior quality because it was fresh, the
demand grew. They had to be consistent and push their product. After a couple
of years, they were selling everything they could produce. But they had to work
hard at getting noticed and giving folks that quality experience. The buyers at
restaurants and stores took a while. They didn’t want to deal with someone who
couldn’t drive up in a big reefer, drop off everything they ordered at specific
times every week with boxes of beautiful produce that was tasteless. But one
the consumer base begins to demand more of them, they begin to change. But it
takes a while. Bill William H. Shoemaker Sr. Research Specialist, Food Crops 630-584-7254, FAX-584-4610 From:
market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of TxBeeFarmer Hope some of you can share your wisdom and tricks of the trade with me. I have a wonderful five acre garden and my 40' cooler is overflowing
with fresh produce. My problem is sales, or should I say lack of
sales. Oh sure, there's the Farmers' Market and a few people who
want some things delivered, but I need real sales! I've contacted every restaurant, cafe, grocery store, and health food
store in my county as well as surrounding counties with no
luck. The problem with selling to restaurants and cafes seems to be the large
food distributers - they deal in huge quantities, have a large selection,
deliver in refrigerated trucks, and are very cheap. None of the
eateries around here gives a flip about being local or fresh or
anything else. They just want it cheap, delivered, and already cut up and
bagged. Grocery stores want me to have huge amounts of insurance and be
preapproved by their corporate headquarters. This is also the case
with chain restaurants. Obviously, I'm doing something very wrong here. I just can't
sell what I grow. Sure could use a little help. Thanks, Mark The Coldiron Farm ( |
-
[Market-farming] Need Help with Sales,
TxBeeFarmer, 08/19/2010
- Re: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales, William H Shoemaker, 08/19/2010
- Re: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales, E C GRANATA, 08/19/2010
-
Re: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales,
Brigette Leach, 08/19/2010
- Re: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales, Laurie Allen, 08/19/2010
-
Re: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales,
Jay Sleichter, 08/19/2010
- Re: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales, Sweet Valley Organics, 08/19/2010
-
Re: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales,
Richard Robinson, 08/20/2010
- Re: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales, Road's End Farm, 08/20/2010
- Re: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales, Pamela Crowe, 08/19/2010
- Re: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales, Richard Stewart, 08/19/2010
- Re: [Market-farming] Need Help with Sales, Marcy, 08/20/2010
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