Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - [Market-farming] Supermarket saying take back what doesn't sell

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Roots Farm <karen AT rootsfarm.info>
  • To: Market Farming Community Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Supermarket saying take back what doesn't sell
  • Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:28:29 -0400

This seems really wrong to me.  We have recently started supplying produce to a "major" supermarket -- first and only, so far, in Dominica to set up an organic section (by the way, there are only 3 "major" supermarkets on island).  Supermarket specifies what it wants from our weekly list, how much it wants, pays us our retail price  (! but we package, affix our own label and affix their bar code), then puts its mark-up on items so in effect determines the price, and displays how it wants (basil in  fridge, oy vay.)  Nice start off, lots of excitement from supermarket folks, our regular customers who now don't have to wake up early Sat. morning to get choice at outdoor market where we usually sell, and new customers.  Into 3rd week and suddenly supermarket manager (not who I've been dealing with) says he wants us to compensate them for what doesn't sell.  If I was setting the quantity and determining the sales price and storage conditions, I could see this, but it feels to me like a way to get the little guy bear the risk without having the decision making authority and I bet that same Manager would fire any of his execs who agreed to a similar kind of deal.  I agreed as a "one time gesture of good will and appreciation" to split the cost -- share the risk --  of unsold produce for the initial 3 deliveries (except for unsellable basil which they stored in the fridge against my advice) but do not feel it is appropriate/fair/right to have to do so routinely unless I get to decide how much to deliver.  Am I being blind?  Is this standard operating procedure?  Any thoughts?

Best wishes to all,

Karen

Roots Farm Organic Produce
Fruits, Roots, Vegetables & Herbs
Cochrane, DOMINICA
767-449-3038 (before 7 P.M.)




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page