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Posts tagged ‘start a farmers market food business’

Aug 9

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Is Now Really A Good Time To Start A Business?

Ugh!  That’s really the only word to describe the financial markets yesterday.   With everyone predicting the end of the world as we know it, you have to wonder why anyone in their right mind would think of starting up a business right now.  With the entire global financial market on the verge of a nervous breakdown, is it really a good idea to start a business.  Truth of the matter is that now is actually a great time to start a small business – if you do it right.  

 Unemployed or Underemployed? Employ yourself! – Unemployment is hovering around 9.2% and that doesn’t even take into account those who are underemployed.  If you’re looking for a job right now, or looking for a job worthy of your skill set and background, you know that it’s brutal out there and every resume you send out seems to go into a giant black hole.

 While it may seem crazy to start a business in an environment like this, it may actually be better to put yourself to work rather than waiting for someone else to give you a job.  Use the skills you have and those business ideas you used to fantasize about while sitting in your office cube to good use and do something for yourself.   Not to mention that a small business – food or otherwise – can be a source of income and it shouldn’t necessarily prohibit you from looking for a job.   In fact, showing that you have the wherewithal, gumption, and mental fortitude to start a business while unemployed, regardless of its size, may actually help your resume float to the top of that next pile.

 One of the great unemployed-to-small food business success stories is that of King of Pops.   When the founder was downsized from AIG in the first part of the Great Recession he literally turned lemons into lemonade – or more correctly, into juicy delicious fruit ice pops known, inCentral America, as paletas.   What started as one cart and a way to bring a little extra cash into his pockets has turned into one of the most successful mobile food business operations in theSoutheastern United States.

 Employed but nervous about your next paycheck?  – If you’re worried that your company might be considering a round of layoffs of if it’s already been explained that there will be no pay increases in 2012, starting your own small business is a way to take control of your own financial situation and try to bring in additional money.  In this case, a part-time business like a farmers’ market booth or a small wedding cake business can be a way for you to work your regular 9-5 (who are we kidding – it’s more like 8-6 these days!) and start up something of your own on the side.   In addition to being a source of additional revenue, a part-time business can be expanded to become a full-time business if you’re one day callously handed a pink slip under the guise of “corporate cost cutting.”   As I always like to say, no one can ever fire me from my own business and when things are this uncertain that’s a very empowering feeling!

 Being Small Is Feasible and Powerful! – Unlike other business models, a small food business can be started with minimal money.  Startup costs obviously vary depending on what type of business you plan to start, but thinking small in these times can be a benefit.  You may have always dreamed about starting a bakery, rather than go into debt to finance that consider starting smaller with a baked goods booth at a festival or other event.  If you’ve always wanted to open up your own restaurant rather than trying to get a loan for hundreds of thousands of dollars, take a look at food trucks instead.  In both those cases you can start your dream food business on a shoestring budget, build a customer base, and, when the economy improves, use that as a springboard to grow your business into something bigger.  You may very well be the next Microsoft (which started during the recession of the 1970’s) of the food world and the skills you learn now about keeping a tight rein on the budget will be a huge benefit regardless of how big your business one day grows.  

This Is A Great Time to Hire Outsourced Help – No matter how big or small the business you’re planning is, there are some key fundamentals that you should have in place when you launch including, at a minimum, a well-designed logo, packaging (if that is needed for your business), and a website.  Of that 9.2% of people who are out of work, there are a multitude of unemployed graphic artists, web designers, and other skilled professionals who are anxious for work.  While I always advocate paying people fairly for the work that they do, anyone you hire to help with outsourced tasks may be willing to negotiate their rate based on what you want and how much you are willing to pay.

There Is Still A Large Focus On Buying Local – One of the best things to come out of the ‘last’ recession of 2008 (we are not technically in a new recession, which is two quarters of negative growth, but to many it may already feel like we’re in another or, in some cases, the first one never ended) was the focus on buying locally-made products and locally-sourced ingredients.  If you live in an area where “buy local” is an important factor in people’s buying decisions, this can help propel your small food business to success.  Historically in recessions, people crave basic comfort items which explains, in part, why pie became so popular during 2008-2010.  If you have an idea that harkens back to a simpler time and is made from locally-sourced ingredients you may just be sitting on the next big food trend idea!

Without a doubt, starting a business – be it big or small – is always a bit of a gamble and there is absolutely no guarantee that you will make money.  That is why developing a business plan  before you start is so important.  However, if opening your own small food business is something you’ve always dreamed of, this may actually be a great time to jump in and give entrepreneurship a try.

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Apr 29

A Week In The Life Of A Farmers’ Market Manager

One of the joys of strolling through a farmers’ market as a customer is how bucolic and simple the market seems.  It can be a calming start to your weekend or the perfect way to end a weekday far from the stress of your job and shrill of your Blackberry (the phone – not the fruit).  All of that simplicity and calm doesn’t come easy though which is why farmers’ market managers work hard day-in and day-out to create a market customers and vendors will enjoy.   I had the pleasure of speaking with Erin Kauffman of the Durham Farmers’ Market in North Carolina who shared a peek into her life during farmers’ market season. 

First and foremost, it’s important to note that Erin Kauffman is one of only two paid staff for the Durham Farmers’ Market.  Kauffman’s position as Market Manager means that she’s paid for 25-30 hours/weekly which includes time at the two markets Durham Farmers’ Market puts on each week.  Kauffman also has an assistant who is paid for approximately 5 hours/week.  The market is overseen by a Board of Directors who, with Kauffman’s help, decides which new applicants should be part of the market, and there are a handful of volunteers without whom Kauffman says her job would be near impossible.

Kauffman’s responsibilities differ depending on whether it’s a market day or not.   “It definitely is a little bit crazy and unpredictable,” Kauffman says.   “When I’m at the market I have a whole slew of jobs to take care of.  From making sure all the vendors are following the rules to setting up and coordinating events, cleaning up before and after the event.  I clean the bathrooms because that’s not a task you want to give to volunteers otherwise they’ll never come back and volunteer again!  I also use a lot of market time to communicate with the vendors.   They are not sitting around waiting for emails and it can be hard to keep them up to date with various things they need to know so I use that time to answer questions and talk with them to keep them informed.”

During the week Kauffman’s time is filled up with promoting the market.  In addition to trying to keep the market’s website up-to-date, she sends out weekly emails every Friday about what’s going on at the market to keep people coming back every week and keeps the market’s facebook and twitter (@DurhamFarmerMkt) pages going as best as possible.   Kauffman also visits health fairs and garden clubs and other group events to talk about the market and get people excited about visiting.   Another huge piece of her marketing is trying to make sure that all the market’s listings in various internet and print publications are correct.

When not marketing the market, Kauffman works on scheduling and coordinating events for the market.  Like many farmers’ markets around the country, the Durham Farmers’ Market has special events on market days such as chef demonstrations or book signings.  These unique events keep people coming back to the market every week so that they can see and learn something new.  “I spend a lot of time communicating with chefs who come and do demonstrations, working on our chef challenge for the year, and coordinating with the Master Gardeners who help out with a lot of our events,” Kauffman says.  “All of these events add to the market experience for visitors but take time to get set up.”

On top of that there are numerous administrative tasks Kauffman has to perform each week from making sure that money is deposited each week, ensuring that attendance records are in order and other documents are updated as necessary, to ordering market tshirts and bags.  Kauffman is also responsible for coordinating inspections of vendors and products.  “I am pretty familiar with what people bring to the market,” she says, “all of the vendors they get inspected when they apply.”   Oftentimes this means Kauffman must go to people’s kitchen or studio and ask questions.   “It’s a good process to communicate with them outside of a phone call or series of emails and get an idea of what they’re planning on making and how they’re planning to grow their business over the years and how they will fit into the market over the years.  Prepared foods and crafters do get inspected so that we’re all on the same page of what’s going on.”

As a customer this will surely make you appreciate all the hard work that goes into putting a marketing together every week and as a vendor (or hopeful vendor) this may remind you to jump in and help out at your local market as much as you can!

Mar 30

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Selling Your Food At Farmers Markets

photo courtesy of Dot Drobney

Continuing the conversation with Winter Caplanson of the Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market, today we’ll take a look at some tips on how to make your farmers’ market business more successful.   Securing a spot at one or more farmers’ markets is one huge step towards getting your product in front of customers, but now how do you make them buy?

1. Display and Presentation: Caplanson often tells new farmers’ market vendors that simply because they’re selling at a farmers’ market doesn’t mean their booth should look slapped together.   “Even though we’re grassroots,” she says, “I often tell people to go to Whole Foods or pick up a copy of Real Simple.  See what they’re doing and how they showcase merchandise and then figure out how you can take that idea and scale it down to your booth.”   Caplanson also encourages her vendors to have lots and lots of professional-quality high-resolution pictures in their booths.   “A picture of your farm or your beehive in action can help tell the backstory of your product and it will help catch peoples’ eyes.”

2. Be your own best advocate: While not every market requires that the producer, farmer, or artisan be available in-person at the booth, Caplanson says that it is always advisable that you – and not someone you hired – be at the market each week.  Customers come to farmers’ markets to interact with the person who makes the products they buy and you will always be able to better explain the process and otherwise interact with the customers than hired help.   Customers who feel a connection with you and understand the story behind your product are much more willing to buy it and to share your story with others through the most powerful marketing tool of all – word-of-mouth.

3. Offer samples: For food producers it is always helpful to offer samples so that people can see if they like a product before buying.  It sounds simple yet many food producers worry that offering samples will cut into the amount of product they have available to sell.

4. Bring something new to the table: Caplanson asks vendors to try and bring new products to the market each week.  While it may not be possible every single week, showcasing new products gives customers a reason to check back at your booth every week to see what’s new.  When customers come by your booth, telling them new products is a conversation starter that can help create a sale and build a better relationship between vendor and customer.  Caplanson also adds that by using seasonal ingredients it helps create a sense of excitment amongst customers as they realize that if they like this product they need to buy it now as it may not be available next week.

5. Social media is for everyone: “More and more vendors are using social media and are doing it well,” Caplanson says.  “Eight years ago it simply wasn’t feasible to expect a farmer to build a website and keep it up-to-date but today it takes no time at all, and no money, to set up a FaceBook page and keep it updated with photos or comments about new products or just general goings-on.”   As Caplanson explains, farmers’ markets are all about community and connection and social media is an extension of that.   “Social media is an extension of the ability to ‘talk’ with customers face-to-face at farmers’ markets and helps strengthen the connection you have with your customers.”

Since farmers’ markets are about community I asked Caplanson about what vendors could do to make market managers lives easier and she gave me a succinct ‘wish list:’

  • Follow the rules: It sounds obvious but there are basic rules at every market so please follow them;
  • Be a friend to others: If you see another vendor who is struggling to get their booth set up take 5 minutes and help them out;
  • Offer up demonstrations: If you have an idea for a demonstration offer up your idea to the market manager.  Not only does this help create a more vibrant market but it can also be a great sales tool for you;
  • Give stuff away: In addition to samples, be willing to provide product or ingredients for demonstrations being held by others at the market.   “I would argue that giving product away for demonstrations is the best marketing tool you can utilize at farmers markets,” Caplanson says, “because during the demonstration the chef will mention that s/he is using product from XYZ vendor and that will create a lot of awareness and interest in your product and company.”

If you are interested in learning more about the Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market you can view their site here or visit their FaceBook page.  And if you’re interested in learning more about selling at farmers’ markets as a food producer you should check out Starting A Part-time Food Business.

Mar 28

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Conversation With a Farmers Market Manager

March certainly came in like a lion in most parts of the country but over the course of the month we all received brief glimpses – those days where the sun was out and there was a hint of warmth in the air – that reminded us that Spring was coming.  And, at least in these parts, not far behind Spring is the beginning of farmers’ market season.  So I figured there was no better way to kick off the last week of March then by talking with a farmers’ market manager to hear first-hand what managers look for in new food vendors and then, once accepted, what vendors can do to improve their sales and make Market Managers’ lives easier too.

Winter Caplanson, the founder and organizer of Coventry Regional Farmers Market, which is located 30 minutes east of Hartford Connecticut, is no ordinary Market Manager though.   She is a woman who exudes passion for farmers’ markets and for the role they play in our community these days.   She (a soap artisan) and Carol Miller (an herbalist) started the Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market eight years ago after they had both individually vended at other farmers’ markets and realized that it could be done better and that their area of Connecticut needed a strong farmers’ market.  But rather than simply throwing together some farmers, food producers, and crafters, Caplanson, Miller,  and a team of volunteers decided that they wanted to create a destination market that would be a gathering place not only for people in the area but also provide people outside the area a reason to travel to it.

That group of committed volunteers have since created the farmers’ market we all dream about.  Set on Hale Farm in Coventry, CT and surrounded by 500 acres of gorgeous landscape, the Summer Market has become the largest farmers’ market in the state filled with approximately 50 farmers, food producers, and craft artisans as well as live music, demostrations, and even some farm animals for the kids (and kids-at-heart) to pet.   Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market also hosts a Winter Market at the local highschool that hosts 30 farm-fresh vendors and artists.  With approximately 65,000 visitors annually, it’s easy to see why New England Travel Magazine calls Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market “Connecticut’s preeminant farmers’ market,” and it’s been picked as one of the top markets in all of New England. 

For an area long steeped in the farmers’ market tradition, this is no small honor and it was obvious in talking with Caplanson that the reason behind the markets’ success is the commitment that all of the volunteers have to create a community – a community of vendors who all work together for the betterment of the market which in turn creates a sense of community between the vendors and the patrons.   Caplanson generously shared with me so much insightful information that I can’t simply edit it down to fit in one post.   So tomorrow’s post will share Caplanson’s views on how new food producers should approach farmers’ market managers if they want to try and get into that market and on Wednesday I’ll include her thoughts on what vendors in farmers’ markets can do to increase their own sales and things to consider to make the lives of the market managers easier.

In the meantime, if you’d like to learn more about Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market you can check out their site here or follow them on FaceBook.

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