Farmers markets aren't what they used to be - Entrepreneur Generations

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Many growers who once earned a living selling fresh produce at farmers markets have found it harder and harder to remain profitable as the culture at those markets changes.

Zach Lester, co-owner of Tree and Leaf Farm in Unionville, Va., Lester has noticed a shift in recent years in the markets, especially at the Dupont Circle FreshFarm Market, where he once could expect to generate $200,000 or more a year in gross sales. “The customers have changed,” Lester, who runs Tree and Leaf with his wife, Georgia O’Neal, told The Washington Post. “A lot of people that walk through markets are not shopping. They’re there to meet. They’re there to socialize.”

They’re there to eat and drink, not to buy produce. These new visitors tend to be young. Lester says they hang out with friends, grab some pizza or booze and "window shop."

The change in market demographics, Lester says, has affected Tree and Leaf’s sales, which have plummeted by as much as $50,000 annually at the Dupont market compared with his peak years in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

The decline in sales is, arguably, one result of the contemporary farmers market, which has evolved to meet the needs of a new generation of shoppers who view these outdoor markets as more a lifestyle choice than an opportunity to support local agriculture.

When farmers markets first started springing up in the 1990s, local growers practically had the organic market to themselves. Farmers markets now face stiff competition from bricks-and-mortar retailers such as Glen’s Garden Market and Whole Foods Market, and from online delivery services such as Washington’s Green Grocer and AmazonFresh. As they increase in popularity, farmers markets have even begun competing with each other. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s national directory lists 8,553 farmers markets, almost double the 4,385 markets in 2006.

Farmers markets have been forced to evolve. In Seattle, for example, organizers offer cooking demonstrations to show young techies how to prepare simple dishes with ingredients sold at the market. Organizers at other markets help prepare farmers for Good Agricultural Practices certification from the USDA. It’s a food-safety program that, once completed, allows growers to sell wholesale fruits and vegetables to retailers or restaurant chains.

But market managers say farmers must also help themselves if they want to survive and thrive in this new era. It’s not enough to show up at a market and expect consumers to buy all your fruits and vegetables. Farmers must be attuned to consumer demand and be better marketers and shopkeepers, even at their makeshift outdoor stands.

from The Rural Blog http://ift.tt/28Po9Fj Farmers markets aren't what they used to be - Entrepreneur Generations

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