Small Bites
January 14, 2023
Creating opportunities to amplify & sell VT products to more buyers in the northeast &
beyond supported in a collaborative network of businesses & organizations
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If you thought '22 had a lot in store as regards uncertainties, hold tight for what '23 will be.
The weather in California is a disrupter not only now, but for the long haul. If it were a nation it would rank as the world's fifth largest economy. Imagine if you will all the multiplier effects we can expect 'downstream’ from the current water related disasters. At the farm level the flooding has wrecked crops, ruined worker housing, created a situation where neither harvesting nor planting can be on a schedule. In processing & production it has destroyed infrastructure on shipping & handling. Regarding mental health, everyone is in a state of disarray & stress with long term implications. What does that mean for our local food economy? We will find out as 2023 unfolds. Economists see that the repercussions extend far beyond the current estimates & beyond the California borders.
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Growing the Market: Displays
Buffalo Community Market in Hardwick had a big year in 2022 merging two stores into one. This was all moving along from the first days of the 2020 pandemic when everything was really nuts at stores. Fast forward to 2023 & the store is flying high, meeting the needs of the entire community.
As part of the process, retooling the Produce Department required a dovetailing of conventional products with organic & locally produced. With the cooperative spirit firmly in place, an expansion was in order. After much research on new displays the budget was set. Instead of buying pre-made displays, delivered via 3PL freight service the decision was made to use a local craftsperson. Coop member Jonah Bourne created the produce merchandising to Ingrid, the produce manager's, specifications. It's on wheels, has space for backstock storage, & fits wooden crates. In the design Jonah also incorporated historic touches from a bottling company once a vibrant part of the local economy. He also included the feet of his aunt's old wood stove. It blends so well while also creating a fresh look that is easy to shop, rotate & stock!
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Winter Training Sessions
Through a USDA Market Development grant food manufacturers & farmers with farmstands are participating in virtual sessions to help drive sales. The series are supported with speakers to speak to a wide range of intersecting topics. It's a mash up of Small Bites meets the Producer Buyer Forum!
We have a great group of food companies interested in growing sales & gaining distribution & store buyer perspectives. Farmers are taking the winter to refresh or learn new on-farm retailing to create a high return customer rate, increased margin, & a wider product mix.
In both sessions new & well-established businesses share experiences, expand their visibility, & take in loads of info. It is a real joy to meet new businesses & welcome them into the Farm to Plate Network through the what is known as "The Grocer Project”.
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Keep Your Eyes Peeled!
Happy Bird Poultry Farm way up north in Isle La Mott self-delivers to stores in the northwest corner of the state & down Route 7 to Rutland. They raise & process their quality chicken selling to independent stores & coops. Looking for a new line of local poultry? Contact Ember for pricing & shipping details.
We are still shouting the joy of VT Way Foods branded produce making in-roads with area farmers. Farmers grow, grade, & package for shipping while VT Way brands & sells to buyers. It is a win-win for the collaborative farmers to work the land, & a marketing team selling through new channels. Bingo. More of our products will reach regional shoppers as they sell beyond our borders.
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VT Good Food Finalists
Per usual (!) we have a nice representation of food companies across many categories receiving Good Food Award recognition. The winners will be announced this Spring. Store buyers can meet the producers in the annual virtual Mercantile.
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Trucking Down the Avenue
There are trucks on the road of every shape & size. Within them are the goods produced in Vermont & products that are needed to produce them. Each company has a unique operational ethos & means to their end: profitability.
Each route needs efficiency built into it, capturing revenue by shipping freight for aligned businesses or expanding its inventory for resale. Monument Farm Dairy has distinct routes selling to retail stores & they ship for other area producers as well. Bridport Creamery has been able to open up new store accounts because they ship BOL through Monument.
Expanding sales means the creamery must meet the increase in new orders. This involves operational efficiencies & ‘shipping-readiness’ are in place for pick-up. This helps ensure that store buyers have the assurance of a reliable delivery schedule. Distribution collaboration benefits the producer getting products to more stores, the trucking company builds a more efficient route, store buyers restock with timely orders fostering more sales & margin while shoppers have well stocked shelves to choose from.
Of course, it is not always smooth. But food manufacturers can utilize existing trucking as an option to focus on production rather than delivery.
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Two new farmstands are in the works for this summer. Woods Market Garden in Brandon & Stone’s Throw Farmstead in Shrewsbury are both increasing their retail skills by attending the Farm to Plate Winter Training Sessions designed for farmers & market gardeners to sell direct to consumer.
Both operations will be developing a local customer base, but also capture the summer tourist too. Stone’s Throw is gearing up for hikers along the Long Trail, as it is a quick stop for fresh food & pantry items or treats for hikers. Just think, a hiker picking up a Garuka Bar, Battenkill Wholesome, or even one of the amazing Savoure Artisan sodas (& 2023 Good Food Award Finalist) All of these are perfect for tired hikers!
Woods has a rich history of shoppers stopping into the full-service market. The new owners will craft a store of their own making & undoubtedly locals will welcome them into the community. Located on busy Route 7, summer folks heading to the lakes have a long relationship with this farmstand.
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Good Stuff
Speaking of country stores, The Elmore General Store is seeking a store operator. After a year that saw the store change owners & operators, a successful advocacy campaign to save the post office located in the store & a summer filled with fantastic community events that brought people together again, the Elmore Store is seeking new folks to run & help create the community connections so much a part of its deep history. Interested? Contact the Elmore Community Trust.
Vermont Vegetable & Berry Growers Association annual membership drive is underway. Membership runs on the calendar year, the 2023 fee is $70, The fee increases to $80 after the annual meeting on January 24, 2023. Membership & annual meeting details. Stores & distributors selling produce are encouraged to become members too as a way to support the farmers.
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2023: A Refresh
Is it time to refresh your website? Is your website hard for store buyers to determine your wholesale aspirations? Sometimes our sites are geared ONLY to the end consumer/shopper. By having some info on your website that draws buyers you can build a bridge to increasing sales. You should assess if you are helping them better understand if you are operationally prepared to sell wholesale.
Do not share prices, but if you have a “wholesale tab” include product specs, pictures of your retail packaging, UPC compliance, current methods of shipping. These can help buyers new to your site better understand if you might be a good fit on their shelves. A well-articulated website can save steps in the “relationship” building with a store buyer. So, help make it easy with a few tabs. "Find us at these stores" or "Find us through these distributors" can help store buyers gauge your capacity. Wholesale inquiry forms can also help nudge sales through understanding your wholesale aspirations. In the age of visuals, your website can also inform values with logos of aligned organizations like NOFA, Real Organic Project, Animal Welfare Approved.
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Deadline Jan 31 Tradeshow Grant
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Small Bites comes to you via USDA & High Meadows grants. Content is created for farmers, food manufacturers, distributors, & grocers to increase VT food sales
Contact: Annie H Harlow
smallbites802@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, photo credits are from company social media, websites or Annie Harlow
Photo credit: Cheesemakers VT Tech
Special Thanks to Emily Hershberger at Buffalo Community Market
All info is subject to change; thank you to all who contributed to this issue
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