Small Bites: Strawberry Summer Sales
Rooted in Vermont , Vermont Farm to Plate Network’s local food marketing campaign, is launching a statewide radio campaign encouraging Vermonters to go out and buy ‘Rooted in Vermont Strawberries!’

The ads will run across multiple stations each week reaching every corner of the state. The goal is to encourage consumers to seek out Vermont strawberries at their ‘favorite stores, farm stands, pick your own, or any place they shop for food.’ Increasing consumer purchases of one of the most family-friendly crops and boost local food sales is our plan.
 
Awareness of the campaign helps you to leverage your own store marketing, outreach and displays in order to maximize sales. We are working with local distributors to help promote this effort to retailers.

Plug into the conversation on social media sharing pictures of your purchases, displays, and happy farmers & customers with the #RootedinVermont hashtag on Instagram and Twitter or @RootedinVermont on Facebook.


We will be sharing photos, posts, and stories all month long about ‘Rooted in Vermont Strawberries’ to drum up excitement among consumers. Feel to send us pictures directly too!
 
Questions? Or want to chat about how to get more involved (and snag some RootedinVermont stickers), Email the Rooted in Vermont project manager, Shane Rogers, shane@vsjf.org
Distributor Support: Helping Hands
Everyone in the retail food business benefits from a team approach to finding the right product mix for their store. Distributors can help you with that.

Recently a driver for Vermont Roots , dropped off a product guide to a store on its route that they didn't service. The owner took a quick look-see and saw there was opportunity to expand her local products. Then with a little support from the Farm to Plate Retail Team , she further identified niches to meet her first summer as Mountain Energy in So. Londonderry.

Chex Finer Foods , sales rep Fred Silva helping Clark's IGA fine-tune their product mix. Fred is well liked by Farm to Plate and the stores he services for his ability to help generate sales and profitable product mixes.
Let us help you train your staff at no charge to you! Check out Take 5 ; our series of twelve 5-7 minute clips.
Full Belly Farm, producers of wholesale berries in Monkton Vermont. A great day on the farm for families once school ends for the season! PYO or buy the berries picked fresh daily! And of course contact them for the possibility of wholesale orders.
The old Middlesex General Store has new owners, a new vision and a completely new set of products to meet their community's needs as Roots Farm Market .

With an emphasis on their own Bear Roots Farm produce and other local producers, the market got off to an amazing start Memorial Day Weekend. Bedding plants, hanging baskets, freshly harvested produce made for a beautiful sight on the corner of Routes 2 & 100B.

This community oriented business dovetails well with its neighbors, Nutty Steph's and Red Hen Bakery.
(both sell wholesale to stores!)

The extensive renovation happened quickly in a cold, wet late winter and early spring. Congratulations to the Roots Farm Market for this new endeavor based on excellence and community.
Plan ahead for local crops
Talk to your distributors and your local farmers about product availability so that you don't over order.

Strawberries may be off to slow ripening with the cool, wet weather but according to some farmers, the crops are looking bountiful. Begin to conceptualize your Rooted in Vermont displays now & stay in talks with your farmers about the first delivery days.

And...remember quality Vermont berries have a different price point than berries from further afield. Promote the VT berries prominently to encourage sales & consider buying "just in time" to keep your berry inventory fresh!

Need help finding a local strawberry farmer?
Peer to Peer B2B Sharing:
On the road to success :
A big shout out to the Middlebury Natural Foods Coop for the time to meet with the Buffalo Mountain Coop of Hardwick. Under new management the BMC sought out marketing and in-store promotion. Farm to Plate has long recognized the MNFC weekly sales and their commitment to VT producers and bringing the two coops together was valuable and very inspiring. B2B connecting and sharing best practices helps our local food system grow. Cheers to sharing.


Contact Annie H Harlow for info, support inquiries,
or to share your retail tips!

annieharlowahh@gmail.com
802-922-7060

Funding support provided by USDA & VAAFM