Fifteen years ago the buzz word was “direct sales”, seven years ago it was “scaling-up” and in 2016 the call is to build brands. Many small farms and their owners can’t manage the “scale-up”. Can food systems entrepreneurs harness the cumulative capacity of small farms to supply market demands both near and far?
Check out this recent article originally published in Local Banquet (Spring 2016)
and featured through the Vermont Farm to Plate website: Building Brands in a Small Farm Food System
A store with empty shelf space in 2011 for locally produced eggs
Vermont is a rural state with a small population. Farms and food sellers may begin by selling to buyers within the state but they often need to seek broader markets (far) to reach a viable scale for their business.
why”market demands both near and far?”