Producers have a lot of options but they can’t serve them all.
This video provides an overview of potential marketing channels
Every market channel has different needs. Each one requires a different set of strategies. Market channels that work well for producers in one area may not be appropriate for your business, or may not be good choices in your region due to distance or other barriers. Here are resources to learn more about the different markets, and a worksheet to lay out the pros and cons to make your decision.
General videos
Franco Naccarato of the Greenbelt Fund describes some of considerations in choosing different marketing channels in this video interview.
The Bakkers from Field Sparrow Farms describe their journey through different marketing channels in this video interview.
Resources
Alberta factsheet: Selling Local Food Directly to Institutions and Schools
Alberta factsheet: Selling Local Food Directly to Food Service and Hospitality
This brief report looks at current market trends in the Canadian food industry.
Nourish Trend Report 2017. Click to view this PDF.
Specific Market Channel Videos
Selling to consumers: Angie Koch from Fertile Ground CSA talks about the work of direct marketing in this video interview.
Selling to restaurants: Chef Carl Heinrich from Richmond Station talks about his commitment to local food, and how producers can work well with chefs.
Selling to hubs or packers: Avia Eek, Holland Marsh farmer and farm leader, talks about selling raw product to a hub or packing house to process, market and ship for you.
Chris Hiemstra talks about his experience with agri-tourism.
Selling to distributors, producer perspective: Gillian Flies and Brent Preston talk about their decision to sell through a distributor.
Rebekka Hutton describes the experience of a small-scale value-added processing company.
Kevin Belluz talks about diverse local food marketing channels in Northwestern Ontario as a farmer and distributor.
Dan Munshaw of City of Thunder Bay Supply Management division discusses the best strategies for working with an institutional buyer.
