Plant Chicago Farmers Market

Vendor Kickoff Meeting

May 3, 2016

1)  Plant Chicago - our mission and structure

  1. Plant Chicago is a 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to develop circular economies of food production, energy conservation, and materials reuse, while empowering people of all backgrounds to make their cities healthier and more efficient
  2. We have 5 staff members & several interns
  3. Organization activities:
  4. Tours & educational programming
  5. Community Outreach
  6. Farming/Tech Demo
  7. Farmers Market

2)  Plant Chicago Farmers Market at The Plant

  1. Why do we have a market?
  2. Support local farmers and food producers by providing a market for local produce and food products AND increase access to fresh, nutritious, and locally grown food in a low-income, low-access area
  3. Our market was started in June 2015 – average attendance over 2015 outdoor season = 150, which has grown to avg. 300 through indoor season & planning to sustain that and grow more this summer
  4. Can’t grow and expand without committed vendors! This is so important! Thank you vendors!
  5. Funding for our Farmers Market
  6. The farmers market program is funded by the USDA (Farmers Market Promotion Program and SNAP Support Grant program), Lumpkin Foundation, and Experimental Station
  7. What's up with that storefront on the first floor?
  8. Plant Chicago’s farmstand is a space run by us, the nonprofit, to provide a service for Chicago farmers and food businesses and for visitors who come to tour the building
  9. All proceeds go back to our programming
  10. At the moment, this space is only open on Saturdays for tour-goers, but if folks in the building want to purchase something during the week (Tues – Fri), they can contact Liz
  11. What are the benefits for vendors?
  12. A new market for your product, specifically catering to people who are interested in fresh, nutritious, and/or sustainably grown food
  13. Direct-to-consumer marketing & sales: $$ goes directly to you and no one markets your product better than you—people love to meet the producer and hear the story behind the product
  14. This is especially important for new producers and/or very specialty products
  15. Marketing for general market supports vendors
  16. What are we doing this summer to make this the best season yet at the market?
  17. Recently hired a part-time Outreach Associate – this person will specifically work on bringing more customers to the market through marketing & direct community outreach
  18. Special programs
  19. SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps)
  20. Double Value Coupons (program to double Link dollars-- Plant Chicago Farmers Market doubles up to $25 per market day)
  21. 70% of recipients would not have visited farmers market if this program wasn’t available
  22. Senior Coupons (+ double value)
  23. Cooking demonstrations
  24. Featuring vendor products to encourage purchases @ market
  25. Other Plant Chicago programming to draw more attendance (i.e. two tours per day, addition of new aquaponics and mushroom workshops)
  26. Coming soon: “The Circular Economy Market”
  27. Goal of all of these programs: increased revenue for vendors & increased individual and neighborhood health. Win-win!

3)  Vendor Q&A/Brainstorming

  1. Questions?
  2. Sharing goals for this summer
  3. PC goals:
  4. $1,000 in Link sales
  5. 10% of market attendance from zip code 60609
  6. Average attendance = 400
  7. Vendors make $$ every week!
  8. Other vendors like to share?
  9. Suggestions
  10. More vegan vendors
  11. Vendor email updates from Market Manager
  12. Some vendors would like help translating their signage into Spanish

4)  Vendor Announcements:

a.  Chicago Native Farm Yard (51st & Wolcott) is having an “Open Farm” on Friday, June 3 from 4pm - 10pm: come to meet the farmers and enjoy some food & fun family activities!