Direct Marketing to Retail Outlets

Arizona Resources

Colorado Resources

New Mexico Resources

Organizations and Web Resources Lists

Resources for Beginning Relationships with Retail Outlets

Case Studies and Success Stories

Funding Resources

*Each resource within the Four Corners region will be marked with an asterisk

See also:

Four Corners Marketing Programs & Services listings of regional resources applicable to a variety of topics.
Direct Marketing to Consumers for more marketing resources for selling directly to customers.

Arizona Resources

*Canyon Country Fresh

Since 2000, the Center for Sustainable Environments has been working with local farmers, ranchers, markets, and restaurants to promote local food production and use. Recently, with the addition of a USDA grant for local marketing initiatives, CSE has begun to implement strategic marketing practices to help promote local farm products, from a food directory to development of links between farmers and restaurants.

http://home.nau.edu/environment/canyon_country.asp

*Food Conspiracy Cooperative, Tucson, Arizona

The Food Conspiracy Cooperative’s produce manager is always interested in connecting with local farmers to sell their produce in the coop. Contact Todd Stadtlander at (520) 624-4821 to explore this possibility.

http://www.foodconspiracy.org/departments/produce/

*Fresh, Local & Sustainable Foods of Canyon Country

The Center for Sustainable Environments of the Northern Arizona University has published the fourth edition of a sustainable foods directory for Canyon Country, otherwise known as the Colorado Plateau or Four Corners region. The directory includes a listing of restaurants that serve local agricultural products.

http://www.environment.nau.edu/Publications/FoodDirectory/Localfoodsdirectory.pdf

*New Harvest Organics

New Harvest Organics is an Arizona- based distributor of Organic produce. They distribute throughout the US, Canada and the United Kingdom. Their organic partners are based in Arizona, Mexico, Peru and Chile.

http://www.newharvestorganics.com/index.html

Colorado Resources

*Grower’s Organic, LLC

Grower’s Organic, LLC is a distributor that provides fresh organic produce to the Denver area from over twenty organic farms. They are dedicated to promoting fair trade/parity for farmers and sustainable business practices. Growers Organic will return 7% of its gross profits to the growers and 3% to its employees.

http://www.growersorganic.com/

New Mexico Resources

*La Montanita Cooperative

The Montanita Food Cooperative, with three locations in NM, connected with The Beneficial Farm & Ranch Collaborative to sell more local produce in the coops. Food co-op members supported a plan to lease a refrigerated truck and pay drivers to pick up the food at the farms and bring it to the stores.

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/pub/may07/coop.htm

*New Mexico Organic Producers Marketing Guide

This guide is designed to help you explore which markets might work best for you and give you some ideas about how to access those markets. Marketing topics include Farmers’ Markets, CSAs, Selling to Retail Outlets, Selling to Restaurants, and Selling to Wholesalers.

http://nmocc.state.nm.us/pdf/MarketManual.pdf

*Santa Fe Family Farmer’s Cooperative

The Santa Fe Family Farmer’s Cooperative, incorporated in 2001, is an inspirational example of farmers joining together for strength in marketing local, fresh produce. They have received assistance from the NMSU Cooperative Extension as well as the NM Department of Agriculture to invest in coolers to store produce and a truck for deliveries. They plan on marketing to retailers, wholesalers and restaurants.

http://spectre.nmsu.edu/media/news2.lasso?i=42

Organizations and Web Resource Lists

Appropriate Technology Transfer to Rural Areas (ATTRA)

This link goes to the Marketing, Business, and Risk Management resources provided by ATTRA, a service of the USDA. Resources include; business management information, direct marketing, organic marketing and value-added product information.

http://attra.ncat.org/marketing.html#direct

The Cooperative Directory Service

The Coop Directory Service is an online source of information about natural food co-ops. The directory can help you locate natural foods cooperatives that might be interested in buying local agricultural products.

http://www.coopdirectory.org/directory.htm

*New Harvest Organics

http://www.newharvestorganics.com/index.html

Organically Grown Company

Organically Grown is the largest wholesaler of organic produce in the Pacific Northwest. Organically Grown receives produce from farmers in the Pacific Northwest which they distribute to retailers, restaurants and home delivery systems.

http://www.organicgrown.com/index.cfm

Red Tomato

The Red Tomato is a non-profit organization in Massachusetts that markets produce from family farmers in the northeast and southeast US and sells to supermarkets and other customers throughout New England.

http://www.redtomato.org/about.html

Resources for Beginning Relationships with Retail Outlets

The Cooperative Directory Service

http://www.coopdirectory.org/directory.htm

Grocery Stores Promote Locally Grown Food

This article highlights several grocery stores in the Pacific Northwest that are working with local farmers and ranchers to carry their agricultural products. The article explains the logistics of how these direct marketing relationships are effective.

http://www.iptv.org/mtom/archivedfeature.cfm?Fid=155

Marketing to Independent Retailers

This resource guide offers helpful tips for harvesting and processing for retail outlets.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/ag/SustAg/marketingretailers.html

New Markets for Producers: Selling to Retail Stores

This information brief addresses market considerations and includes several recommendations to help growers approach local retailers.

http://www.cias.wisc.edu/archives/1999/02/01/new_markets_for_producers_selling_to_retail_stores/index.php

*The Real Dirt: A Marketer Talks About the Trade of Selling Produce

This article gives the history of New Harvest Organics, the Arizona-based organization that distributes organic produce. The article also discusses how to develop marketing infrastructure and the pro’s and con’s of working with marketing agents.

http://cals.arizona.edu/OALS/ALN/aln46/luna.html

Selling Certified Organic Produce to Retail Produce Markets in the Upper Midwest
This article provides useful information to help growers market their organic produce. While aimed at the Upper Midwest, its information can be useful to growers in other areas, as well.

http://www.cias.wisc.edu/archives/2000/01/01/selling_certified_organic_produce_to_retail_produce_markets_in_the_upper_midwest/index.php

Selling Directly to Grocery Stores and Restaurants

This is a resource from the Washington State University that gives basic tips for success regarding selling fresh produce to retailers.

http://www.agmrc.org/NR/rdonlyres/2B55AB33-C9E4-4B03-8E32-7246C950F58A/0/yakima.pdf

Working with Retail Buyers

This report provides background information for farmers who are considering selling their products through retail stores. It may also help farmers already working with retail buyers improve their business opportunities.

http://www.cias.wisc.edu/pdf/retail.pdf