Sales to Restaurants

 

 

Arizona Resources

Colorado Resources

New Mexico Resources

Utah Resources

Organizations Involved in Farm to Chef Collaborations

Marketing Advice for Selling to Restaurants

Funding Resources

 

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

 

See also:

 

 

Arizona Resources:

 

*Local Harvest: AZ Restaurants Serving Local Foods

The Local Harvest search engine allows you to locate restaurants in Arizona that buy and serve local produce. This is a great way to find restaurants interested in buying local agricultural products.

http://www.foodroutes.org/localfood/index.jsp?map=1&scale=&lat=&lon=&ty=2&nm=&zip=&st=3&x=40&y=11

 

*Slow Food Phoenix

Slow Food Phoenix is part of the international movement of people dedicated to protecting taste, culture and the environment. Phoenix Convivium members range from professional chefs to home cooks who enjoy the philosophy and the food of the Slow Food Movement.

http://www.slowfoodphoenix.org/

 

*Alta Arizona Slow Food Chapter

Gay Chanler

2912 N. Creekside Dr.

Flagstaff, AZ 86001

(928) 226-2891

altaazslowfood@yahoo.com

 

*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

 

*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

 

*Prescott College Crossroads Café

Get a delicious, local-food-rich breakfast or lunch in Prescott, Arizona, at the newly opened Crossroads Cafe. A part of the larger Crossroads Center at Prescott College, the cafe serves as a meeting point for residents, students, visitors and staff in the area. The cafe offers a number of local food delights from vegetarian Borscht to Beef Bourguignon to daily sandwich specials, salads and soups.

http://www.localharvest.org/restaurants/M10306

 

Colorado Resources:

 

*Colorado Chapters of the Slow Food Movement

Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.

This site lists the various Slow Food chapters in Colorado.

http://www.slowfoodutah.org/main_rockyMtnRegionalConvivia.html#co

 

*Local Harvest: CO Restaurants Serving Local Foods

The Local Harvest search engine allows you to locate restaurants in Colorado that buy and serve local produce. This is a great way to find restaurants interested in buying local agricultural products.

http://www.foodroutes.org/localfood/index.jsp?map=1&scale=&lat=&lon=&ty=2&nm=&zip=&st=6&x=36&y=12

 

*Rocky Mountain Beef Cooperative

The RMBC is a cooperative of cattle ranchers in Delta, CO who decided to join together to ensure the economic viability of their business. RMBC is working to establish contracts with food distributors to create direct marketing relationships.

http://cals.arizona.edu/AREC/wemc/westernprofiles/7%20rocky%20mountain%20beef%20coop.pdf

 

New Mexico Resources:

 

*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

 

*Slow Food Rio Grande

This is the website for the Slow Food's Rio Grande Convivium, representing the middle Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico.

http://www.slowfoodriogrande.org/

 

Utah Resources:

 

*Local Harvest: UT Restaurants Serving Local Foods

The Local Harvest search engine allows you to locate restaurants in Utah that buy and serve local produce. This is a great way to find restaurants interested in buying local agricultural products.

http://www.foodroutes.org/localfood/index.jsp?map=1&scale=&lat=&lon=&ty=2&nm=&zip=&st=47&x=27&y=6

 

*Utah Slow Food Chapter

Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.

This site has the contact information for the Slow Food chapter in Utah as well as projects they are involved in.

http://www.slowfoodutah.org/main_rockyMtnRegionalConvivia.html#ut

 

Organizations Involved in Farm to Chef Collaborations:

 

Agraria Restaurant

The North Dakota Farmers Union producers, cooperative investors and business partners worked together to create the Agraria Restaurant in Washington, D.C., a restaurant that serves local foods in an upscale environment.

http://www.mbrservices.com/cooppartners/viewArticle.cfm?ID=1642

 

Chefs Collaborative

Chefs Collaborative works with chefs and the larger food community to celebrate local foods and foster a more sustainable food supply. The Collaborative inspires action by translating information about our food into tools for making knowledgeable purchasing decisions.

http://chefscollaborative.org/

 

Chez Panisse

For over thirty years Alice Waters and her restaurant “Chez Panisse” have valued supporting local farmers through buying local produce to serve in their high-end restaurant. This is an inspirational example of what is possible when selling fresh produce to restaurants.

http://www.chezpanisse.com/pgcommit.html

 

Farm to Chef

Farm to Chef delivers fresh and local meats, produce and dairy products from upstate New York farms to restaurants in New York City. Farm to Chef links chefs in NYC with products from upstate NY, assisting farmers to prosper through access to new markets.

http://www.farmtochefexpress.org/

 

The Farmer Chef Connection

The Farmer-Chef Connection and Fisherman-Chef Connection programs have proven that direct marketing relationships that start with a handshake bring more dollars back to farmers, ranchers, fishermen and their communities.

http://www.farmerchefconnection.org/

 

Green Restaurant Association

The Green Restaurant Association is a national non-profit organization that provides services in research, consulting, education, marketing and community organizing. The GRA utilizes a collaborative strategy that involves restaurants, manufacturers, vendors, grassroots organizations, government, media, and restaurant customers.

http://www.dinegreen.com/

 

Slow Food Movement

Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.

http://www.slowfood.com/

 

Vermont Fresh Network

The Vermont Fresh Network builds innovative partnerships among farmers, chefs and consumers to strengthen Vermont's agriculture.

http://www.vermontfresh.net/

 

Marketing Advice for Selling to Restaurants:

 

Building Local Food Networks: A Toolkit for Organizers

Based on the lessons learned from the Farmer-Chef Connection and the Guide to Local and Seasonal Products, the toolkit (produced by Eco Trust in Portland, OR) provides guidance for establishing local food networks in general, as well as specifics about organizing a Farmer-Chef Connection gathering in detail. Extensive appendices provide sample materials, templates, and tools for organizers.

http://www.ecotrust.org/foodfarms/localfoodnetworks.html

 

Chefs Give Advice on Selling Locally Produced Food Items

This article from the Kansas State University Extension newsletter gives tips for selling local food products to restaurants.

http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/news/sty/2003/chefs_advice100303.htm]

 

*The Fresh Connection Keeps Farmers and Chefs in Touch

This is a section from the publication, “Direct Farm Marketing and Tourism Handbook,” published by the University of Arizona Extension.

http://cals.arizona.edu/arec/pubs/dmkt/TheFreshConn.pdf

 

Marketing Local Food

This publication introduces the basics of different marketing systems, suggests resources and includes profiles of farmers who are selling farm products directly to consumers via farmers' markets, roadside stands, CSAs, on-farm stores; as well as information and profiles about selling indirectly via retail food establishments or food services.

http://www.misa.umn.edu/vd/publications/marketing_local_food.pdf

 

Local Food Connections: From Farm to Restaurant

This article explores the benefits and challenges of farm to restaurant connections. The topic of meeting restaurant expectations is covered.

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/other/files/PM1853B.pdf

 

Selling Directly to Restaurants and Retailers

In November, 2002, more than 50 growers, agricultural professionals, and others gathered in Ventura as part of the California Farm Conference, to discuss how to market directly to restaurants and retailers. Participants discussed the key elements for creating a successful, entrepreneurial relationship with local restaurants and retailers. The group also compiled a list of people, organizations and resources for future information and assistance.

http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/cdpp/selldirect.pdf

 

*Selling to Restaurants

This is a section from the publication, “Direct Farm Marketing and Tourism Handbook,” published by the University of Arizona Extension.

http://cals.arizona.edu/arec/pubs/dmkt/SellingtoRestaur.pdf

 

Selling to Restaurants

Upscale restaurants serving locally-grown produce are in the headlines nationwide. Growing for this market is both lucrative and demanding. Profiles of growers from around the country illustrate successful strategies and points to remember when working with chefs.

http://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/sellingtorestaurants.pdf

 

Selling Produce to Restaurants: A Marketing Guide for Small Acreage Growers.

The author offers friendly but sound first-hand advice on targeting local markets, competing with corporate food service suppliers by proving your produce is worth more, selecting seeds based on your growing conditions and the market trends, adapting to the ever-changing market, developing alternative markets, and cooperating with other local growers.

 

Available for $10 + $2.50 shipping and handling from:

Greentree Naturals

2003 Rapid Lightning Road

Sandpoint, ID 83864

208-263-8957

greentree@coldreams.com

http://www.greentreenaturals.com/selling_book.htm

 

Servicing High-End Restaurants

Dean Okimoto, the owner-operator of Nalo Farms, has built a highly successful business by supplying excellent-quality salad greens and fresh herbs to many of Hawaii’s top restaurants.

http://cals.arizona.edu/AREC/wemc/westernprofiles/4%20nalo%20farms.pdf

 

Sell What You Sow: A Guide to Successful Produce Marketing

This book written by Eric Gibson highlights various aspects of agricultural direct marketing, including tips for selling to restaurants. Information about how to purchase the book is available on the following website:

http://wsare.usu.edu/pub/index.cfm?sub=mktdetails&id=19

 

Funding Resources:

 

Please see:

  • Financing for general resources to help fund agricultural marketing ventures.