DIRECT RETAIL
Farm Marketing
What’s Your
Specialty?
This is the first in what is to be a
regularly appearing column about
direct retail marketing, made
available through the Pennsylva
nia Retail Farm Market Associa
tion Inc. (PRFMA Inc.) and Perm
State Cooperative Extension.
PRFMA Inc. is a resurrected
and re-energized non-profit group
with the mission, "To benefit mem
bers through education, promo
tion, cooperation and representa
tion of Pennsylvania direct-to
consumer agricultural
marketing. ”
It is not intended to be limited to
those with roadside stands, but is
intended to be an organization that
encompasses all those who market
directly, such as aquaculture facil
ities with direct marketing, Christ
mas tree retailers, orchard and
fruitgrowers, honey growers, etc.
If it can be raised on a farm and
sold directly, then the association
may well the organization where
answers, promotion and represen
tation can be found.
The new board of directors is
headed by Rob Ferber, and the
organization is supported through
PRFMA Executive Secretary John
Berry, who is also the Lehigh
County Cooperative Extension
and regional Penn State Coopera
tive Extension marketing agent. To
join the organization, contact Ber
ry at PRFMA, Lehigh County
Cooperative Extension, 4184 Dor
ney Park Road, Allentown, PA
18104-5798, or (610) 391-9840,
or e-mail at jwblS at psu.edu.
JOHN BERRY
Penn State Extension
Agricultural Marketing
To maintain a profitable sales
volume, retail farm merkets need
to offer something special you
need an edge!
Why would I consider stopping
at your market?
My regular grocery store has
carrots, apples and potatoes. If my
only goal is securing adequate
food for the family, shopping can
be done in one stop at the nearest
strip mall.
Successful retail farm marketers
realize I’m not just looking for
food. I’m seeking an experience.
A chance to participate in the
food cycle appeals to today’s
consumer.
We all know that friendly staff
members with extensive product
knowledge are the best
salespeople.
Adding to this with painted face
pumpkins and gourds, heirloom
and ethnic varieties, herb garden
planters, mixed hot peppers, pro
duct demonstrations, pick-to-order
sweet com, microwave recipes,
drive-through service, or grand
ma’s apple turnovers in our pro
duct mix helps establish market
uniqueness in the customer’s
mind.
Think About
The Future
Look at the big trends affecting
the industry.
Products, processing methods,
customer expectations, prices,
competitive organizations, prices,
competitive organizations,
imports and exports are all essen
tial components of future
direction.
Sixty-two percent of consumers
arc more concerned with food
safety know than five years ago.
HAMMER MILLS
for Grinding High Moisture
»v & Dry Grains
Grinds Finer
than Roller Mills.
Features
• Low Initial cost
• Low maintenance
• Low operating cost
• Easy serviceability
• 360° screen
• Reversible hammers & screens
• Compact design
• Heavy duty plate magnet
• Dust tight enclosure
• Removable wear plate
• Self locking door latches
ah
HQ<
Contact your nearest Master Mill dealer listed below.
Marvin Big Valley Repair
Zimmerman Service
Oakland Mills, PA
717-463-9731 717-935-5051
Nissley Feed , Wltmer
Equipment s^enZTpA
Willow Street PA 717-532-6139
717-786-7654 _ . .
Zeiset
Equipment
Minheim PA
717-665-4056
Rovendale Ag
Watsontown PA
717-538-9564
Keystone Mills
Romulus NY
315-549-8226
A.N. Martin
Grain Systems
Clyde, NY
315-923-9118
*t+.ig. -~W
iC'^,
Spoilage and the use of chemi
cals and pesticides are their top
concerns about the food they eat.
Soft wheat consumption is
down fewer donuts and cakes
are being consumed.
Consumer demand for produce
is continuing to increase. (I realize
the need for a healthier diet.)
That’s bad news for regional
wheat producers, but good news
for fruit and vegetable growers.
Roadside markets offer a wel
come relief from the sterility of
supermarkets.
The trend in produce purchase
continues toward the feeling of
fresh, safe and convenient
A roadside market is not a con
venience store. Shopping at a farm
market is an experience.
The longer a customer stays, the
mote he will generally purchase.
Picnic tables, baked goods,
crafts, snacks and food demonstra
tions encourage customers to stay
longer, enjoy themselves and
spend more.
Farm market retailers limit their
chances for profitability if they:
• Don’t accomodate customers
and instead tty to make them work
on the retailer’s terms;
• Don’t look for new opportuni
ties, because it’s not worth the
trouble;
• Don’t wony about emerging
trends, because they believe their
old ways of doing business will
always apply.
Instead, to make more money,
encourage larger purchases by pro
viding a larger selection.
An assortment of products gen-
Manufactured by:
automatic farm systems
608 E. Evergreen Road, Lebanon, PA 17042
Phone: 717-274-5333
Star Silo
Myerstown, PA
717-866-5708
Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, May 16, 1998429
Peaceful, Soothing
More Money
Cedar Crest Equip.
Lebanon PA
717-270-6600
Martin Equip.
Co.
Chambersburg PA
717-263-3505
Harold's Equip.
Dundee OH
330-893-2348
crally attracts more repeat custom
ers. If you only have apples, have
several varieties of apples, or use
alternative packaging, such as cid
er, pies, jelly, dried apples, or sell
them by the pound, peck of bushel.
Another, self-explanatoty, con
cept is “rcnt-a-trcc.”
Every marketer heats now and
then, “Your price is too high!”
What the prospect is really say
ing is that their desire to buy was
too low.
The goal is to increase the pros
pective customer’s desire to buy,
rather than argue about price.
Establish the benefits, create
mote desire for them and minimize
the price compared to benefits. Tty
selling value, not price.
Customer Demands
There are several customer
demands that hold for most
situations.
Customers want a consistent
supply (every day); more variety,
anchor strains; ready-to-eat; know
ledge of where it was raised; small
er or more convenient packaging
or purchasing units; natural and
safe food; they want flavor and
something with eye appeal; and
they want the freshest, best quality
possible.
Quality is by far the trait most
sought by consumers.
But quality is more than the pro
duct being offered for sale. Quality
includes everything from road
signs and the parking area to a
wholesome atmosphere and clean
facilities.
One of the keys to successful
retail farm marketing is this: Ask
your customers what they want,
then satisfy what they want