(From the Friends & Farmers Co-op August 2014 E-Newsletter)
Take the Survey
Since the Member Kickoff Celebration on March 2, 257 member households have invested more than $60,000 in start-up capital.
We’ve been networking with local farmers and food vendors as we – and our growing pool of enthusiastic volunteers – participate in farmers markets, potlucks, food festivals, and other local events.
Now we’re looking for feedback from co-op members and supporters to guide the co-op’s next steps in start-up strategy and membership development.
The board is currently researching opening an online farmers market as a phased approach toward opening a brick and mortar store.
We have interviewed several cooperatives with online farmers markets, including those that are using an online market as a stepping-stone to a brick and mortar store – a “click to brick” business development model.
A well-supported, well-run online market could offer the cooperative a way to provide consumers and restaurant buyers with more convenient access to local farmers’ products, grow membership and vendor/food sourcing relationships faster, and help farmers and the local economy right away. However, opening an online market will be a significant undertaking and we don’t want to divert work effort from the main goal of growing the membership needed to open a fully-stocked, fully-staffed brick and mortar store.
The board needs to know what co-op owner-members and co-op supporters – all potential customers – think of this idea.
We’d also like your thoughts on how to grow our membership and communicate our progress to our members and supporters.
Please help us find out how YOU want your Friends & Farmers to move forward!
The survey takes about 5 minutes to complete, and will remain open through August 22 with a goal of 250 responses (the survey may be extended a week to help us get to that 250 response marker).
Please submit only one survey per household.
After you complete the survey, you will have an option to provide your email address for a chance to win a Friends & Farmers tote bag.
Thank you for your time, your investment, and your ideas for how Friends & Farmers can help grow the local food economy!
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