A Marketing Model for Small Family Farms Selling Niche Products to Supermarkets

There is currently limited access to supermarkets for small family farms to sell their locally grown and raised farm fresh foods. The learning curve for small-scale family farms to meet the requirements of retail supermarket chains is long and demanding. However, there is an increasing number of small family farms seeking to fill this growing consumer demand for foods from local and regional small family farms. This project will utilize the Good Natured Family Farms Alliance and supermarket partnership to develop a `proof of concept' model. The Good Natured Family Farms model will include a comprehensive economic and operational sustainability analysis, complete product standards and product portfolio, and a plan that identifies and demonstrates marketing strategies, operational management, and supermarket logistics. This project will formally organize the Good Natured Family Farms family-farm-to-retail-supermarket model into a system that can be used by small family farm groups and supermarkets to develop similar programs. The Good Natured Family Farm value-based model will provide a real-life scenario to conduct a comprehensive economic analysis to determine small-farm profitability in selling to a retail supermarket chain.