Farm shop help

[jacksimp939]

Hi everyone,
I need some advise I’ve been renting a unit in a small posh town, in the hopes of creating a small farm shop, it’s next door to a wholesale meat shop that apparently gets 170 customers through the counter each day, the plan was to create a small farm education centre at the back of the unit, we have created a large scale farm diorama, showcasing what happens on a working farm, we have wooden units ready to stock out. We have been renting this unit for a year and a half now and have always put off opening as we don’t have enough cash to open and are scared of the fresh produce going off, after facing many challenges we are at a crossroads whether to abandon the business completely and quit paying dead money in rent or open and risk it, just selling fruit and veg in the hopes we could get the meat customers next door to buy from us, what would you do ?
Thank you

 

[Mark T Jones]

I'd focus on one thing at a time. Shop and education aren't natural bed-fellows. Either one might be a business and there might be some synergy between them but you need to start with one first.

I have several contacts in the farm shop arena (they will charge for their services) - it is undoubtedly a potentially lucrative area if you do it right, but it sounds like you need some professional advice on buying, rotation, storage etc...

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

Hi everyone,
I need some advise I’ve been renting a unit in a small posh town, in the hopes of creating a small farm shop, it’s next door to a wholesale meat shop that apparently gets 170 customers through the counter each day, the plan was to create a small farm education centre at the back of the unit, we have created a large scale farm diorama, showcasing what happens on a working farm, we have wooden units ready to stock out. We have been renting this unit for a year and a half now and have always put off opening as we don’t have enough cash to open and are scared of the fresh produce going off, after facing many challenges we are at a crossroads whether to abandon the business completely and quit paying dead money in rent or open and risk it, just selling fruit and veg in the hopes we could get the meat customers next door to buy from us, what would you do ?
Thank you

I'm bemused?
Unless it's a revenue generator, I don't see the connection between and education centre and a retail outlet?
Does the wholesale meat shop sell to Butchers and Caterers or the general public?

Put a wildlife camera outside your unit to see for yourself how many customers they are getting each day.

Fresh produce goes off. That's par for the course and only an issue if you can't sell it, but it's unlikely that you'll be completely devoid of sales and your prices should include wastage anyway.

 

[fisicx]

Do what they do round here and deliver weekly boxes. Picked and packed on the farm and delivered in a van. The local version of able and Cole.

Each week we get offers of additional products. This week it’s sausages and sourdough bread.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Forget the education side, potential customers are looking for food, so that's what you need to concentrate on. Go out to farms and ask what they could sell you over the whole year and build up a picture of what's available each month and how much profit you can make selling it

Concentrate on just local farms say 20 mile radius and mark where every thing comes from i.e. Red xxxx Type Potatoes from Blue Farm and place details so people know its local. Maybe tell people how best to cook or eat them

 

[BusterBloodvessel]

Agreed on doing this one step at a time - the logical one being the farm shop first. You're not going to get regular customers popping in to the education centre, and once they've seen it, they've seen it. The shop gives you a chance to get regular repeat custom. Once that's established, the education centre might be a small add-on.

However, if doing the shop then;

" just selling fruit and veg in the hopes we could get the meat customers next door to buy from us"

is hardly much of a marketing plan. In fact, it sounds like a recipe for disaster. You need to establish your own ideas of how you are going to market yourselves and drive footfall. Yes, absolutely a busy location with shoppers already passing daily is a big help and perhaps there could be some tie-ups with next door (joint offers on a meat + veg pack, or 10% discount vouchers for every shopper that spends £50 next door type of thing)... but just opening with the idea that "they're visiting next door so some of them might come in here" sounds like a hiding to nothing.

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

there could be some tie-ups with next door (joint offers on a meat + veg pack, or 10% discount vouchers for every shopper that spends £50 next door type of thing

Great idea
May be able to go a step further and sell deli type meats, ham etc., (supplied by the Butcher) when they are closed. Most Farm Shops open and do well on a Sunday, when most Butchers are closed.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Why not speak to the butchers and work with them - rent some space (they get revenue) and you get footfall.

That will test your idea, quick and cheap!

However, if you are successful, either way, what stops then from copying you a getting the cutomers before they get to you (unless you start selling meat)?

 

[pentel]

we have created a large scale farm diorama, showcasing what happens on a working farm,

How did you expect to make anything from this? I know it is too late now but creating some cashflow from the start by spending on stock may have been the best first investment.

 

[Gecko001]

To get footfall, I suggest you would need this to be the town centre branch of an established farm shop in the country which is actually on a farm or near a farm, so that shoppers would have confidence that it is actually a farm shop and not just one that sells locally sourced food.

PS. Have you tested the market by taking stalls at car boot sales or open air markets?

 

[jacksimp939]

I'm bemused?
Unless it's a revenue generator, I don't see the connection between and education centre and a retail outlet?
Does the wholesale meat shop sell to Butchers and Caterers or the general public?

Put a wildlife camera outside your unit to see for yourself how many customers they are getting each day.

Fresh produce goes off. That's par for the course and only an issue if you can't sell it, but it's unlikely that you'll be completely devoid of sales and your prices should include wastage anyway.

hi
thanks for your reply, i think i worded it wrong what i meant was instead of an education centre it was at the back of the unit, basically a farm diorama showing what really happens on the farm as im a farmer myself and have realised people have no idea where milk comes from or how aniamls are looked after. The plan was people would see it and then talk to others about this unit with a really cool farm diorama, hopefully to drag others up to us.

the wholesale meat shop sells to both but they only sell big packs of meat for instance 50 sausages,8 sirloins etc

Thats a very good idea, ill try that!

Our biggest problem is our unit is very small, so we are struggling to find it to produce income as in there wont be enough to even fill a £30 basket

 

[jacksimp939]

Do what they do round here and deliver weekly boxes. Picked and packed on the farm and delivered in a van. The local version of able and Cole.

Each week we get offers of additional products. This week it’s sausages and sourdough bread.

hi thanks for your reply
do you know the name of this company so i can see how they work it?

 

[jacksimp939]

How did you expect to make anything from this? I know it is too late now but creating some cashflow from the start by spending on stock may have been the best first investment.

hi
Thanks for your reply, we were scared to open, and the unit looked so boring, we wanted word of mouth marketing, also being a farmer myself, kids and parents don't have a clue how a farm works, we was going to sell farm toys using this farm, as like a puller for the toys

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Our biggest problem is our unit is very small

Get rid of the diorama and make more space!

 

[Mark T Jones]

hi
Thanks for your reply, we were scared to open, and the unit looked so boring, we wanted word of mouth marketing, also being a farmer myself, kids and parents don't have a clue how a farm works, we was going to sell farm toys using this farm, as like a puller for the toys

So, a farm shop, a toy shop or a diorama?

You really need to create some focus here - yes, you can have add-ons and sidelines once you have established your core business model.

A wholesale butcher is unlikely to be your main source of business - what is the footfall/ demographic/ vibe of your area?

 

[Chris Ashdown]

hi thanks for your reply
do you know the name of this company so i can see how they work it?

Good idea, Rent and Rates a lot cheaper with a lockup than a shop

 

[BusterBloodvessel]

the wholesale meat shop sells to both but they only sell big packs of meat for instance 50 sausages,8 sirloins etc

So can you not do a wholesale deal with them and sell in smaller quantities alongside your other produce? For the people who only want a pack of sausages or a couple of steaks but will buy them alongside your fruit, veg & other produce?

 

[Mark T Jones]

Ideas overload..

A common problem, particularly in retail/hospitality start ups.

Whilst the ideas are well intentioned, they dont take account if what matters - your core customer and your means.

Mostly they are just a distraction

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

Our biggest problem is our unit is very small

What's the actual size? We have several Farm shops round these parts but only one is fully enclosed. The others display a lot their produce under various covers outside, market barrows and canopies etc., and clear them every night. Inside they sell artisan sauces, refrigerated goods, cheese etc.,

the wholesale meat shop sells to both but they only sell big packs of meat for instance 50 sausages,8 sirloins etc

Buster beat me to it again but if you could sell their goods in smaller quantities it's a win win.