Local Flavours, Familiar Faces!
BC Association of Farmers' Markets
Farmers' markets operate in every type of community across British Columbia from cities and suburbs to rural communities. Markets vary in size and sophistication, from large sheltered public markets to a few farmers with their trucks parked next to each other in a parking lot or farm field. Now that's fresh!
Programs :: Chef Friendly Farmers' Market Program
Chef Friendly Farmers' Market Program
Helping You Connect With BC Chefs!
About the Program
The Chef Friendly Farmers' Market Program is a co-operative marketing initiative that facilitates business relationships between BC farmers' markets, vendors and chefs. The program is helping to stimulate sales relationships between participating vendors and chefs while also acting as a marketing vehicle to increase traffic and sales at participating farmers' markets and restaurants.
The program consists of a number of amenities and services intended to facilitate foodservice sales by chefs at BC Farmer's Markets.
To accommodate each of BCAFM's member markets, the program has been structured in a typically "al a carte" fashion, thereby allowing each market to implement a program catering to its immediate needs and resources.
Examples of services and amenities included as part of the Chef Friendly Farmer's Market Program include chef only parking spaces, chef only shopping periods, pre-ordering of product, product pick-up zones, product delivery, cooperative marketing, measurable consumer promotion and networking/educational events for chefs and vendors.
The program also emphasizes the importance of strategic cooperation and communication between all program participants and related stakeholders, the increased use of available technologies and an increased focus on junior chefs who are still in school.
For a detailed overview of the chef friendly farmers market program, please download the program strategy.
Program Updates (2008)
You asked for it and we're delivering!
We are making some new changes to the Chef Friendly Farmers' Markets Program this year to assist participating markets with the first step of the program—making contact with chefs!
Although several markets have expressed interest in making this valuable connection, many of you have reported that locating and contacting chefs in your local areas has been too difficult or time consuming. In an effort to assist program participants, we have started to work with local chef and restaurant associations throughout B.C. to increase awareness of the Chef Friendly Farmers' Market Program.
Invitations are being extended to chefs throughout BC and positive inquiries will be directed to local area farmers' market managers within these communities.
Who's Participating!
Thank-you to Surrey, Comox, Coquitlam, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Vancouver and Barriere Farmers' Markets for your interest and continued commitment to this program—I look forward to an exciting and successful year.
Get Chef Friendly!
Any market can become a Chef Friendly Farmers' Market! To get involved, or for more information, please contact us at info@bcfarmersmarket.org.
Available Downloads*
Chef Friendly Farmers' Market Strategy
Chef Invitation & RSVP (market tour)
Chef Invitation (program general)
Program Logo (Colour, JPEG)
Program Logo (B&W, EPS)
Program PowerPoint Presentation (CD available, contact jaclyn@dccnet.com)
* please note that all templates have been formatted for White Rock Farmers' Market as per the program pilot. Please adapt these templates to suit your markets needs.
