Anyone here do subscription sales of produce?

[Beekissed]

I didn't find much about subscription baskets that would be delivered, but I'll try to find that book I read about it.

It sort of gave an example of a typical basket:

1 bag of lettuce, washed
1 sm. bag of spinach, washed
5 potatoes, washed
1 sweet onion
5 green onions
1 lg. head garlic
2 large tomatoes
1 frond of cherry tomatoes
2 yellow squash
10 ct. bunch radishes, washed
1 bunch fresh herbs~chives, cilantro, basil, lemon thyme, etc.
6 ears sweet corn
1-2 lg. green pepper
2 cucumbers
1 bag of green beans, washed
Fresh cut flowers or sunflowers

She said that the contents would vary according to what is producing, which I understood. These baskets were delivered. It sounds like alot of variety and it seems, for the type of people who would order this, that this amount of food would last a bit.

In a rural area, where my clients would probably be well-to-do, but very few....what would you consider charging (would throw in a doz. eggs)?

 

[digitS']

Just counting bunches & baskets to dollars of what we would sell those things for at the market - I can get to $25 easily.

. . . and delivered to the door!

Heck of a deal.

Steve

 

[me&thegals]

Hey Bee--This is my business--doing CSA. In fact, my spring share is the month of May (coming up soon--yikes!), the 20-week share starts in June, the fall share is from mid-Oct to mid-Nov and then I will have for the first time this year a fall/winter storage share.

I'm on the inexpensive end of CSAs. My 4-week shares (spring, fall, winter) are $25/week. The regular season one is approximately $22/week. In our area, people can get some of their shares subsidized through a local organization that supports CSAs. Health insurance companies also reimburse anywhere from $100-200 for their customers each season.

When I started, I figured out what most things would cost at a farmer's market, then what they would cost at an organic store like Whole Foods. I tried to find a range between those 2 that would be a good deal for the customer and yet earn me some money.

I've worked hard to establish perennials and things that get planted in fall and come up in spring to make my job easier (herbs, perpetual spinach, longstanding spinach, fruit, asparagus, green garlic, etc). I work for huge variety but focus on people's favorites. Each week, I send out a newsletter listing what is going to be coming along with a few recipes to use up the most prolific or unusual and methods for preserving extras.

A sample spring basket:

spinach, asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, popcorn stored from fall, 1 bunch chives or walking onions, bean sprouts

A sample summer basket:

3-4 zucchini summer squash, 6 large tomatoes, 6 potatoes, 1 head garlic, 1 gallon lettuce mix, 1 onion, 1 quart blackberries, 1 bunch mint

A sample fall/winter basket:

1 bunch beets, 2 large turnips, 1 gallon spinach, 1 gallon mesclun mix, 6 potatoes, 1 onion, 1 head garlic, 1 bag popcorn, 6 green tomatoes, 1 bunch chives, pumpkin/squash

One thing I've noticed is that people who buy eggs tend to be interested in CSA, meat chickens, turkeys, honey, etc. If you find a customer in one of these areas, they are very likely to be interested in everything else you have. Probably part of it is that they will come to trust you, get enthusiastic about what you offer and want to further invest in your ventures. Also, I use my newsletter for major propaganda I talk about Monsanto, carbon footprints of food from across the world, nutrient depletion with the passage of time, the way potatoes are grown nonorganically, and so on.

Good luck! PM me if there's anything more specific you'd like to know about.

 

[Beekissed]

You have no idea how this helps! I know my area isn't just right for a CSA and all the people I've met here have no idea what that even is (not a real well-read group), but I'm hoping to get something new started here.

No one here does roadside stands, no one does anything but row gardens and Sevin dusting, no one cares about healthy foods....well, you get the picture!

I'm hoping to be the first to introduce the idea and, other than advertising(which costs a lot here!) I have no way of getting this idea to the right people. Well, there is a library in the next town that would be a good place to post a flier, as they seem to be a bit more enlightened over there.

So....how did you make your first foray into contacting the type of people who would be interested in this? Could you post a copy of a typical flier that you have used, if any?

I can post these at the local IGA and place a For Sale ad for free in the local classifieds, but I don't know if it would catch any fish.

I'm working with zero to little budgeting, so any cheap ideas on how to get the word out in a very rural area~that does have a sprinkling of folks who may subscribe~but whom I do not know.

 

[Purple Strawberry]

Once you get a flyer created you could make tons of copies and you could put them on mail boxes. But remember it is illegal to open the mailboxes just slide them inbetween the flag and the box.

Good luck!

 

[Rosalind]

Actually, the book I am reading right now (re-reading, as a matter of fact: Pastured Poultry Profits) says, it's better not to do a whole lot of mass-market advertising. The reason being, it's expensive and it tends to attract the kind of customers who are more nuisance than they are worth. The kind that make up complaints because they figure you'll give them free stuff just because they complained, the kind where the screw-up is really their fault for being silly and expecting raw produce to stay fresh after five hours in a hot car, the kind that simply cannot be made happy no matter what. The author says, once you have a few customers, and focus on making them absolutely overjoyed with your product, word of mouth will be sufficient for a small operation.

I tend to agree, after working in retail, sales and tech support for four years before I went to college.

 

[Beekissed]

Yes, Joel is a very wise man! I was thinking the same thing and all I really need is that one person that is connected, if you know what I mean! That one lady that knows the other ladies that like quality, like to spend their money and brag about what they got....you know the type, real big into status quo and healthy eating trends that they read about.

 

[me&thegals]

I would discourage advertising, actually. Just talk to the folks who are already buying your eggs. Are you already educating them on how your eggs are higher quality, being pastured and fresh? If so, they have at least one foot into the world of better food and one tiny niggling sense that not all food is equal.

I'd say your produce should speak for itself. If it is not beautiful and delicious, nothing you can say will convince them. And we all know how lush, crisp and delightful fresh produce is (I'm thinking of the lettuces you described growing on SS). One taste, and they will be hooked.

Then, give them the tools they need to use it well. Give them salad dressing recipes, methods for preserving or storing their produce, tidbits on how long it takes lettuce to get from California to WI, then to their fridge, etc. (I'm just focusing on 1 thing here: Lettuce, but you get my drift).

If you can't find anybody interested, considering giving away a few mini baskets as "samples," with the clear understanding that if they like them, the rest are for sale! Also, you can use your considerable intelligence to weed out (pun intended ) those folks you know will never be happy. When someone is interested in my CSA and then talks about only enjoying beans and broccoli, I tell them this is not for them. This is for the adventurous.

My business grew purely through word of mouth. I have never advertised. People who are happy blab the great news to everyone they know. If it is fresh, beautiful, delicious and reasonably priced, it doesn't matter if they appreciate that it is heirloom, organic and local. They will buy it.

BTW: Another way to get to meet folks and spread the word is at the farmer's market. I had so many requests for CSAs at our markets that I was shocked. If people in your area don't understand the concept, you could sell sample CSA baskets at market to get them exposed to the idea.

Good luck!!!!

 

[me&thegals]

So....how did you make your first foray into contacting the type of people who would be interested in this? Could you post a copy of a typical flier that you have used, if any?

I can post these at the local IGA and place a For Sale ad for free in the local classifieds, but I don't know if it would catch any fish.

I'm working with zero to little budgeting, so any cheap ideas on how to get the word out in a very rural area~that does have a sprinkling of folks who may subscribe~but whom I do not know.

A couple more thoughts. My first customer was my physician. Docs might be a place to start. Yes, we all know they don't all practice what they preach, but I have had my doctor refer SO MANY people to me who needed to get a serious pile of organic, fresh fruits and veggies in their diets.

Regarding budgeting, I understand where you are coming from. My ONLY cost is seeds. No advertising, no fancy fertilizers or anything. Just the seeds and tools. I e-mail the weekly newsletter, so I don't even have paper or copy costs. My customers return all reusable containers, egg cartons, even the rubber bands Plus, they get excited to contribute. Some have brought me excellent big bushel baskets from grocery stores going out of businesses, others let me help myself to all their yard leaves, etc.

PM me if you would like samples of my newsletters. I would be happy to e-mail them to you but don't think I want to bog down this thread wtih them.

 

[Beekissed]

We don't have a farmer's market! I know...its hard to believe! We have one old man who sells stuff at the corner gas station, he trucks it all there in a cold truck and it comes from down south....definitely NOT organically grown, but people flock to get it! He is not interested in sharing space or referring people~I learned this from just asking around.

Most of my roadside business will be tourists, but I'm sure the word will get around to the locals and I will build some business slowly. The idea of the sample baskets is a good one, this is how I got my egg business built up...free samples.

The folks who are buying my eggs now are mostly poor country folk who know a good deal when they see it. It could also be that they are reselling my eggs for a higher price....I have my thoughts on that!