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Hello
all prospective producers for Company Shops Market!
It has been too long since we last
contacted you. We hope to remedy that, starting with this email.
If you received this email, it means that at one point you have
requested information on becoming a producer for us. As the new
communications & marketing co-managers, we want to extend a welcome
to you and officially reach out to you to begin conversations about
getting your local products into the hands, and hearts, of the local
community.
If you are on our email newsletter
list you know that good things have started happening at Company
Shops.
We have acquired over 1400 owners who want to see this co-op open
here in Alamance County. We have selected our location, the former
A&P grocery building at 268 East Front Street in downtown
Burlington. We have launched a Community Investment Note program to
raise the money necessary to renovate and upfit the building.
We understand that, as a producer,
you will need timely information from us.
We have been told there is widespread interest in growing and
producing for the Co-op but that you need better information from us
such as details on contracts, pricing, and standards. Because we are
still in the capital raising stage, we do not yet have this concrete
information available. We are focusing the majority of our efforts
on raising the community support and financing necessary for the
Market to open and succeed.
We do not have a set opening date, and realize that many of you need
as much as a year to plan for any changes in output to facilitate
it. We understand this and want to reiterate that we are just now
beginning the process and do not expect you all to ramp up
production from a cold start. Once we have raised enough capital to
begin renovation and construction, we will be able to give you
specific details of when the market is opening. Depending on the
success of our fundraising campaign, we hope that by the end of
winter we will have a better idea of when the market will open. We
hope you will join us for a producer meeting this winter to both
discuss the co-op’s plans and to address any questions you may have.
(Date to be determined soon)
Meet Your Producers
In the mean time, we would like to promote our local farmers and
producers. We hope to have a weekly “Meet Your Producers” section on
the Company Shops blog and in the email newsletter. We want to make
those important connections between food producers and food
consumers. We want local residents to open their fridge and know
exactly where their food came from…from you. In order for us to do
this, we need your help.
If you are interested in participating on our “Meet Your
Producers” series, here is what we would need from you:
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A good quality photo of yourself, your farm or
your product.
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Basic information on what you sell and how
readers can purchase from you.
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The story of your farm or product.
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What got you involved with or why you support
Company Shops Market
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Please email info & photo to
producer@companyshopsmarket.coop with subject line “Meet
Your Producer”
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This
Saturday:
Tabling space available at the Nov 7th Beer
& Brats Novemberfest event.
If you are a local producer, you are invited to bring
your table, stand, or local food product demo down and show it off
to the masses. Set-up starts at 4pm (or earlier by request) and you
must be fully set up by 5pm when the event starts. Please email
producer@companyshopsmarket.coop to let us know you are coming.
Board President Sharon dent says “Even if they don't want to table,
tell our prospective producers we would love for them to come in
full force with their families and employees so that the crowd knows
how many producers are actually out there - and so that they get a
chance to talk to people about why this market is important to them.
“
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Questions? Suggestions?
We want to hear from you. Contact
producer@companyshopsmarket.coop
Nathan Perry & Sarah Cook
Co-Managers of Communications and Brand Management
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