Author Topic: Selling cheese at the farmer's market  (Read 2798 times)

Offline steffb503

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Selling cheese at the farmer's market
« on: May 28, 2013, 10:22:35 AM »
Maybe some of you have some thoughts.
I currently sell all my cheeses here at the farm and at one of the local Farmer's Markets. I have a large amount of aged cheese sitting in the cave about to be ready, I timed it so I could make them all winter and be ready to sell now. But I think I have way more than one market can bear.
I can attend another market a few towns away but really do not have the extra time or milk to make all the fresh cheeses for two markets.

My question , how do you think it would go if I brought to market only 3 varieties of Raw aged cheese?

jwalker

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Re: Selling cheese at the farmer's market
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2013, 02:04:57 PM »
I'm not entirely sure by what you mean by , " how do you think it would go if I brought to market only 3 varieties of Raw aged cheese?"

Do you normally offer more than three varieties?

Our artisan dairy here makes and sells only two different cheeses , they do very well , their cheese goes for a premium price at our farmers market , and is now in all the local stores as well , so yours should go well.

I think many small cheese makers make only one or two varieties , I myself am working towards being a licensed cheese maker , and my goal is to come up with just one or two that I can make consistently , as well as something people will buy regularly.

If you have way too much made , there are also wholesale buyers that will buy quantities of cheese and further age them themselves , one can move a lot of cheese in one deal if they like it , just do a search for one.

I have talked to one buyer from Vancouver , if he likes a cheese , he will buy all he can , and further age it or just re-sell it if he thinks it's ready.

Go for it and good luck.

Cheers , Jim.

Offline steffb503

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Re: Selling cheese at the farmer's market
« Reply #2 on: May 28, 2013, 06:33:41 PM »
I make and sell Chevre--5 flavors,Feta, Crottin, cream cheese--3 flavors,Yogurt, and normally 3 varieties of aged, mild, sharp and alpine.
At the market I normally go to I sell all. But if I do another market I will not have milk enough this year to double my production.
But I think it will work just fine to have only aged at the one market.

george

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Re: Selling cheese at the farmer's market
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2013, 10:28:14 AM »
If you cut it, they will buy ...  :P

Back 2 The Frotture

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Re: Selling cheese at the farmer's market
« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2013, 08:30:45 PM »
Dont lose sight of what the clients have become accustomed to.  If you sell 60% lactic cheeses, 30% yogurt and 10% aged at one market, push the surplus (without lowering the price) but bring a few fresh cheeses or yogurts to lure them in.

meyerandray

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Re: Selling cheese at the farmer's market
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2013, 09:27:02 AM »
I agree with Back to the Frotture.  I don't sell cheese at the farmer's market, but I would try to have at least a little of your big seller at both markets, then your aged cheeses can be a secondary, impulse buy.  It is all about getting them to stop, look and/or taste, then what you sell them is more up to you.  Good luck, I hope you sell out of everything!!

Offline steffb503

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Re: Selling cheese at the farmer's market
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2013, 10:10:30 AM »
The problem is production. I am not sure I can double it at this point. Not this year anyway.
I really hate to have a customer want something I do not have. I try not to run out of any of my cheeses at the one market I go to. I might be able to up production a bit and bring a bit less to the original market and have some for the next one.
Guess I will give it a try and see how it goes.
Leave them wanting more!
Thanks

WovenMeadows

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Re: Selling cheese at the farmer's market
« Reply #7 on: May 30, 2013, 11:31:54 AM »
Are your current on-farm and farmers market customers not interested enough in your aged cheeses? Do you find that you tend to sell fresh cheese to one customer, and aged to another, or do you sell both/many types to each customer?

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Selling cheese at the farmer's market
« Reply #8 on: May 30, 2013, 01:31:13 PM »
Rotate your offerings. Variety keeps customers coming back.

Offline steffb503

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Re: Selling cheese at the farmer's market
« Reply #9 on: May 30, 2013, 07:54:40 PM »
I would say most customers, on farm and at the original market buy both consistently. My problem is over the winter, newly freshened goats and very few customers, I make aged cheese. It needs to aged in order to sell so it works out good. I then have cheese ready for when the customers return.  It seems I made way more than I forsee selling over the summer.