ROCHESTER, Minn. — Back by popular demand, the FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace will launch its online store again on April 11. The huge selection of local products from Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin will be available to browse and purchase online until Apr. 28, for curbside pick up on Sunday, May 2, 2021 at Graham Park in Rochester.
FEAST! organizers received positive feedback from customers following the fall 2020 Online Marketplace, such as, “Thank you for having the drive thru market! I really appreciate it. What a great asset to our community!” and “Nice job! I enjoyed getting my local my sources items despite the pandemic. Offer it again.”
“How could we say no?” says event co-founder Brett Olson of Renewing the Countryside. “Customers get to explore all the options, from chocolate to cheese and much more, and add them to their cart as they decide. You can ask friends and family for their recommendations, and watch our vendor videos to hear from the makers themselves.”
FEAST! is all about bringing local food companies together with the community. In lieu of the booth conversations that would normally take place at the in-person event, Olson conducted video interviews last fall to allow entrepreneurs to introduce themselves and their products to customers, and more videos will be added to the FEAST! YouTube channel this spring.
“Being part of FEAST! has allowed us to create long-term friendships, learn business tips, and better understand what customers enjoy in our microgreens,” says Jayne Bredlau of The Greensted, a vendor since 2017. “In short, we’ve been challenged to be a better business. We miss the in-person events, but the online platform has been a great second-best.”
In addition to the online sales, entrepreneurs are invited to register for the Virtual Makers Forum, held April 13-14. Session topics will include scaling up, boosting online sales, marketing and working with wholesale buyers and support services as well as networking and socializing with fellow makers.
FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace is co-hosted by non-profit organizations, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and Renewing the Countryside, and sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. For more, visit www.local-feast.org, @localfeastnetwork on Facebook, @Local_Feast on Twitter, localfeast on Instagram, and FEAST! Local Foods Network on YouTube.
— Renewing the Countryside
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