The FARMA marketing award is given for activity that has innovation, assessed and proven results, with a clear legacy
for the future. The judges look for creativity in the way the activity is executed, discipline in measurement, and hooks
or links that will produce results with multiple target groups.
Hampshire Farmers’ Markets will operate from 17 different cities & towns across the whole county over the next
year. Some locations are permanent whilst others are annually assessed meaning some locations are dropped or initiated.
Farmers’ markets require intense management on market day with many stakeholders needing attention and
spot-on service. This intensity can lead to other aspects of successful retail management to be overlooked. All
retailers will acknowledge the need to revitalise existing offers and draw in new customers.
HFM chose to experiment with creating a food festival at Southsea, integrating with the regular Certified farmers’
market. A delivery partnership was created with a new town centre manager who wanted to increase Sunday
footfall, as well as a local celebrity chef, catering college, and the media. The chefs
shopped the market for foods and then prepared recipes to inspire at a mobile
demonstration kitchen & theatre. Local schools participated through a competition
to compose a sea shanty which was sung at the festival.
This pilot festival at Southsea increased footfall by a factor of five and
subsequent measuring shows a footfall is regularly 75% higher than previously
in the regular farmers’ market. Local businesses are keen to take more local food
from HFM producers as a result of this higher profile.
Learning quickly from this pilot, the food festival concept was tested successfully at three further locations.
For 2008 new partnerships have been created with other town centres; the initial pilots will all be repeated and
a further three locations want to participate. The original Southsea event will be extended to two days.
HFM feel it is important to continually innovate; included in the consideration of this Award are improvements in
leafleting, design and approaches to local media.
www.hampshirefarmersmarkets.co.uk
Award kindly sponsored by:
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