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Richard J. George, Ph.D.'s RetailWire Blog
January 14, 2010
Farmers Set Up Markets in Malls
FROM RETAILWIRE:
You might not expect to find them there, but farmers are increasingly setting up their stalls at markets located in malls. Do you expect that farmers markets will become a more familiar site at mall locations around the country?
MY COMMENTARY:
Absolutely! The number of farmers' markets grew from 1,755 in 1994 to 4,685 in 2008. In recent research which I conducted for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, respondents chose farmer's market products for the following reasons: Fresher products Supports the local economy You know the source You know what you are getting High quality products Placing farmer's markets in shopping malls is a natural extension of the farmer's market brand and brings added traffic to the mall. In addition to the reasons noted above, research has found that the presence of children in the home directly correlates to the purchase of locally produced products. Specifically, parents want to create strong communities for their children, and buying local is viewed as a way to achieve this. If the mall is to be perceived as the neighborhood town market or town square, the inclusion of a farmer's market reinforces this perception. Farmer's markets create this sense of community that malls strive to achieve. I believe the move to the malls is only the beginning of a trend to incorporate farmer's markets in a variety of different shopping and community venues. |
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