Engaging Stakeholders

A strategic communications plan for the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market

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Engaging StakeholdersA Strategic Communications Plan for the

Saskatoon Farmer’s Market

Prepared for:

Marketing ManagerSaskatoon Farmers’ Market

414 Avenue B South Saskatoon, SK S7M 1M8

Prepared by:

Bridge City Consulting25 Campus Dr

Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A7

November 18, 2015

Bridge City Consulting25 Campus DrSaskatoon, SK S7N 5A7bridgecityconsulting@sasktel.net(306) 123-4567

November 18, 2015

Marketing ManagerSaskatoon Farmers’ Market414 Avenue B South Saskatoon, SK S7M 1M8

Dear Manager:

Attached is a copy of our strategic communications plan to support the direction of the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, specifically towards engaging new demographics.

The majority of customers at farmers’ markets are mature females with high incomes. This creates an opportunity to reach new stakeholders by targeting new demographics. This report provides a strategy for targeting young families and university students, two untapped demographics with needs and values that line up with the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market’s offerings. The following messages could be used to reach these demographics

Healthy eating is healthy living Local buying is local thriving Farmers’ Market: The Place to Be

These messages highlight advantages relative to competitors (local supermarkets and restaurants) and are messages that young families and university students find important (health, social responsibility, and an engaging shopping experience).

We would like to thank you for working with us. You are formally invited to our presentation of this proposal on November 30, 2015 at 1pm. We look forward to answering any questions you may have, and can be reached by email or phone.

Sincerely,

Emmitt Hayes,

Bridge City Consulting

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Table of ContentsExecutive Summary.........................................................................................................................1Introduction......................................................................................................................................2Purpose, Scope, Assumptions..........................................................................................................2Methods...........................................................................................................................................2The Saskatoon Farmers’ Market......................................................................................................2The Principles of a Co-Operative....................................................................................................3Main Competitors............................................................................................................................3The Agricultural Industry................................................................................................................4The Craft Industry............................................................................................................................4Environmental Analysis...................................................................................................................4

Broader Economic Context....................................................................................................................5Broader Social Context..........................................................................................................................5

Stakeholder Analysis.......................................................................................................................5Target Audiences.............................................................................................................................6

Young families (25-40)..........................................................................................................................6University students (18-25)....................................................................................................................6

Key Messages..................................................................................................................................6Healthy Eating is Healthy Living..........................................................................................................6Local Buying is Local Thriving.............................................................................................................7Farmer’s Market: The Place to be..........................................................................................................7

Strategy............................................................................................................................................7Engaging University Students................................................................................................................7Engaging Young Families......................................................................................................................8Engaging Users Online..........................................................................................................................9Surveys...................................................................................................................................................9

Measures of Success........................................................................................................................9Timeline.........................................................................................................................................10

Short-Term...........................................................................................................................................10Medium-Term......................................................................................................................................10Long-Term...........................................................................................................................................10

Budget............................................................................................................................................10Conclusion and Recommendations................................................................................................11References......................................................................................................................................12Appendix........................................................................................................................................14

Appendix A: Principles of a Co-Operative..........................................................................................14Appendix B: PEST Analysis................................................................................................................15Appendix C: Viral Marketing..............................................................................................................17Appendix D: Surveys...........................................................................................................................18

Engaging StakeholdersA Strategic Communications Plan for the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market

Executive Summary

To engage new stakeholders, Bridge City Communications recommends that the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market target university students and young families with the messages “healthy eating is healthy living,” “local buying is local thriving,” and “Farmer’s Market: The Place to be.”

The Saskatoon Farmers’ Market is a thriving business.  Targeting new demographics will bolster member economic participation, lead to sustainable community development, and let more people take advantage of the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market.

University students and young families are concerned about health, social responsibility, and prefer engaging in shopping experiences. These concerns mesh perfectly with the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market’s values, providing the opportunity for a mutually beneficial relationship.

To target young families and university students, the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market should:

1.  Communicate at the University of Saskatchewan. The best place to target university students is where they spend the majority of their time.  Opportunities to target students include:

Displays in the Arts Tunnel Brochures distributed around campus Advertisements in the USSU student handbook

2.  Engaging young families.  Elementary schools provide a great vehicle for targeting young families. We recommend:  

Flyers at elementary schools Lunch programs Donating unsold food to schools with children in need

3. Online communication.  Young families and university students spend a great deal of time online. We recommend:

Social media contests to promote sharing of the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market’s page Using the messages “Healthy eating is healthy living” and “Local buying is local

thriving” online

4. Surveys. Surveys are a great way to analyze market trends, and reassure consumers that the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market cares deeply about customers.

IntroductionFarmers’ markets are a great place for local buyers and sellers to interact, helping buyers purchase quality products while sellers earn a living producing and selling goods they are passionate about. Farmers’ markets are usually co-operatives, guided by goals of open membership, member economic participation, and sustainable development (Saskatchewan Co-Op, N.D.). The Saskatoon Farmers Market (SFM) is one such entity, with a diverse group of vendors, distinct public image, and strong online presence. The SFM must take advantage of new communications opportunities to remain strong.

A large opportunity for the SFM is to target new demographics. According to Martinez (2010), consumers who are “female, older, more educated, and higher income earners” are more likely to purchase local food. Targeting new demographics can increase the diversity of shoppers at the SFM, which can bolster member economic participation, lead to sustainable community development, and help more people take advantage of the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market.

Purpose, Scope, AssumptionsThis strategic communications plan aims to help the SFM meet the co-operative goals of open membership, member economic participation, and sustainable community development by targeting demographics that are currently underrepresented at farmers’ markets.

The scope of this report is comprehensive with analysis and recommendations for all forms of communications.

This report assumes that behaviors and trends related to farmers’ markets and local foods are the same in Saskatoon as in the rest of North America.

MethodsBridge City Communications used secondary research sources to compile information on consumer behavior and trends, which were used to create this strategic communications plan.

The Saskatoon Farmers’ MarketThe Saskatoon Farmers’ Market (SFM) was established in 1975 as a member owned, non- profit co-operative (Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, 2015). Located in River Landing, the SFM hosts vendors and entertainers who create a fun atmosphere, turning the SFM into a unique destination (Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, 2015). Patrons have the opportunity to build relationships with producers, helping patrons learn about products, and vendors learn about customers (Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, 2015). Live music, local chefs, and entertainment, make the SFM a “feast for the senses” and more than just a vehicle for the exchange of goods (Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, 2015). The SFM is a “social, cultural, and

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Food

Hot Meals

Meat

Baking

Fresh Produce

Goods

Artwork

Candles

Fur Products

Crafts

Fun

Music

Chefs

Prizes

Entertainment

Main Competitors

Local Restaurants

Supermarkets

commercial focus” of the Riversdale community, meaning that continued success is important (Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, 2015).

The SFM has a strong online presence. A website, Facebook page, Twitter page, and Instagram page give users a great idea of what the Farmers’ Market is all about. The pages are modern, informative, and visually appealing. Using these pages strategically will be a great way for the SFM to continue to communicate with consumers.

A large attraction, the SFM is in a great position to continue meeting the goals of a co-operative. Supplementing the SFM’s online communications with offline communications can help the SFM reach new demographics.

The Principles of a Co-OperativeCo-operatives are self-sufficient associations created and run by people who work together to meet common needs (Co-operative Learning Centre, 2010), and are guided by the seven principles of the co-operative (see Appendix A). These principles were used to develop the objectives of this communications plan. Targeting new demographics gives the SFM the chance to support open membership, bolster member economic participation, and lead to sustainable development.

To align communications with organizational goals, it is important to target new demographics with similar values to the SFM. This helps the SFM reinforce its desired culture, and ensure a good fit between the values of customers and the values of the SFM.

Main CompetitorsThe SFM, like all farmers’ markets, competes with local restaurants and supermarkets (University of California Davis, N.D.). Restaurants and supermarkets are seen as more convenient in location, price, and product offering, but sell lower quality goods than farmers’ markets (University of California Davis, N.D.).  Addressing these perceptions are an opportunity for the SFM to appeal to new demographics.

The SFM is a great destination compared to restaurants and supermarkets, since patrons can take in entertainment while they shop, interact with vendors, meet new people, and have fun. Emphasizing this advantage in communications can help the SFM continue to engage consumers, and create a competitive advantage.

The Agricultural IndustryMany vendors at the SFM are members of the agricultural industry. A strong agricultural industry is one of Canada’s defining characteristics. The agricultural industry is a growing part of the Canadian economy, with 2012 revenue of $103.5 billion (6.7% of the Canadian GDP) (GC, 2014). Saskatchewan had a 2014 GDP of $60.1 billion, of which Agriculture comprised 6.5% (Statistics Canada, 2015) (Government of Saskatchewan, 2015).

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The Agricultural

Industry

$100 B/year revenue in

Canada

6.7% of Canada's GDP

Employs 2 Million people

per year

The Craft Industry

$30 B/year revenue in the

U.S.

Growing Industry

Very easy to enter

In 2012, Canadians spent 183.9 billion on food, the second largest household expenditure after the cost of shelter. (GC, 2014). Food retail and wholesale accounted for the largest part of the industry at 1.8% (GC, 2014). The agricultural industry employs a vast and growing number of people (2.1 million in 2012) (GC, 2014). The prominence of the agricultural industry means that the SFM is well poised to generate value for the Riversdale Community through increased employment and the facilitation of trade. Its vast size makes the agricultural industry ideal for open membership, member economic participation, and sustainable development. This means that the agricultural industry lines up perfectly with the SFM’s values.

The Craft IndustryMany vendors at the SFM are members of the craft industry. The craft industry includes goods hand-made by artisans or individuals skilled in a particular trade, and relies on community support for its customer base (Archer, N.D.). The craft industry represents a significant amount ($30 billion/year in the U.S.) of the growing small business community in the United States (Archer, N.D.).

Low start-up costs make the craft industry easily accessible since producers can start a business and manufacture products at home (Archer, N.D.). Craft goods can be of many types, and often carry historical or ethnic significance, representing the antithesis of mass production, (Archer, N.D.). Trends toward unique, local goods represent favorable conditions for the SFM. The craft industry’s ease of entry and popularity mean that craft products are a great way for the SFM to work towards open membership, member economic participation, and sustainable development.

Environmental AnalysisEconomic and social conditions have a large effect on the SFM and are included in the text. Please see Appendix B for a detailed environmental (PEST) analysis.

Broader Economic ContextThe economic environment has a large effect on production costs and product demand. Key economic factors are labour costs, health expenditures, food prices, per capita disposable income, and total agricultural production.

Agricultural labour costs are high and increasing, increasing production costs and decreasing profit (Neville, 2015) (Statistics Canada, 2015). Demand increases with disposable income, decreases with increasing food prices, and spending on healthy food increases with spending on health (Health Expenditures) (Neville, 2015) (McKitterick, 2015) . Vendors must

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Key Economic Factors

Labour costs

Health Expenditure

Food prices

Disposible income

Agricultural production

Main Stakeholders

Residents of Saskatoon

Members of the SFM Co-

operative

Community of Riversdale

monitor these variables to meet demand when spending is high, and to develop a contingency plan for decreases in spending. Decreases in agricultural production can reduce supply and increase food prices. In times of high food prices, the farmers’ market must find ways to demonstrate value so that vendors can continue to prosper.

Broader Social ContextRecent trends toward healthy lifestyles and local purchasing create favorable conditions for the SFM. 33% of Canadians are willing to pay more for healthier products, 45% of consumers are making an effort to buy local products, and consumers believe buying local positively impacts Canada, Canadian jobs, and the environment (CBC, 2013).

Many North Americans consume diets that deviate from health recommendations because they perceive healthy food to be unaffordable, which is incorrect (Carlson & Frazao, 2012). Addressing this misperception is a large opportunity for the SFM to appeal to new demographics.

The most common reasons for visiting farmers’ markets are to purchase specialized, high-quality products, to buy directly from farmers, and to socialize (Wolf, Spittler, Adhern, 2005). Inflexible hours and a lack of parking are main reasons for absence (Wolf, Spittler, Adhern, 2005).

Promoting the SFM as a convenient destination is an opportunity to increase attendance.

Stakeholder AnalysisThe SFM’s main stakeholders are:

Residents of Saskatoon Members of the SFM Co-operative Community of Riversdale

Common stakeholder concerns include:

Sustainability: Creating lasting value for sellers and the community Accessibility: Providing products affordable to all stakeholders Public understanding: Ensuring all consumers understand local food systems Exclusionary tendencies: Ensuring the SFM is welcoming to all Cultural habits: Consumers may not embrace healthful food (Link & Ling, 2007)

Main stakeholder concerns align with the 7 principles of a cooperative. A sustainable, accessible, welcoming and well understood farmers’ market will be well aligned with the values of open membership, member economic participation, and sustainable community development. Addressing stakeholder concerns can help the SFM continue to meet goals and appeal to new demographics.

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Social Trends

Trend towards healthy eating

Trend towards local consumption

Perception that healthy food is

expensive

Perception that farmers' markets are inconvinient

Key Messages

Healthy eating is healthy living

Local buying is local thriving

Without hesitation, we know the

Farmers’ Market is a great destination

Target Audiences

Young Families (25-40)

University Students (18-

25)

ObjectivesThe objective of this strategic communications plan is to help the SFM take advantage of the opportunity to target new demographics to increase sales and patron diversity. Bridge City Communications plans to help the SFM target university students and young adults with messages that promote healthy eating, promote buying local, and frame the SFM as “a place to be.”

Target AudiencesBridge City Consulting has identified two key target audiences from our stakeholder analysis, young families and university students. Both of these audiences have similar values to the SFM and are currently untapped. Engaging these audiences now can create lifelong customers.

Young families (25-40)Yong families are concerned about health, sustainability, and want to do what is best for their children. They see local purchasing as a way to promote community sustainability, which they see as a responsibility to future generations. In addition, young families are in search of activities they can do with their children, like attending the SFM. Targeting young families is a large opportunity due to the fit between their needs, beliefs and the SFM’s offerings.

University students (18-25) University students are an untapped market that tend to have limited resources but are in favour of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Many university students are concerned with social issues, and see sustainability and environmental consciousness as important considerations when

making purchases. In addition, many students are in search of fun activities and destinations to help break up the monotony of university life. For these reasons, engaging university students presents a huge opportunity for the SFM.

Key MessagesThe SFM describes itself as “an important attraction at River Landing – an exciting social, cultural and commercial focus of our community” (SFM 2015). With this as the foundation for our plan, and keeping in mind the characteristics of target audiences, Bridge City Communications recommends the following key messages:

Healthy Eating is Healthy LivingUniversity students and young families are health conscious. Since healthy foods are one of SFM’s main offerings, the above tagline can help align consumer desires with the SFM’s offerings. Health Canada states that healthy

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Reaching University Students

Displays in the Arts tunnel

Brochures and flyers distributed around campus

Advertisements in the USSU handbook

eating reduces the risk of disease and helps people live good lives (Health Canada, 2013). This could be used to elaborate on the previous tagline to help consumers see the value in healthy eating.

Many consumers view healthy foods as unaffordable, however, healthier foods aren’t actually more expensive than less healthy foods (Carlson & Frazao, 2012). In addition, many people do not account for the hidden costs of cheap food like environmental impact, health costs (obesity, food related diseases), and low wages for food workers (Gustafson, 2013). Introducing healthy eating habits to young families will create lifelong health habits. Using these points to strengthen the argument for healthy eating can further encourage consumers to eat healthy.

Local Buying is Local ThrivingUniversity students and young families are concerned with sustainability and community development. Buying local supports local families, builds community, reduces taxes, benefits the environment, and is an investment in the future of local farming (Grubinger, 2010). These facts can support the above tagline to help promote local purchasing.

Farmer’s Market: The Place to beThe SFM offers more than just goods. It is a fun, social destination with festivals, events, and entertainment that make it a unique place to spend the day, a great place to shop with kids, which gives the SFM a competitive advantage. A welcoming atmosphere is an important factor in whether or not consumers decide to shop at a farmers’ market (Conner et al,2009). The destination experience appeals to both university students and young families. Young families are in search of places they can spend time together, and university students are in search of destinations to help them get their minds off of school, while staying connected with the community.

Strategy

Engaging University StudentsWe recommend the following vehicles to help reach university students:

Displays in the Arts Tunnel Brochures and flyers distributed around campus Advertisements in the USSU student handbook

Heavy foot traffic can help displays in the arts tunnel reach many students. “Healthy eating is healthy living” and “local buying is local thriving” should be clearly displayed, emphasized by presenters, and clarified with pictures and text elaborating on the taglines. To demonstrate that “Farmer’s Market: The Place to be,” presenters should interact with students and inform passerby about events at

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Engaging Young

Families

Flyers at elementary

schools

Lunch programs

Donating unsold food to children in

need

the SFM. In addition, presenters could bring products to sell, giving students a taste of products offered at the farmers’ market.

Brochures, flyers, and handbook advertisements are inexpensive; it can reach a large audience and provides a great deal of information. These vehicles should emphasize that “healthy eating is healthy living,” and that “local buying is local thriving.” Messages should be clarified with specific details on how healthy eating reduces disease and improves quality of life, and details explaining that buying local benefits local families, the local economy, and the environment. “Farmer’s Market: The Place to be,” can follow to explain that the SFM is a great place to spend the day and unwind from the stress of school and life.

Many students at university are living alone for the first time, and may not know how to shop for groceries or cook meals. The SFM could help by making brochures that include advice on food shopping and building grocery lists. Brochures could include sample grocery lists and recipes to simplify shopping for students. This would tie into the message that “healthy eating is healthy living,” by making it easier for university students to make healthy food choices.

Engaging Young FamiliesFamily-friendly forums like elementary schools are a good way to reach young families (Hawkins, 2011). Flyers could reach thousands of families, which give a great presence of advertisement for the SFM. Delivering flyers to a few schools and having children take them home reduces effort on the part of the SFM, and engages children in the process.

Flyers should appeal to both children and adults with bright colours, games, and a youth friendly mascot, emphasizing the message “healthy eating is healthy living,” featuring the tagline and an elaboration on the ways healthy eating reduces disease, improves health, improves development, and improves performance in school. In addition, the flyers should emphasize that “Farmer’s Market: The Place to be,” with an elaboration that assures parents that the SFM is child friendly and a great place for young families to spend the day.

Lunch programs are another way for the SFM to promote healthy eating among young families. Many elementary schools have programs where students can buy a (usually unhealthy) lunch. With these programs, healthy foods are introduced to students who may not otherwise have been exposed to at home. This creates a new health dynamic within families. The SFM could provide food to these programs helping youth eat healthy, and generate another vehicle to sell products.

The SFM can give back to the community by donating unsold food (that is still fresh enough to eat) to schools in Riversdale. This could be expanded with donations (from members of the public) used to purchase food from SFM vendors for donation. This is a great way for the SFM to give back to stakeholders in the Riversdale community, help improve their public image

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among university students and young families (who value sustainable community development), and lead to sustainable community development.

Engaging Users OnlineThe SFM communicates online through their website and social media accounts. These vehicles are well run, visually appealing, and do a great job of conveying the culture and atmosphere associated with the SFM, making it apparent to visitors that “Farmers’ Market: The Place to Be.” Since young families and university students spend a great deal of time online, online communications are an opportunity for continued interaction with these target market.

The SFM’s Facebook page has approximately 10,000 likes, a small fraction of its potential. A contest to encourage current followers to share the SFM page with their friends can create positive word of mouth, and generate inexpensive exposure. The contest would entail visitors taking pictures of themselves at the SFM and posting them on social media with a link to the SFM page. Random accounts would be chosen as winners, who receive gift cards as a reward for their support. This campaign would reinforce the message that “Farmer’s Market: The Place to be,” and help the SFM continue to receive support on social media. Another opportunity is to try and create a viral marketing campaign, which is illustrated in Appendix C.

SurveysSurveys are a powerful tool that can demonstrate support for customers and help farmers’ markets track success and identify new opportunities (Lambla, Yule and Sadownik) . Customer and stakeholder surveys reinforce the idea that “Farmer’s Market: The Place to be,” by demonstrating care for customers and a willingness to make accommodations to meet customer needs.

Customer Surveys can help the SFM get an idea of consumer trends throughout the growing season. External Stakeholder surveys can help the SFM get a good idea of perceptions among the general public, and help the SFM determine if it is being a good citizen (Lambla, Yule and Sadownik). Surveys can be a great tool for evaluating communications, and should not be ignored. A more detailed discussion of the roles of surveys lies in Appendix D.

Measures of SuccessQuantitative and qualitative measures can be used to determine the impact of this strategic communications plan on the SFM. Proposed measures include:

Tracking the increase in university students and young families that attend the SFM through observation and surveys

Tracking pre and post SCP implementation dollar sales and determining the difference, with a significant positive difference denoting a success

Surveys can gather stakeholder reactions from, and feedback to, the SCP. Significant positive feedback will indicate a success

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Timeline

Short-Term A realistic short term objective is to implement the proposed SCP strategies within six months. This will allow for the development of surveys, brochures, and online strategies. Implementing the SCP within 6 months will ensure that market conditions do not greatly change, ensuring that our recommendations are still valid.

Medium-Term Medium term objectives are to see an increase in sales and the number of university students, and young families visiting the SFM. A continuous increase in dollar sales will also be an objective. It is hoped that these objectives will take between 1 and 2 years to come to fruition.

Long-TermLong term objectives are to create lifetime customers and to observe continuous customer growth and sales increases. These objectives should be monitored from 2 to 4 years after the proposal, and even longer than that assuming that environmental conditions don’t change.

BudgetThe following tables represent an estimated budget for implementing our plan. Numbers represent estimates found online, and are a guideline for future costs. Assuming that the SFM already has an employee coordinating their social media promotions, the value of this budget drops significantly, making it more affordable.

USSU Handbook PromotionPromotion fee $300Total Cost of USSU Handbook Promotion

$300

Online Promotion and SurveyAnnual wage for social media staff $21,840Survey paper cost $300Total Cost for Online Promotion and Survey

$22,140

Public Presentation and ExhibitionArts tunnel display cost $500/1 weekFlyers and brochures $50/50 flyers

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Conclusion and RecommendationsTargeting new demographics is a large opportunity for the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market. Two large and currently untapped demographics are young families and university students. These groups are a perfect fit for the SFM, since they have needs and values that line up well with the SFM. The following table summarizes ways for the SFM to target these new demographics.

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Key Message

Healthy eating is healthy living

Local buying is local thriving

Without hesitation, the Farmers' Market is a great destination

Vehicles

Flyers, brochures, USSU advertisement,

arts tunnel display

Flyers, brochures, USSU advertisement,

arts tunnel display

Social media, website, arts tunnel display, brochures, flyers

Purpose

Educate consumers, align consumer

desires with SFM's offerings

Educate consumers, aligh consumer

desires with SFM's offerings

Create a welcoming atmosphere, help

consumers see value in the SFM beyond the

goods it sells

Frequency

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

ReferencesArcher C. (N.D.). What is a craft industry? Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from http://smallbus

iness.chron.com/craft-industry-24155.html

Carlson, A. & Frazao, E. (2012). Are healthy foods really more expensive? It depends on how you measure the price. United States Department of Agriculture Economic Bulletin-96. Retrieved from http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/600474/eib96_1_.pdf

CBC News. (2013). 5 Canadian consumer trends to shape the future of retail. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/5-canadian-consumer-trends-to-shape-the-future-of-retail-1.2129072

Conner, Colasanti, Ross, and Smalley (2010). Locally grown foods and farmers markets: Consumer attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Sustainability(2, 742-756) doi:10.3390/su2030742

Co-operative Learning Centre (2010). What is a co-operative? Retrieved from http://www.lear ningcentre .coop/content/what-co-operative

Government of Saskatchewan. (2015). Economic Overview. Retrieved from http://economy.gov.sk.ca/economicoverview

Government of Canada (2014). An overview of the Canadian agriculture and agri-food system 2014. Retrieved from http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/about-us/publications/economic-publications/alphabetical-listing/an-overview-of-the-canadian-agriculture-and-agri-food-system-2014/?id=1396889920372

Grubinger, V. (2010). Ten reasons to buy local food. University of Vermont. Retrieved from https://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/buylocal.html

Gustafson, E. (2013). True costs of so-called cheap food. Retrieved from http://www.huffi ngtonpost.com/ellen-gustafson/true-costs-of-so-called-cheap-food_b_4337423.html

Hawkins, Kathryn (2011). 5 ways to market to parents of young children. Retrieved from http://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/marketing/5-ways-to-market-to-parents-of-young-children

Health Canada (2013). Activity plan #1 (children and adults): Benefits of eating well and being physically active. Retrieved from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/educ-comm/toolkit-trousse/plan-1-eng.php

Kaplan, A. & Haenlein, M.(2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53, 59—68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2 009.09.003

Link A. & Ling C. (2007). Farmers’ markets and local food systems. Community Research Connections. Retrieved from http://crcresearch.org/case-studies/crc-case-studies/farmers-markets-and-local-food-systems

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Lambla, Yule, and Sadownik (N.D.). Farmers market impact toolkit. Retrieved from http://www. demonstratingvalue.org/resources/farmers-market-toolkit

Luoma-aho, V., & Vos, M. (2010). Towards a more dynamic stakeholder model:acknowledging multiple issue arenas. Corporate Communications: An InternationalJournal, 15 (3), 315-331. doi:10.1108/13563281011068159

McKitterick, W. (2015). Supermarkets and grocery stores in Canada. IBISWorld Industry Report 44511CA. Retrieved from http://clients1.ibisworld.com.cyber.usask.ca/reports/ca/in dustry/default.aspx?entid=1040

Martinez, S. et al. (2010). Local food systems: Concepts, impacts, and issues. United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Report-97. Retrieved from http://www.e rs.usda.gov/media/122868/err97_1_.pdf

Neville, A. (2015). Vegetable farming in Canada. IBISWorld Industry Report 11120CA. Retrieved from http://clients1.ibisworld.com.cyber.usask.ca/reports/ca/industry/default.a spx?entid=15

Saskatchewan Co-operative Association (N.D.). The Co-operative principles. Retrieved From http://www.sask.coop/what_is_a_co-op.html

Saskatoon Farmers’ Market (2015). About us. Retrieved from http://www.saskatoonf armersmarket.com/about-us/

Statistics Canada. (2015). Table 379-0030-Gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices, by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), provinces and territories, annual (dollars), CANSIM (database). (accessed: ). Retrieved from http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?lang=eng&id=3790030

Statistics Canada. (2015). CANSIM tables 282-0069 and 282-0073, average hourly wages of employees by selected characteristics and occupation, unadjusted data, by province (monthly) (Saskatchewan). Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labr69i-eng.htm

University of California, Davis. Supermarkets as competitors. Retrieved from http://sfp.ucdavis.edu/files/144668.pdf

Wolf, M., Spittler, A., & Adhern, J. (2005). A profile of farmers’ market consumers and the perceived advantages of produce sold at farmers’ markets. Journal of Food Distribution Research 36(1). Retrieved from http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/2676 8/1/36010192.pdf

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Appendix

Appendix A: Principles of a Co-Operative Voluntary and open membership

o Open to everyone who uses their services, without discrimination in membership Democratic member control

o Members make policies and decisions by vote Member Economic Participation

o Members each contribute capital, with surplus given back to members Autonomy and Independence

o Controlled by members. Outside agreements must allow for member control Education, Training, and Information

o Members, representatives, and employees are trained to effectively contribute to the Co-op. Co-operatives also try to inform the public of their nature and benefits

Co-operation among Co-operativeso Strengthen their movement by working with other Co-operative organizations

Concern for the Communityo Work for sustainable development (Saskatchewan Co-Op, N.D.)

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Appendix B: PEST AnalysisPolitical

Political opportunities are government programs and grants can reduce costs, help vendors gain business knowledge, or promote public interest in farmers’ markets. For example, the Farm Business Development and Training Initiative is a great political opportunity, providing 75% reimbursement of costs to farmers who undergo private sector training in one of 8 business skill areas like production economics or marketing (Government of Saskatchewan, N.D.). The Livestock Loan Guarantee program gives producers an alternative financing option for purchasing livestock (Government of Saskatchewan, 2015). The Saskatchewan ministry of agriculture lists an improved public perception of agriculture as one of its priorities (Government of Saskatchewan, N.D.). In addition, farmers are entitled to special tax exemptions.

Political barriers are government regulations that can increase the cost and difficulty of operating at a farmers market. Main political barriers are food safety costs and costs of complying with government regulations (Martinez, S. et al. , 2010). All farmers’ market vendors are reviewed by Saskatchewan Health to ensure proper food handling, and some farmers’ markets require vendors of prepared food to take a Food Safe Handling course (Government of Saskatchewan, 2015). The Government of Saskatchewan requires vendors to obtain public eating permits, product licenses, and importing permits (Government of Saskatchewan, 2015). Obtaining permits, licences, and government reviews can be costly and inconvenient, especially for new members of the SFM, creating a challenge.

Economic

Agriculture plays a significant role within Saskatchewan’s economy, influencing the standard of living and cost of groceries. Saskatchewan had a GDP of $CAD 60.1 billion in 2014, of which Agriculture comprised 6.5 % (Statistics Canada, 2015) (Government of Saskatchewan, 2015). Key economic factors for farmers’ market operators to consider include:

Labour costs: High and increasing (Neville, 2015) (Statistics Canada, 2015)

Health Expenditure: Spending on healthy food increases with spending on health (Neville, 2015)

Market price of food: High food prices reduce demand at farmers’ markets (McKitterick, 2015)

Per capita disposable income: Demand rises with disposable income (Neville, 2015)

Agricultural production: Production decreases can reduce supply and increase market price

Farmers’ market vendors must continuously monitor the aforementioned variables to meet demand. High labour costs present a challenge to farmers’ market operators, but vast disposable incomes and large health expenditures present an opportunity. Strategic communications are a great way for farmers’ market operators to maximize this opportunity and mitigate the challenge of high labour costs.

Social Technological

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The trend toward support for local producers and healthier lifestyles has led to an increase in demand at farmers’ markets.

33% of Canadians are willing to pay more for healthier products

45% of consumers are making an effort to buy local products

Consumers believe buying local positively impacts Canada, Canadian jobs, and the environment (CBC, 2013)

A study conducted by Wolf, Spittler and Adhern (2005), found that top consumers at farmers’ markets were around ages 25-44. The main reasons cited for attendance were to purchase specialized, high quality products, to buy directly from farmers, and to socialize. Non-attendees cited inflexible hours and a lack of parking as the main reasons for absence.

Many North Americans consume diets that deviate from health recommendations because they perceive healthy foods to be unaffordable (Carlson & Frazao, 2012). This is true if food is measured in price per calorie, but when measured in edible weight or portion size, grains, vegetables, fruit, and dairy are less expensive than foods high in saturated fats, sugar, and sodium (Carlson & Frazao, 2012).

Technological advances have changed the communications landscape. New media and consumer attitudes have made communications about issue arenas, where issues, and not individual businesses, are at the forefront of attention (Luoma-aho & Vos, 2010). In issue arenas, the general public creates dialogue, meaning that consumers have more control than in the past (Luoma-aho & Vos, 2010). Managing this new style of communication, especially the loss of control, is a large challenge.

Social media can help farmers’ markets reach a broad array of stakeholders (Martinez, S. et al., 2010), and interact with consumers in new and diverse ways, but come with the risk of consumers expressing negative views to large audiences (Luoma-aho & Vos, 2010). Choosing effective platforms, aligning and integrating communications between platforms, and creating interesting and relevant content are all communications challenges brought on by technology (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010).

Proliferation of technology has priced important infrastructure (like transportation vehicles and storage facilities) out of small farmers’ reach, making it difficult for farmers to enter the market and expand operations (Martinez, S. et al., 2010). As a result, farmers’ market vendors are at a disadvantage compared to competitors who possess greater resources and the resulting economy of scale.

Appendix C: Viral MarketingThe SFM could try to employ viral marketing by having a local “trendsetter” post a short video (2-4 min) on Facebook showing how to cook a healthy meal using ingredients from the SFM. At

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the conclusion of the video, the “trendsetter” would nominate three friends to do the “healthy eating challenge.” Nominated people would have the opportunity to make a similar video, and would have to donate money to the Saskatoon Food Bank if they decide not to. The challenge would proceed with people who have completed the challenge nominating others, hopefully creating a unique and compelling trend.

Appendix D: SurveysSurveys offer a wealth of information that is useful for both market managers, promoters, and vendors. Some of the ways that surveys can help are

Provide opportunities to track successes, establish continuity, and improve operations

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Information to identify strategies for growth and opportunities for collaboration Powerful communication tools to enable better support from customers, community

leaders, investors, policy makers, media, and local businesses A clear picture how they (vendors) contribute to a sustainable local food system Customer loyalty and vendor motivations for market participation The market as a community hub and business incubator (Lambla, Yule, & Sadownik)

There are four types of surveys that are useful to Farmers’ Markets

Customer Surveys Vendor Surveys External Stakeholder Surveys Manager and Project Lead Surveys

“Customer Surveys should be completed on a few days throughout the season, to get a representative selection of customer trends in various growing seasons. This includes paper surveys completed in person, as well as dot surveys and attendance counts. (Estimated time required by market: 5 hours per market day, recommended 3 market days. Customer time required: 7 minutes.)” (Lambla, Yule, & Sadownik) Survey questions can be found online and downloaded from resources such as the Demonstrating value website associated with the British Columbia Association of Farmers’ Markets (Lambla, Yule, & Sadownik). These materials can be adapted by individual farmers’ markets and include core questions that can help markets to collect data in less time.

“Vendor Surveys should mostly be completed at the end of the market season, as the growing season comes to a close for farmer vendors, but when market management still has contact with vendors. For part-season vendors, plan to collect a few surveys at other points earlier during the summer. (Estimated time required by market management: 2 hours. Vendor time required: 15 minutes per survey)” (Lambla, Yule, & Sadownik) Vendor surveys should include three parts, the first should be applicable to all vendors, second to food vendors and third for farmer vendors. Confidentiality is very important with these surveys to ensure vendor buy-in and participation (Lambla, Yule, & Sadownik).

“External Stakeholder surveys may be completed at any time since these respondents depend much less on the market schedule for their investment (Estimated time required: 2 hours. Respondent time required: under 5 minutes). Methods may be online, in person, and by email.” (Lambla, Yule, & Sadownik)

“Manager and Project Lead Surveys should be completed as time becomes available. Early market season is a good starting point, to determine what information needs to be collected as the market season unfolds, and to have an understanding of what stories and opportunities may emerge throughout the summer. Completing these surveys at the end of the season is best. (Estimated time required: 2 hours)” (Lambla, Yule, & Sadownik)

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Once the data is collected computer programs can be used for data file organization and snapshot creation which allows the user to organize data into useful categories to use for analysis.

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