Greensboro, NC – The Greensboro Farmers Market (GFM, Inc.) has developed a digest for local food shopping by gathering information from its farmers and prepared food vendors to publish the Local Food Locator. The new online resource published April 2, 2020, aims to connect fresh, nutritionally dense local foods direct to customers. The tool has been refined each week, using feedback from customers and vendors, to create an easier user experience.
During the recent COVID-19 Stay-at-Home mandate, farmers and food producers are finding new ways to connect with their customers, including online stores and pre-ordering options, which allow customers to select from fresh-from-the-field produce, pre-payment options, and choose from pick-up options and/or delivery locations. These changes create safer shopping experiences, with minimal contact between vendors and customers.
This newly refined interface reflects the rapid changes happening in the small business world today; a shift in traditional retail models adding new online capabilities daily, during a time that social distancing and public health is paramount.
“Our Market management team created the Local Food Locator to further simplify buying locally from Market vendors, by reorganizing our directory into familiar shopping categories (i.e. produce, eggs, meats, etc.),” said Lee Mortensen, GFM Executive Director and Market Manager. “Our aim with this locator is to serve as the bridge between the customer and vendor in as much as we can during this disruptive time. Shoppers are also recognizing the benefit of online/pre-order shopping directly from local producers over larger retail venues. Customers value knowing where their food comes and the limited number of channels it goes through before arriving on their plate.”