New business advice please - Farm Shop
Discussion
Our local farmshop was run by a farmer friend - he really knew good produce and who to source it from. When he retired, two others opened up and frankly the produce was poor, which is the kiss of death for a farm shop. We all started shopping further away, and the farm shops went into rapid decline.
Both shops now have new owners, one of whom is related to the original farmer and again they can source outstanding local produce. Both seem to generate more traffic from newly opened cafés and attached flower/garden shops than the farm shop themselves.
If you source everything from a wholesaler, you have a low barrier to entry for competitors - and if/when they start shipping you poor produce, do you have a plan B?
Both shops now have new owners, one of whom is related to the original farmer and again they can source outstanding local produce. Both seem to generate more traffic from newly opened cafés and attached flower/garden shops than the farm shop themselves.
If you source everything from a wholesaler, you have a low barrier to entry for competitors - and if/when they start shipping you poor produce, do you have a plan B?
mikef said:
Our local farmshop was run by a farmer friend - he really knew good produce and who to source it from. When he retired, two others opened up and frankly the produce was poor, which is the kiss of death for a farm shop. We all started shopping further away, and the farm shops went into rapid decline.
Both shops now have new owners, one of whom is related to the original farmer and again they can source outstanding local produce. Both seem to generate more traffic from newly opened cafés and attached flower/garden shops than the farm shop themselves.
If you source everything from a wholesaler, you have a low barrier to entry for competitors - and if/when they start shipping you poor produce, do you have a plan B?
The wholesaler for starters will be these guys, they seem passionate about their produce. There are others should this go wrong but I've been there to see them and I'm happy with what I've seen. https://www.organicnorth.co.uk/Both shops now have new owners, one of whom is related to the original farmer and again they can source outstanding local produce. Both seem to generate more traffic from newly opened cafés and attached flower/garden shops than the farm shop themselves.
If you source everything from a wholesaler, you have a low barrier to entry for competitors - and if/when they start shipping you poor produce, do you have a plan B?
Upinflames said:
Wacky Racer said:
Google The Mexican fisherman's tale.
I know it lol.That's what I won't be doing.
I'm certainly not saying there is anything wrong with ambition, but when you get to the stage where you are happy with your lot, have a couple of decent cars and holiday several times a year...you can only eat three meals a day. (Unless you want to be a fat b
d) 
Upinflames said:
lizardbrain said:
It would basically just cost a day of your time to try it out. Go to waitrose buy a bunch of fancy veg. Put it on a table. Stick a sign up.
Of course you will probably annoy a handful of people, which does matter as reputation comes into play longer term. But the value is clear net positive I think - you would learn a lot from that one day, perhaps enough to extrapolate what space you need.
It's common to set up a market stall to test out shop products.
One of the best comments I've had. Thank youOf course you will probably annoy a handful of people, which does matter as reputation comes into play longer term. But the value is clear net positive I think - you would learn a lot from that one day, perhaps enough to extrapolate what space you need.
It's common to set up a market stall to test out shop products.
IMO there will be a reason the successful shop opposite does not retail organic produce. It might be misplaced on their part but organic is a niche and premium market.
You need sufficient regular local custom to make it work as a retail business, even more so if you are not free labour yourself.
MustangGT said:
rlg43p said:
But why do so may people feel compelled to comment in such a smug smartarse why. Why not try and make a contructive and helpful comment rather than behave that way?
This place is full of smug know-it-alls.
Neither of your comments on this thread have anything to do with the subject, so fails your own standard.This place is full of smug know-it-alls.
I think the OP should try a limited set up for a long weekend and see if it is viable.
'I live on a farm in the country on a busy trunk road'.
Forgive my negativity, please, I'm not meaning to be that person, but, y'know... 'Planning'.
('Horsebox' permission not being quite the same as anything remotely resembling a retail traffic generator of organic seeking lifestyle peeps.) (For personal gain. As explained to the Labour Council.)
Beyond month two.
Actually, my head's frazzled by the naivety of those encouraging him.
Forgive my negativity, please, I'm not meaning to be that person, but, y'know... 'Planning'.
('Horsebox' permission not being quite the same as anything remotely resembling a retail traffic generator of organic seeking lifestyle peeps.) (For personal gain. As explained to the Labour Council.)
Beyond month two.
Actually, my head's frazzled by the naivety of those encouraging him.
tumble dryer said:
'I live on a farm in the country on a busy trunk road'.
Forgive my negativity, please, I'm not meaning to be that person, but, y'know... 'Planning'.
('Horsebox' permission not being quite the same as anything remotely resembling a retail traffic generator of organic seeking lifestyle peeps.) (For personal gain. As explained to the Labour Council.)
Beyond month two.
Actually, my head's frazzled by the naivety of those encouraging him.
It's a livery yard. I have 40 stables and already 40 horse owners coming in each morning and evening to look after their horses. At the weekends it's even busier with horse boxes coming and going to events all over the north west as well as coming here to events we run.Forgive my negativity, please, I'm not meaning to be that person, but, y'know... 'Planning'.
('Horsebox' permission not being quite the same as anything remotely resembling a retail traffic generator of organic seeking lifestyle peeps.) (For personal gain. As explained to the Labour Council.)
Beyond month two.
Actually, my head's frazzled by the naivety of those encouraging him.
I have permission for the building I propose to start with to be a café but I've never used it as such, it's been a 'make yourself a brew' room for a few years but I've relocated that facility. There's parking easily for 100 cars as well as staff facilities ready to use.
And I didn't do the clever accent on café all by myself, it auto corrected!
We went here - https://jollynicefarmshop.com/ a couple of times while in the Cotswolds on holiday last summer. It was the most sorted farm shop I have ever seen, it even had a drive through cafe. They had evening activities, car meets, kids areas. It was on the pricey side, but everything was so good, you really didn't mind.
It's improved even more since then with much expanded indoor bar and music venue. My regular Saturday afternoon haunt for a pint and pheasant burger!
Though it's far beyond a scale the OP could achieve - its taken them years to get this far.
OP, Riverside, up on a hill near Northwich, is a great example of how to do organic food at a smallish scale. Also local to you I assume. And great breakfasts!
Though it's far beyond a scale the OP could achieve - its taken them years to get this far.
OP, Riverside, up on a hill near Northwich, is a great example of how to do organic food at a smallish scale. Also local to you I assume. And great breakfasts!
SmithCorona said:
It's improved even more since then with much expanded indoor bar and music venue. My regular Saturday afternoon haunt for a pint and pheasant burger!
Though it's far beyond a scale the OP could achieve - its taken them years to get this far.
OP, Riverside, up on a hill near Northwich, is a great example of how to do organic food at a smallish scale. Also local to you I assume. And great breakfasts!
Yeah I know the place, I think I've been to every farm shop in Cheshire in the last couple of months! That's the kind of scale I'm thinking of.Though it's far beyond a scale the OP could achieve - its taken them years to get this far.
OP, Riverside, up on a hill near Northwich, is a great example of how to do organic food at a smallish scale. Also local to you I assume. And great breakfasts!
hidetheelephants said:
Upinflames said:
hidetheelephants said:
CRB checks to run a shop? You're overthinking.
Was answering post about a kids play areaUpinflames said:
tumble dryer said:
'I live on a farm in the country on a busy trunk road'.
Forgive my negativity, please, I'm not meaning to be that person, but, y'know... 'Planning'.
('Horsebox' permission not being quite the same as anything remotely resembling a retail traffic generator of organic seeking lifestyle peeps.) (For personal gain. As explained to the Labour Council.)
Beyond month two.
Actually, my head's frazzled by the naivety of those encouraging him.
It's a livery yard. I have 40 stables and already 40 horse owners coming in each morning and evening to look after their horses. At the weekends it's even busier with horse boxes coming and going to events all over the north west as well as coming here to events we run.Forgive my negativity, please, I'm not meaning to be that person, but, y'know... 'Planning'.
('Horsebox' permission not being quite the same as anything remotely resembling a retail traffic generator of organic seeking lifestyle peeps.) (For personal gain. As explained to the Labour Council.)
Beyond month two.
Actually, my head's frazzled by the naivety of those encouraging him.
I have permission for the building I propose to start with to be a café but I've never used it as such, it's been a 'make yourself a brew' room for a few years but I've relocated that facility. There's parking easily for 100 cars as well as staff facilities ready to use.
And I didn't do the clever accent on café all by myself, it auto corrected!
A livery yard would have had its own planning permission (it doesn't come under agriculture or livestock). To open a farm shop on the land would be a change of use and need planning permission. It's worth at least getting some advice from your local planning authority before accidentally landing yourself in a world of pain like JC did when he "repurposed" a building for a restaurant.
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