THE PROJECT

When pandemic closures threatened to close farmer’s markets in March of 2020, I recognized that small farms were going to face numerous challenges. We took the farmer’s market online to support these local businesses that didn’t necessarily have the resources to create their own direct-to-consumer online platforms. Farm Box enabled customers to support their favorite farms and producers from the comfort of their home with safe contact-free delivery. We also facilitated donations through our platform—we purchased produce from farms (further supporting them) and donated it to local food banks and families struggling to stay afloat during this unprecedented time. We went from selling a curated box of seasonal fruits and vegetables at the start of the pandemic to a sophisticated personal shopping experience for specialty produce and products.

BRANDING AND MARKETING

Due to the uniqueness of the products we offered through Farm Box, we generated original visual content for all items listed in the marketplace. We created a cohesive, colorful brand feel, both visually and textually, throughout the website. We placed a strong focus on visual appeal, given the beauty of our products, and found that photographic marketing content made customers more likely to share Farm Box with their friends. Due to the high quality of our original content, our ad spend was quite limited over the lifespan of the product, and word of mouth grew the business organically. By making connections with farmers, non-profits, artisans, and food producers, we also had buy-in from businesses listed on our platform. These businesses became stakeholders in the success of their products that were listed in our marketplace, and this also generated web traffic, as they directed their usual customers online during the pandemic.

Our communication through social media and limited ad spends always put the produce and the farmers as the focus. We quickly identified that price was not driving demand, but rather our storytelling about farms and seasonal treats we shared with customers. For this reason, every effort was made to photograph the actual products that we sold. We also maintained open lines of communications with our partner farms and businesses, so customers still got a sense of the genuine connection to one’s food and its creators that is only possible at a farmer’s market.

THE RESULTS

We successfully helped farmers and producers through one of the hardest times in their history. We provided an outlet for sales and elevated communications with customers by offering marketing channels and design services that were previously inaccessible. Our platform was profitable throughout its entire existence and eventual sale, while simultaneously providing every vendor listed on the platform exactly the price they wanted and needed for their high quality products. We also provided employment and donated thousands of pounds of food to many people in our local community.