Wholesale Market Opportunities
There are many ways local farmers can sell their products to local businesses or institutions including restaurants, grocery stores, hospitals, and more. Purchasing direct from a farm can be challenging for the business and the farmer to meet all expectations. Sometimes an individual producer may not be able to meet the demand of a single wholesale buyer. In these cases, food hubs and other aggregated models can be very useful.
*Please note that some resources are from other states and the regulations may be different in Kansas, even if the general details are useful for everyone. Demystifying the Wholesale Market (pdf) *Please note that resources from outside of Kansas are great for learning but may also reflect different regulatory requirements than exist in Kansas. Buying Local: A Guide for Wholesale and Retail Buyers (NC State)
Farm to Grocery Best Practices (pdf)
Farm to Grocery Toolkit (pdf, UMN)
Farm to School: Ranch Case Studies (ATTRA)
Market Channel Selection Tool (MSU)
MarketReady Farm Business Resources (UK)
NCAT Marketing Tipsheet Series (ATTRA)
Produce Safety & GAPs resources
Scaling Up for Regional Markets Publication (ATTRA)
Scaling Up for Regional Markets Tutorial (ATTRA)
Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Wholesale Markets (SARE)
Selling Eggs to Grocery Stores (NC State)
Selling Meat to Grocery Stores (NC State)
Selling Milk to Grocery Stores (NC State)
Tip for Selling Fresh Produce to Retail Grocers (NC State)
USDA Grades and Standards
Vegetable Packing & Grading Guidelines (Cornell)
Wholesale Packing Resource Guide (pdf, SARE)
Wholesale Success Manual (pdf)
Farm to Early Childcare and Education Local Food Purchasing Resources (Farm to School)
Farm to Grocery Best Practices (pdf)
Farm to Grocery Toolkit (pdf, UMN)
Farm to School in Kansas (KSDE)
Good Food Purchasing Guide for Growers and Businesses (pdf, Chicago Food Policy)
Local Food Language for Contracts (pdf, Farm to Institution)
Toolkit for Direct Purchasing of Local Food (UMN)