Successful Marketing Through Product Identification/Packaging

Note to readers, attached is the complete final report for FNE97-171

This project concerned promotion and marketing of potatoes and other vegetables grown by members of the Aroostook Organic Farmers Cooperative. Chris Holmes, president of the cooperative, and his associate Dick York, used part of their SARE grant to defray the costs of producing packaging with a distinctive design, in which to sell the cooperative's vegetables. They also used their grant in a marketing effort, and succeeded in selling 44,000 pounds of the coop's potatoes, mostly to wholesalers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The potatoes fetched $30,000 in the wholesale market, or $0.68/lb., and retailed for $1.17/lb. The growers received $0.45/lb.

Mr. York reports that the produce was generally well received by wholesalers, and the public at large. He hopes that if they can build on their initial success, the coop will expand beyond its current seven members, and undertake the marketing of a wider selection of vegetables.

• FNE97-171 Final Report
• Signs and flyers