Page 90 - Jan 2019 MM

Opportunities for big and small
Both Cook and Payne say they’re looking forward to seeing what vendors do next.
If Cook had to guess, she says she thinks they’ll find more ways to connect with their consumers to foster loyalty in the products.
“People really enjoy getting to meet the makers,” Cook says. “Sometimes if the maker is also the farmer, it’s neat for the consumer to understand the providence of the product and know where it came from.”
Payne says he sees the movement growing with bigger retailers. Even WalMart, he says, has gotten into the act in its produce departments. But that doesn’t signal the beginning of the end for smaller retailers. There is plenty of room for everyone.
“It just opens up more opportunities for local companies to get their products into more locations,” Payne says. “Some of our companies are too small or don’t want to go into big box stores. They want to stick with mom-and-pop shops.”
Those smaller vendors tend to be the
most innovative. Thanks to the Virginia’s Finest and Georgia Grown pavilions in the Temporaries, AmericasMart buyers will know just where to find them in January.
For more information:
Georgia Grown - Sarah Cook, 229.454.0612, Sarah.Cook@agr.georgia.gov;
Virginia’s Finest - Marshall Payne, 804.786.1809, marshall.payne@vdacs.virginia.gov
Images courtesy of Georgia Grown and Virginia's Finest
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