Why would you start your own mobile market? Well, there are lots of reasons! Maybe you have an affinity for driving a truck around town. Maybe you’re a huckster at heart. Maybe you are responding to an unmet need. The latter is what motivates us! MAP’s Mobile Market program brings produce from our urban farm and other local farms directly to residential areas of the city that do not have adequate access to fresh, affordable, healthy, and culturally appropriate food.
Why can’t people access fresh food? Unfortunately, there are lots of reasons. Transportation obstacles and the absence of full-service grocery stores are the obvious obstacles but the reasons for a general lack of access to affordable fresh food in cities across the country goes much deeper than that. MAP Youth Alize took a look at Food Apartheid a few posts back. You can check out her post HERE to learn more about why your neighborhood might not have a grocery store or healthy corner store. A mobile market is just one of many ways we can combat food injustices within our communities.
When COVID-19 hit, we had to pivot (just like everyone else). Our very in-person business shifted online and it was far from perfect. After all, there is no such think as a virtual tomato. We had to brainstorm new ways to reach folks that do not have access to the internet. We had to make sure our customers were safe. We wanted to help our farmer friends who were struggling without restaurant sales. So, we upgraded our market layout, gathered personal protective equipment, and rolled out to a few communities. Business as usual? Not at all. In some areas our business increased. A lot. More and more throughout the summer, folks wanted to shop in their own neighborhood and wanted to trust their food source. Many were avoiding the big grocery store and relying on food that came to them (NOW that #foodthatmoves tag we use makes way more sense to everyone). In some areas, though, business significantly decreased. There was still tons of demand for fresh food, but folks were out of work and out of cash, working different and difficult schedules, or not sure about coming out of their homes. We spent the entire 2021 season tweaking our business little by little to make it affordable, safe, and inviting. We are so grateful for the folks that came out. We had a banner year. Sales nearly tripled. Customers told us they felt safe. We did our absolute best.
After a whirlwind of a season, we recognized that habits were changing. We are all doing things differently now. Shopping near our home and workplace is convenient, safe, and fun. The resurgence of community-based businesses is upon us.
As a bonus, we got to attend the full conference, which included seven days-worth of content from producers and food system professionals across the New York region and beyond. My favorite session was on botanical dyeing. Part of the session focused on dyeing with invasive plants. Did you know Japanese Knotweed root bark can produce a beautiful yellow dye?! I've been fascinated with botanical dye ever since I learned that red onion skins can produce a deep green color. A post on this soon...
All of the conference content is available for you to view. There are more than 90 sessions to check out! Whether you’re a beginning farmer, farming-curious, a beet-lover, or just interested in the food system in general, there is definitely something for you to learn from. Plus, you'll gain connections in our local food system through NOFA-NY. Check out this link for more information on purchasing access to the sessions.
If you are thinking about starting your own Mobile Market or mobile business and need some support, we may be available for consultation. Contact Danielle by emailing danielle@mass-ave.org.
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