Did you know that UF/IFAS manages a nifty FREE resource called Florida MarketMaker for marketing and research throughout the food supply chain? Many producers and Extension throughout Florida do not even know this resource exists. MarketMaker is the largest and most in-depth database of its kind featuring a diverse community of food-related businesses: farmers/ranchers, fisheries, seafood dealers, farmers markets, food hubs, food pantries, processors/packers, wholesalers, retailers, distributors, wineries, restaurants, and other types of buyers. MarketMaker provides simple yet powerful search tools to connect with others across the production and distribution chain.
Here is how it works:
Producers register their businesses in MarketMaker because food buyers of all types access the database to find products and services to meet their specific needs. Through MarketMaker, producers can reach more buyers and more efficiently form profitable business alliances. Buyers register making their business discoverable to food producers looking to grow, source, or sell. Buyers can use MarketMaker to find more suppliers of differentiated, high-quality products leading to more efficient sourcing and higher margins. Consumers use MarketMaker to locate suppliers selling just what they need. The search engine spatially shows the results on a map.
Florida MarketMaker needs more producers to register in the system to work as intended! Please let the producers and others that you work with know about Florida MarketMaker. I am in the process of developing a webinar for Extension training. If you would like for me to come to your county to conduct a face-to-face training with producers, please let me know.
If you have any questions, concerns, please don’t hesitate to e-mail me.
Florida MarketMaker is at: http://fl.foodmarketmaker.com/ National Marketmaker is at: http://foodmarketmaker.com/
Thank you,
Wendi Bellows
Florida MarketMaker Coordinator
University of Florida
http://fl.foodmarketmaker.com/
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