Fruit and vegetable growers: Find new markets at Great Lakes EXPO Meet the Buyers event

Joanne Davidhizar, Michigan State University Extension -

Connecting with new buyers and markets for fruit and vegetable growers is made easier through the Meet the Buyers reception at the Great Lakes EXPO Dec. 8.

Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS) and other partners will host the 2015 “Meet the Buyers” reception on Tuesday, Dec. 8 during the Great Lakes EXPO to link Michigan growers with wholesale, retail and institutional buyers to work toward getting more Michigan product on store shelves and into restaurants, schools, hospitals and more. Previous events drew hundreds of attendees and nearly 20 buyers. Don’t miss out.

Join MIFFS from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Center Concourse of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel to connect with buyers and learn about sourcing more fresh produce through the value chain. Visit the MIFFS website to learn more and to register for the event.

Producers and buyers are encouraged to visit the MarketMaker table at the Meet the Buyers event to find out how to access markets. MarketMaker is a web-based resource that provides link between producers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, farmers’ markets, food service providers and end-consumers within the food supply chain. The site is available to all and is free.

The website provides a number of features for those looking for potential buyers. Users can use the map and distance tool to search for the growers or marketers of particular crops within a geographical area. Both buyers and sellers can easily create profiles with location, contact information and items to market.

Register your business on MarketMaker, or update your profile for an entry into a drawing for a gas card.

For further detail on MarketMaker, and for business development in food, agriculture, bio economy and natural resources, contact the Michigan State University Extension Product Center online or 517-432-8750.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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