Short answer: Write down how your market runs so it can run without you. Cover the vehicle, staff, buying, storage, routes, the weekly calendar, supplies, payments, documents and promotion. Then add a plan for what goes wrong.
A documented plan makes the market faster today and safer tomorrow. New staff learn it faster. A sick day or a breakdown does not stop the market.
The ten parts of the plan
Vehicle. Orientation for anyone who touches it, pre and post trip checklists, a weekly maintenance schedule and a breakdown plan.
Staff. Who drives, lifts, stocks and counts. Training, check-ins and insurance.
Buying. What you sell, how you define local, your suppliers, backup suppliers and who picks up what, when. Plan crops with farmers before they order seed.
Storage and inventory. First in, first out. Temperature rules. Pull sheets for packing the truck. A plan for trimming, processing, food waste and compost.
Routes. Group nearby stops on the same day. Avoid rush hour and school buses. Note fuel stops, bathrooms and low clearance hazards.
Operations calendar. Loading time, staff start times, travel, setup, breakdown, unloading and a plan for holidays and extreme weather.
Supplies. A tracked list of tents, signs, crates, price tags and weather gear. Buy durable gear. Cheap tents cost more in the end.
Payments. Every payment type you take, what each covers, a POS that handles SNAP, an offline backup and a written cash reconciliation process. Translate payment guides for staff who need it.
Documents. Licenses, food safety certificates, price lists, equipment manuals, safety data sheets and host contacts. Put a QR code on the truck that links to them.
Promotion. Flyers for host partners, signs on market day and the channels your customers use.
A market day, start to finish
Before you leave: cooling on, batteries charged, cash, card readers, hotspot, flyers, matching dollars and a checked load list.
On the road: fuel or charge, route, weather and road conditions.
Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early. Volunteers arrive 20 to 30 minutes early. Keep the layout the same every week.
During market: greeter, stocker, cashier, bagger and food demo. Checkout is the bottleneck, so staff it first.
Never close early. Serve the last customer with a smile.
After market: food first, then cash and electronics. Back at base, cool what will keep, clear trash and compost, and lock up.
Plan for what goes wrong
A written rule for when to cancel and how to tell customers.
A backup plan for a breakdown, like tents and tables or a second vehicle.
A plan for unsold food: discounts, a kitchen partner, a restaurant or a food bank. Donated food may qualify for federal tax deductions.
Incident, accident and health emergency procedures.
From the road: One morning the awning door on our truck would not open, so we could not reach the display. Instead of canceling, the team loaded tents and tables and ran a classic farmers market setup beside the truck. Customers loved it.
Another season, a new afternoon stop got far busier than we expected and we ran out of food. Our food bank had a driver on a nearby route. He met us halfway with a pre-packed pallet, and the shelves stayed full.
Sources: Nutrition Incentive Hub, POS systems for SNAP · ReFED, federal tax incentives for food donation
