Short answer: Most markets buy from a mix of local farms, wholesalers and food banks. Farms give you freshness and a local story. Wholesalers give you range and steady supply. Farmers' Truck partners with Local Line so operators can order from nearby farms in one place.
Your suppliers depend on where you are. A rural market may rely on one source. A city market can choose. Map your options before you commit.
Your main options
Local farms. The freshest food and a story customers love. Supply changes with the season and the weather.
Wholesalers and distributors. Wide range, steady supply and year-round staples like bananas and onions.
Food banks. Group buying and donated product. Check what you are allowed to sell.
Grocery partners. Some stores sell at volume prices or sponsor food for households. Get any agreement in writing from the right person.
Buy local without the spreadsheets
Farmers' Truck partners with Local Line, an ordering platform used by farms, food hubs and food programs across North America. Operators can find nearby farms, place orders, manage deliveries and track invoices in one place, at a partner discount. See the Local Line partnership.
Choose suppliers well
Check food safety certifications.
Ask about minimum orders, delivery days and pickup times.
Pay a fair price. Tell customers and funders that you support local farms.
Keep a backup supplier for every staple.
Meet farmers before they plan their crops and order seed. Agree on what you will buy.
Order to match demand
Track what sells at each stop and order from those numbers.
Start with the basics. Add new items slowly so customers are not let down when one runs out.
Know the shelf life of everything you buy. Move the short-lived items first.
From the road: One of our favorite suppliers was a local honey producer. We bought a few dozen cases at the start of each season for a good price, so customers paid less. At a veterans hospital stop, honey with fresh fruit became the snack everyone wanted. We had to reorder midseason, and the producer came to the market to meet the people buying it.
