Wholesale-Ready Workshop Series
Dates: (Participants must be able to attend both sessions)
+ Session 1: Thursday, January 30th 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
+ Session 2: Thursday, February 20th 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Location: Community Futures North Okanagan in Vernon
Registration Deadline: January 24th, 2025
Wholesale opportunities for local vegetables and fruit, to a variety of markets are opening up in our region, including to schools and social service agencies (like food banks).
The Wholesale-Ready Workshop Series is geared toward small and medium sized farmers in the North Okanagan and surrounding regions to network and share knowledge of how to grow for and sell to wholesale markets (e.g. distributors, institutions, processors, restaurants, caterers, schools etc.). This series will allow existing farmers to learn about opportunities to expand their businesses (operations and reach), and for new farmers to integrate wholesale market readiness into their business model.
Through farmer-facilitated examples, panel discussions, and focused hands-on skill-building, participants will leave the series with practical experience and personalized plans to become wholesale ready producers. Participants can access 1-on-1 coaching following the workshops to individually refine plans with a wholesale expert.
The two-day series will include:
- Discussion about new regional market opportunities
- Panel discussions with buyers (what does successful wholesale look like)
- Farmer-to-farmer learning, including examples of what has worked and not worked when developing wholesale crops
- Networking – time to learn who is in the room and where we can collaborate
There is limited participant space available so register by January 24th to guarantee your spot!
Acknowledgements
This workshop series is hosted in partnership between Land to Table and Community Futures with generous funding from the Regional District of the North Okanagan and FeedBC.
