To the market-regular, the market-curious and the community that is an integral part of Melburne Farmers’ Markets … thankyou.
Over the last few weeks we have celebrated the smile-inducing milestone of our baby market celebrating its first birthday (yes, there was cake!). And as the weekly Saturday Carlton market turned one, its older siblings have also been growing up – we grew the Alphington market footprint and our Coburg market is getting a grassy facelift just in time for the change of season.
I stepped into the role of CEO about twelve months ago and seeing these small, but consistent changes, I feel a balanced mix of gratitude for the past and an extraordinary excitement for the future.
I also feel an amazing sense of gratitude for our community - our regular shoppers at the opening gates, the interested individuals visiting our markets for the first time, the stallholders who, every week, bring the best of fresh, local food through our markets and to the Melbourne Farmers’ Market team who work to make all of this happen.
To all of you – thankyou.
Sincerely.
As the newest addition to our family of markets, Carlton has transformed from potential to thriving reality.
Every week this market welcomes over 30 food and farming businesses and poses the dilemma of delicious choice - OzFresh or Lonsdale tomatoes; Bill's croissants or Masses bagels; LardAs[s or Schultz butter; Remi’s Patch, Spring Creek, Wildwood or Faranda for a sweet carrot bunch?
These are the simple joys offered by Carlton market.
It is these similar simple joys that are offered by all Melbourne Farmers’ Markets markets. As a team we are committed to genuine farmers’ markets with direct connection and over the last year we have tried to protect and maintain these joys, and over the next, we intend to expand them.
… and that is just the markets !
Sometimes it slips my mind that Melbourne Farmers’ Markets are more than “just” our markets (not often, just on exceptionally beautiful market days). In fact, our markets are like the proverbial tip of the iceberg. The MFM Depot and MFM Kitchen offer last-mile delivery, storage space and a commercial kitchen for recipe development and small-batch processing. Underneath what many of you see on market day is a network of services designed to incubate the new businesses on the Victorian food community block.
As we look ahead to the next year, our focus will remain on offering genuine markets with local produce and direct connection.
Whether you're a regular at Carlton, Coburg, or Alphington – I will see you at the market!