Miriam Haas could say her roots in the food business began right in the soil.
The director of Ossining-based Community Markets grew up gardening with her father early on in life in Illinois and now serves as head of a successful tristate operation coupling community with farm-fresh produce.
“I always liked fresh vegetables, it was a big part of our upbringing,” she said. “The therapeutic nature of growing something and actually seeing it grow was similar to how I grew the business ”¦ I really saw it grow over time.”
The grassroots developer of community farmers markets opened her first operation in 1991 and has expanded the business to approximately 24 markets per year.
Community Markets recently opened for this season its four indoor markets, which stretch from Mamaroneck to Brooklyn.
“They”™re becoming more viable and busy as people catch on,” she said. “Consistency is important. We”™re teaching our vendors that it”™s a retail operation and they”™re not just out on the farm selling vegetables ”“ now they have to sell it.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture counted 898 winter farmers markets nationally in 2010, accounting for more than 14 percent of the nation”™s 6,132 operating farmers markets.
Winter markets have grown by 17 percent since the release of the agency”™s National Farmers Market Manager Survey in 2009.
New York topped the 11-state list of indoor farmers markets at 153 operating November through March; California placed second at 140 and North Carolina third, at 53.
Retail analysts say there is no shortage of shift in the manner food is bought and sold.
“Well-operated, local markets should do well,” said Howard Davidowitz, chairman of Davidowitz & Associates Inc. in New York City, a national retail consulting and investment banking firm. “A place like Costco, which does a fabulous job on food, will do well. You see Target increasing its food penetration and drug stores adding more convenience and food items. But if you want to be in the food business, you better be good. And produce is the key. Up front ”“ the heart and soul is produce and the freshness has to be perfect.”
For Haas, who witnessed the opening of the Union Square Market in 1974 and subsequent launch of the likes of culinary destination Eataly in New York City, it was evident the American consumer became more up-to-date and interested where their food came from ”“ a food culture phenomenon fueled by such entities as the Food Network.
When the community-supported agriculture movement arose, Haas said “it became a deliver-from-the-farm, competitive niche that came into the mix.”
Natural, gourmet retailer Whole Foods really grew about five or six years ago and “there were a lot of home-delivery attempts and some of them worked and some of them failed.”
Davidowitz said the Fresh Directs and Peapods of the world have carved a unique niche in the New York metropolitan area born directly from convenience and time constraints, but personally admitted that if you were to ask his wife to buy produce online, “she would look at you like you were insane.”
People still crave community events and buying straight from the source, Haas said.
At one point, she predicted her market demographic was 40 to 60 years of age, but media and public relations director Frankie Rowland has seen “an upsurge in younger people coming to the market, and I think generally there”™s a heightened awareness of food and food quality.”
For more information, go to communitymarkets.biz.
