KANSAS CITY, MO — Farmers markets are a treasure trove for retail bakeries. A single booth presence has the power to build brand awareness in the community and increase foot traffic to a baker’s brick-and-mortar business.
Farmers markets attract a demographic interested in local food and small businesses, which is basically every baker’s proverbial bread and butter. For bakery owners, these markets provide a vibrant community and a chance to serve fresh, handmade and artisanal products to residents.
Renting a booth at a local farmers market is a surefire strategy to connect with customers and pique their interest in visiting the permanent location. In Denver, Rebel Bread is working on a more traditional cafe space, but currently utilizes its walk-up window for its retail sales. Mile High City, home to an array of farmers markets, provides the bakery with space to attract more customers to its artisan kitchen.
“I don’t think I can fully convey the magic of farmers markets,” said Zach Martinucci, founder and CEO of Rebel Bread. “Particularly, being a wholesale bakery that hasn’t always had a traditional storefront, it’s wonderful to have a consistent popular community gathering to go to every single week where all vendors are equal and everything is available.”
Rebel Bread is not the only bakery that does well at Colorado farmers markets. Denver’s lower downtown district is also home to LoDough Bakery, where cases are filled with authentic Parisian pastries and scratch-made bread, and owner Jan Kratzer ensures the bakery maintains its farmers market presence from May to November.
“We sell two days’ worth of sales in just a few hours at the farmers market,” Jan said. “This is only our second year, but I’m predicting [this year] will be a great summer for the bakery.”
Embracing attendees as more than just customers has paved the way for both bakeries to continue their presence every summer.
“Our community is really responsive and excited to be there,” Zach added. “It’s meant a lot for us to be a part of our community while not having a traditional front-of-house way to do so.”
Boosting small business
Jill McEnroe, owner of Frannie Franks Coffee Cakes — a bakery in Independence, MO, with a space at the Overland Park, KS, farmers market — sought out a booth to test run her product and discern its profitability in hopes of boosting income for her storefront. When Jill first started out, she was selling 40 to 50 cakes on a standard Saturday, but 15 years later, she sells anywhere between 600 and 1,000.
The high customer count will often lead to out-of-stock products, which, according to Jill, benefits her entire operation.
“Sometimes we’ll sell out at 10 a.m. and have people come to the booth and ask where our cake is,” Jill said. “Then, they’ll drive to our brick-and-mortar and pick up whatever they need. Our booth has definitely led to more traffic for the bakery.”
Classic recipes and traditional flavors remain fan favorites across the country. The Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake — Frannie Franks’ OG flavor that successfully led to the development of 150 more — is Jill’s top product, while, for Jan, LoDough’s classic sourdough has been the bestselling item among market goers.
Jill likened Frannie Franks Coffee Cakes customers to extended family; her space allows her to bond with the new generations of customers who come to visit the booth.
For all three bakers, farmers markets are conduits to leaving a lasting impression on their communities.
“To be a part of such a large farmer’s market like Overland Park is incredible,” Jill said. “It’s built our customer base and sales so much more because people who buy from our booth will order online to ship to someone for their birthday or celebrations like that. The business stacks on top of each other, and it just blooms.”
