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local farmers markets

smileyguy697

smileyguy697

I'm wondering if any of you guys have any expertise on selling superhots at local farmers markets. I called and talked to the lady in charge and it sounds easy enough. I go pay ten bucks and fill out a form and voliala I'm a vendor. Then i started thinking.. How many should i take? Is a dollar or 2 a pod too expensive or not enough. Will i even sell enough to make it worth it? Tasting tray (prolly not the best of ideas lol)? Should i make some sort of disclaimer or a danger sign? Lol.. Seriously tho any help would be welcomed.

Here's a couple primos just for fun.
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PepperDaddler said:
To add to his questions, does anyone know if you have to bring your own table or anything like that?
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Good call! I was wondering that too. She said they accept credit debit and link cards and has machines for the vendors to use. She said you will recive cash for any of the purchases made at the end of the day.
 
How much foot traffic does the market get, Mike?
 
Of those people, how many do you think would be interested in superhots?
 
Edit:  Looks like ZEN and I are on the same page...
 
I wondered that.. Idk tho because the lady said soon as the tomatoes start coming in people will be looking for peppers for salsa. She mentioned to explain a little goes a long way and that she would put it in the front of her news letter that goes out on thurs mornings.
PepperDaddler said:
Sauce would be probably the best option. If you had a ton of plants, that's second best. Third would be finding a way to present and taste test powders.
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On the tip of a tooth pic should work. Hurt them too bad and they might not buy..
 
How about a 5 dollar challenge - eat 1 or 2 or 3 of the world`s hottest chilis. You can put it in terms of a Man vs Food challenge "Do you dare to try the challenge, or are you man enough, or crazy enough etc etc etc. Part of the advertising is signing a waiver, as they are so hot. Have lots of cold milk available, but try to make it sound crazy. 
 
I would be a little careful about selling superhots at a Farmers market. If someone gets oil in their eye, or a kid eats part or something unforeseen happens, like a trip to the emergency room, then you might see litigation on the horizon. 
 
I attend a local farmer's market about every other week. The superhots aren't my main crop though. I take all sorts of organically grown summer and fall vegetables. Typically I will take a few supers with me but interest is almost non-exsistent. I think I have sold maybe $20 worth over the last 2 years. When I take jalapeños they sell out. Bell peppers do pretty well, but around here everyone stuffs them, so they have to be large for anyone to want them. This week I managed to sell some Aji Dulce's but again, they aren't hot.

Most markets will require you to bring a table, and some require a pop-up shade structure. If they don't provide booths, you will want the shade and so will your customers.
 
megahot said:
I was just thinkin about putting up a table on the corner of my block haha.
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There's a stand by my moms that has all kinds of stuff on it. My buddy said i should throw a couple monsters in his pepper pile. Hahahaha! I told him I'd feel bad just t leaving a surprise like that.
 
Nigel said:
How about a 5 dollar challenge - eat 1 or 2 or 3 of the world`s hottest chilis. You can put it in terms of a Man vs Food challenge "Do you dare to try the challenge, or are you man enough, or crazy enough etc etc etc. Part of the advertising is signing a waiver, as they are so hot. Have lots of cold milk available, but try to make it sound crazy. 
 
I would be a little careful about selling superhots at a Farmers market. If someone gets oil in their eye, or a kid eats part or something unforeseen happens, like a trip to the emergency room, then you might see litigation on the horizon.
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I agree Nigel! Its like a firework stand! Put all the illegals in a hidden place back behind the counter and out of reach like M-80's, Cherry bombs etc...) Same idea with the super hots lol
Nigel said:
How about a 5 dollar challenge - eat 1 or 2 or 3 of the world`s hottest chilis. You can put it in terms of a Man vs Food challenge "Do you dare to try the challenge, or are you man enough, or crazy enough etc etc etc. Part of the advertising is signing a waiver, as they are so hot. Have lots of cold milk available, but try to make it sound crazy. 
 
I would be a little careful about selling superhots at a Farmers market. If someone gets oil in their eye, or a kid eats part or something unforeseen happens, like a trip to the emergency room, then you might see litigation on the horizon.
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I agree Nigel! Its like a firework stand! Put all the illegals in a hidden place back behind the counter and out of reach like M-80's, Cherry bombs etc...) Same idea with the super hots lol
 
Nigel said:
How about a 5 dollar challenge - eat 1 or 2 or 3 of the world`s hottest chilis. You can put it in terms of a Man vs Food challenge "Do you dare to try the challenge, or are you man enough, or crazy enough etc etc etc. Part of the advertising is signing a waiver, as they are so hot. Have lots of cold milk available, but try to make it sound crazy. 
 
I would be a little careful about selling superhots at a Farmers market. If someone gets oil in their eye, or a kid eats part or something unforeseen happens, like a trip to the emergency room, then you might see litigation on the horizon. 
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BahahahaHahahaha! I'm not trying to kill people Nigel! Just trying to open their eyes a bit!
 
You would also want to check if the market allows samples. I know the market I attend does not allow samples unless you have a food handling license, even if you want to give samples of fresh, uncooked veggies! There are liability issues.
 
I would also recommend a waiver, I have one you could modify for your own use if you like.
 
Deja Vu, there was another thread about this topic earlier this week.
 
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/40638-thinking-about-doing-a-farmers-market-stand/
 
Definitely don't give out samples unless you are going to take a few gallons of milk and some plastic cups :rofl:
 
theghostpepperstore said:
You would also want to check if the market allows samples. I know the market I attend does not allow samples unless you have a food handling license, even if you want to give samples of fresh, uncooked veggies! There are liability issues.
 
I would also recommend a waiver, I have one you could modify for your own use if you like.
 
Deja Vu, there was another thread about this topic earlier this week.
 
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/40638-thinking-about-doing-a-farmers-market-stand/
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Thanks! It's prolly a good idea to do the waiver..
 
megahot said:
I agree Nigel! Its like a firework stand! Put all the illegals in a hidden place back behind the counter and out of reach like M-80's, Cherry bombs etc...) Same idea with the super hots lol

I agree Nigel! Its like a firework stand! Put all the illegals in a hidden place back behind the counter and out of reach like M-80's, Cherry bombs etc...) Same idea with the super hots lol
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Got to admit that would be awesome.
GnomeGrown said:
If you go with sauce you will most likely need a licensed and approved commerical kitchen.
 
and insurance.
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I asked about sauce and she said that has to be taken up with the local health department.

Btw thanks for all the kind words on the pods! You're gonna end up with some beautys yourself! Can't wait to see em so get growing gnome!
 
i sell farmer's markets for a large portion of my living. the questions you are asking are almost completely dependent on the individual market. around here at some of the markets in wealthy areas near DC you can get a buck apiece for superhots- mostly for novelty factor. at my 2 main markets they are worth much less than that. i can get $.25 apiece pretty readily at one of them but not even close to that at the other. i sell more aji dulces than all the superhots combined- the local Puerto Rican community seek me out because i am the only one who sells them- at this point there are plenty of vendors with superhots at those markets.
 
in general you probably need to bring your own table. 
 
in virginia samples are frowned upon unless you pre-cut them off site and keep them chilled when on site.
 
virginia recently passed a "pickle bill" which allows for sale of pickles from an uninspected kitchen- whether you can extend this to include hot sauces likely depends on the individual ag inspector you are speaking to at a given moment. those sauces would also need to be below pH of 4.6. 
 
if the vendor fee is only a ten spot you really don't have much to lose by giving it a shot.

GnomeGrown said:
If you go with sauce you will most likely need a licensed and approved commerical kitchen.
 
and insurance.
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all the markets i deal with require liability insurance to sell anything.
 
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