Fresh food from the field as a new type of supermarket blossoms
By Pan Zheng |
August 24, 2009, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A major initiative launched at the end of last year is proving a great success as sales of farm products soar at outlets situated near where they are produced. Pan Zheng tells the remarkable success story of a marketing idea that just keeps on growing.
In the agricultural industry, marketing has always played an important part in the production chain.
As a major agriculture base in Shanghai, Fengxian District has paid a lot of attention to sales and, since the end of last year, a new kind of market has appeared - "field-side supermarket."
This new outlet is built next to the fields where the produce is grown.
The rapid development of highways and the increasing popularity of trips to the countryside have benefited this approach to selling.
It connects producers and buyers directly, shortening the distance from field to table and saving costs both for farmers and consumers.
At the end of last year, the first field-side supermarket in Fengxian District and in the whole Shanghai - Ludu Field-side Supermarket opened in Zhelin Town, selling more than 1,000 varieties of agricultural produce.
Suppliers included more than 200 cooperatives all over the district.
Just on the first day, its turnover reached over 1 million yuan (US$146,300), almost as much as that of a big supermarket in the city.
At present, there are 10 field-side supermarkets in Fengxian District, of which the Yellow Peach Supermarket has achieved the best income of over 20 million yuan. It is estimated that the annual income of all the supermarkets combined will be over 50 million yuan.
There are three grades of field-side supermarket.
Grade A indicates a comprehensive supermarket selling more than 1,000 types of farm produce from the whole district, such as the supermarkets in Zhelin and Zhuanghang towns. Grade B is a supermarket at town level, mainly selling local products, such as the Huari and Dushi supermarkets. Grade C indicates a supermarket selling mainly one product, such as the Yellow Peach Supermarket.
As a form of agricultural marketing, field-side supermarkets can save costs in warehouse fees and transport so prices should always be cheaper than in the general markets.
Most customers are businesses, schools and communities, which favor them because of their low prices and good quality.
In addition, the supermarkets also have an Internet presence to make sales even more convenient.
Fengxian is now trying to make field-side supermarkets a symbol of the district, establishing a standardized and systemized agricultural market.
At present there are more than 200 standardized bases of agricultural products all over the district, with strict criteria for every single product. Besides that, to ensure food safety and quality, the government also hires one quality supervisor for each village.
Cooperatives also make Fengxian's agriculture more organized. There are more than 200 cooperatives in Fengxian, involving over 50,000 families. Cooperatives not only guide farmers in production but also in further processing and selling.
By the end of this year, there are plans for a field-side supermarket of over 1,000 square meters and an increase in the number of such outlets to 15.
By 2011, there will be about 20 field-side supermarkets in Fengxian, with a total investment of over 50 million yuan, creating hundreds of jobs. The annual income is anticipated to be200 million yuan.
In the agricultural industry, marketing has always played an important part in the production chain.
As a major agriculture base in Shanghai, Fengxian District has paid a lot of attention to sales and, since the end of last year, a new kind of market has appeared - "field-side supermarket."
This new outlet is built next to the fields where the produce is grown.
The rapid development of highways and the increasing popularity of trips to the countryside have benefited this approach to selling.
It connects producers and buyers directly, shortening the distance from field to table and saving costs both for farmers and consumers.
At the end of last year, the first field-side supermarket in Fengxian District and in the whole Shanghai - Ludu Field-side Supermarket opened in Zhelin Town, selling more than 1,000 varieties of agricultural produce.
Suppliers included more than 200 cooperatives all over the district.
Just on the first day, its turnover reached over 1 million yuan (US$146,300), almost as much as that of a big supermarket in the city.
At present, there are 10 field-side supermarkets in Fengxian District, of which the Yellow Peach Supermarket has achieved the best income of over 20 million yuan. It is estimated that the annual income of all the supermarkets combined will be over 50 million yuan.
There are three grades of field-side supermarket.
Grade A indicates a comprehensive supermarket selling more than 1,000 types of farm produce from the whole district, such as the supermarkets in Zhelin and Zhuanghang towns. Grade B is a supermarket at town level, mainly selling local products, such as the Huari and Dushi supermarkets. Grade C indicates a supermarket selling mainly one product, such as the Yellow Peach Supermarket.
As a form of agricultural marketing, field-side supermarkets can save costs in warehouse fees and transport so prices should always be cheaper than in the general markets.
Most customers are businesses, schools and communities, which favor them because of their low prices and good quality.
In addition, the supermarkets also have an Internet presence to make sales even more convenient.
Fengxian is now trying to make field-side supermarkets a symbol of the district, establishing a standardized and systemized agricultural market.
At present there are more than 200 standardized bases of agricultural products all over the district, with strict criteria for every single product. Besides that, to ensure food safety and quality, the government also hires one quality supervisor for each village.
Cooperatives also make Fengxian's agriculture more organized. There are more than 200 cooperatives in Fengxian, involving over 50,000 families. Cooperatives not only guide farmers in production but also in further processing and selling.
By the end of this year, there are plans for a field-side supermarket of over 1,000 square meters and an increase in the number of such outlets to 15.
By 2011, there will be about 20 field-side supermarkets in Fengxian, with a total investment of over 50 million yuan, creating hundreds of jobs. The annual income is anticipated to be200 million yuan.
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