Market Moves WORDS LIZ FRENCH | IMAGES ALEX SPODYNEIKO
“Necessity is the mother of invention” and this was very much the case for many of the stall holders at Tauranga’s Farmers Market. For many, the busy Saturday market provides the majority of their customers, so a nationwide lockdown could have spelled disaster.
fix!). We needn’t have worried. The Farmers Market stall holders swung into action, introducing or ramping up their online ordering and delivery services. For many it was more than a service; it was a means of survival.
“Like all Kiwi primary producers, our people are a really resilient bunch,” says Market Manager Trixie Allen. “It’s been great to see how they all did their best to help each other with distribution and communication.”
The upside for Catos was the connection with locals and the feedback from customers enjoying fresh, spray free produce full of flavour. Catos extended their deliveries to Tauranga under level 3, a long drive from Pirongia but worth it. “The Bay of Plenty had been so welcoming to us. I wanted to show appreciation and support in return.”
Getting fresh vegetables was one of the first things on most people’s minds when lockdown was announced (after wondering how to cope without the daily cafe caffeine
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“It was a total scramble with sleepless nights to get everything up and going online,” reports Tony Cato of Pirongia based Catos. “When your income gets wiped overnight you have to make swift changes to survive.”
The Covid-19 experience reinforced the
