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ARKANSAS MARKETMAKER. Kehar Singh, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral Associate, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
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ARKANSAS MARKETMAKER Kehar Singh, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral Associate, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
MarketMaker is an interactive mapping system that locates businesses and markets of agricultural products in Arkansas, providing an important link between producers and consumers.
MarketMaker Fast Facts • A partnership of 17 Land Grant Institutions and 30+ food and agricultural organizations in 17 states • Many more states in discussions to join the partnership • Technical support provided by University of Illinois • Directed by a multistate advisory board • Funded through state and federal partnerships • No cost to user to access MarketMaker
What is MarketMaker? • MarketMaker is a FREE online direct marketing tool for the food system – fishermen, farmers, processors, distributors and wholesalers, and consumers • Helps producers and businesses identify potential markets • Helps business owners connect with other members of the food supply chain • Helps consumers find fresh and locally grown food
Goal of MarketMaker What - To create an agile, efficient virtual value chain that connects high quality sources of food to willing markets How - accomplished through a multistate network of partners consolidating large amounts of marketing and business information into a single searchable source that can be queried across geographic boundaries
MarketMaker – B2B and B2C • It’s both a ‘business to business’ and a ‘business to consumer’ tool • B2B where the seller’s customer is another business • B2C where the seller’s customer is the final user of the product • http://ar.marketmaker.uiuc.edu/main/index
MarketMaker Producers • Who are the producers that will create profiles? • Seafood fishermen • Aquaculture producers • Farmers • Craft/artisan businesses with specialty products • Small value-adding processors or marketers • Those searching for markets (fishermen) • Those searching for product sources and/or markets (businesses)
MarketMaker Businesses • Who are the businesses? • Food processors from business lists purchased by National MM, and crosschecked with LDAF lists for completeness • Distributors and wholesalers • Consumer-oriented businesses – food retailers, restaurants, farmers’ markets • Businesses expected to use ArMM to search for product sources and/or markets
MarketMaker supports Local • Local foods and local food systems • Supported by including these businesses: • Direct sales at the boat, dock, farm • Farmers’ markets and roadside vendors • Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) • Restaurants that locate locally-produced food • Others trying to source local foods
MM is individual state sites with a common database Database of farmers, processors, distributors, and retailers Maps of demographic information
Who can use it? • Anyone with internet access • MarketMaker is a free tool for people who: • Grow food – Process food • Sell food – Eat food
What information can be found on MarketMaker? • Over 500,000 profiles for food related businesses across 17 states • Over 10,000 expanded farmer/producer and winery profiles • Demographic and census data • Food preference data • Its map-based - all data is geo-coded
Annual growth in Web traffic 600,000 Unique Visitors in 2009
How can MarketMaker help producers? • Greater Visibility to Food Buyers Across the Country • No Cost Access to Valuable Marketing Information • High Touch and High Tech Educational Support to Improve “Commercial Readiness”
How can MarketMaker help participating states? • Greater visibility for state branding programs • Centralized administration of data frees up dollars that can be spent on state marketing efforts • Create a standard core of information across all states…..a common currency of information • Routinely updated information can be used to repopulate and update state farmer directories • Ability to do targeted electronic blasts to MarketMaker registrants • Create an Interface that is both local and yet connected nationally…..a virtual community for buyers ,sellers and consumers to interact • Create Efficiencies in local and regional food supply chains that give consumers more affordable choices and farmers more opportunities to sell their products at a profit Users
Feedback to registered fishermen, farms and businesses lets them know how often they are viewed and why Member Feedback
Fishermen &farmers can link to other producers Fishermen can link to businessesBusinesses can link to businesses F2F, F2B, & B2B
Search out and map producers by product and product attributes at the local, state and multi state levels Multi-State Mapping Catfish producers in Arkansas and Mississippi
Multi-Layer Mapping Fish Market in high-income (over $100,000/year) Arkansas
Find Certified Businesses Ability to do Icon searches for Marketing and Certification Programs
Map Food Consumption Patterns Jefferson County Ability to search specific regions for food preferences, income, education and other demographic information
Buy & Sell Forum Post current needs and availability of food-related products and services on the MarketMaker Buy/Sell Forum
It’s a great tool, but the user has to use it • So, your business can benefit most by • creating a profile that’s attractive • keeping it updated • having product that customers and consumers want • being responsive and communicating availabilities
Arkansas MarketMaker succeeds when market opportunities are enhanced for the entire food chain – fishermen, aquaculture producers, farmers, buyers, processors, retailers, etc.
MarketMaker is an interactive mapping system that locates businesses and markets of agricultural products in Arkansas, providing an important link between producers and consumers.
Registering your business:Importance of Email • It is important to provide an email contact when registering • This is the quickest and easiest way to contact you the user • If needed, set up a Gmail or Yahoo account – it’s free!
Registering your business:in three steps • Go to http://ar.marketmaker.uiuc.edu/ and click on “Register Your Business” • “Select a business type” from the profile page and follow directions • Begin entering information about your business
Go to http://ar.marketmaker.uiuc.edu/ • and click on “Register Your Business”
2. “Select a business type” from the profile page and follow directions
3. Begin entering information about your shrimp, seafood or aquaculture business
Registering your business:Product categories • After selecting the proper product category tab, check the appropriate product items • Be sure to check all that apply to your business
Registering your business:Product details • Check all attributes for your product, including 3rd party verified, product form • This is a searchable database so check all relevant boxes for your business
Registering your business:Product method of sales and markets • Check methods of sale, and markets served • Write business hours of operation, or other information • When done, click “Continue”
Registering your business:Upload images • Browse pictures, click “upload” • When finished uploading pictures, click “continue”
Registering your business:Complete business information • When creating profile, type in all relevant information • Physical address is critical • Be sure to include email address • E-mail will not appear in your public profile • List your primary phone contacts
Registering your business:Complete business information • Write brief description of your business for other business and consumers • Put twitter and facebook information • When done, click “continue”
Registering your business:Contact information • When done click “continue”
Affiliations • When finished click “continue” at the bottom of the page
Registering your business:Review your prolife! Review, then submit!
Confirmation • You receive email confirmation of registration • Your profile will be online in 1-2 days
Questions? If you have any problems with the site, please contact: University of Arkansasmarketmaker@uaex.edu