Trevor Jewiss
University of Guelph
Ruben Burga
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The goal of The Shed Market is to provide high quality, locally sourced food to the Guelph community at a reasonable price and educate customers about how the food they eat gets from the farm to their plates.
The Shed Market is committed to working directly with local farmers, growers, and producers to provide hormone and steroid free meat and other products to its' customers.
Owner, Sheldon, says The Shed Market wants to change the current social mindset that locally sourced, quality food is an unaffordable luxury for most people by offering a wide selection of sustainable, ethically raised products that are competitive with, and sometimes below grocery store and big box prices.
The Shed Market provides customers with a direct connection between the food on their table and the farmers who supply that food by selling high quality, locally produced meat and other products at an affordable price.
The company educates consumers about the superior quality of farm to market products through its' cooking classes, fresh in store meals, website, and catering services.
Making a connection with customers is very important to The Shed. This is motivated by a desire to educate consumers about the company's values and goals and the belief that a customer has a right to know more about the products they consume.
The inspiration for The Shed Market can be summed up with one phrase - doing things the right way.
Created by chefs tired of cooking with food handled and processed at factory farms, they decided to start a company that would not only provide hormone and steroid free products, but have a positive influence on the community, local businesses, and themselves.
The owners of The Shed Market want to change the stigma that you have to pay a premium for quality, locally sourced food. The company is developing a feature on their website to educate consumers about how the farm to table process is superior to the norm and to showcase the importance of supporting locally sourced, sustainable businesses.
The Shed Market is prime example of meeting the UN Goal of zero hunger by providing superior food products at an affordable price, while also having a positive impact on the community.
Another important impact is social responsibility. The Shed Market follows the goals of good health and responsible consumption by selling locally sourced quality meat that is free from the use of hormones or steroids. The business plan further benefits society by educating consumers about the products they consume. Sheldon prides himself on knowing every step in how the meat they sell gets from the farm to the display in his store.
The Shed Market business model also has a substantial impact on the environment. Sourcing meats locally lowers emissions by shortening the time it takes to transport products to market. In addition, the reduced infrastructure of local farms compared to massive factory farms decreases the consumption of natural and fossil fuel to operate these facilities.
The Shed Market sources meat from many small local farms that rely on traditional methods. Purchasing from these farmers, rather than factories, will help sustain these businesses over the long term.
The Shed Market also impacts consumers. Sheldon states in his interview that the company receives a discount from suppliers that they pass onto consumers by “dropping prices on all our protein 7-9%.” Passing along this saving gives consumers more to spend on quality meat and other products without breaking the bank.
Sheldon says the owner of a major company requests that The Shed cater every meeting he attends after hearing about the company's business model for sustainable food.
The Shed Market’s main goal is to educate people on where their food comes from. Every new customer receives a brief lecture on how the company's business model works with local farmers. Using local farmers as suppliers is a huge benefit to the business, as it attracts conscious consumers who respect home grown food and local capability.
Another benefit is the ability to offer high quality products at a reasonable price. The Shed Market tries to avoid acting like a “boutique” type of shop.
Pricing, the support of local farmers, and education of consumers all plays a vital role in attracting and retaining customers.
The Shed Market helps people eat better as they learn more about what gets put in the food they consume.
Buying locally also helps farmers and meat suppliers sustain their businesses. The last thing The Shed Market wants is for their farmers to become factory farmers.
Using local products also benefits the environment. The shorter transportation time needed to get products to market reduces fuel emissions. It also takes less natural and fossil fuel to operate a farm compared to a factory.
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Sheldon, Owner
The Shed Market provides ethically raised and sustainable, locally sourced meats and other food products to the Guelph, Ontario community at an accessible price. A key way it stands apart from competitors is its' mission to educate customers about how the food they eat gets from farm to table.