Farmers Market Management Services (FMMS) creates opportunities for regional farmers and local food providers to offer their products to consumers.
We see ourselves as a vital part of the story around healthy communities, sustainability, and economic development.
FMMS exists to educate, advocate and connect.
Our first priorities are to:
- Create marketing, promotion and brand development to represent the connections between our existing regional markets.
- Provide opportunities for networking and sharing of best practices between market managers.
- Communicate the interests of markets at city, state and federal levels with partners like the Charlotte Mecklenburg Food Policy Council and the North Carolina Farmers Market Network.
- Support the expansion and promotion of food assistance programs like SNAP and EBT with partners like the Mecklenburg County Health Department.
Currently managing …
Our goals are to:
- Become a key player in creating urban/rural connections.
- Offer coordinated farmer applications and farm inspections.
- Supply solutions to deal with food overage, food rescue, and value-added product production.
- Establish farmers markets in areas not currently served.
Dedicated to the growth and promotion of local food and farms in the Carolinas
Leadership rich in experience and passion about local food.
A Charlotte-area native, Lynn Caldwell partnered with a South End developer to introduce the year-round Atherton Market in 2010. Now South End Farmers Market. In 2014, Lynn developed the Charlotte Food Innovation District Plan: a platform to encourage the development of food businesses to address food aggregation and distribution; as well as a culinary and agricultural incubator.
Born and raised in the North Carolina mountains, Samantha DeRosa grew up with a strong love of local food and, upon reaching 21, local wine. She is a leading advocate of North Carolina wines, previously working with Charlotte Food & Wine Weekend and as Wine Coordinator of the Sensoria Food & Wine festival – a collaboration of CPCC and Piedmont Culinary Guild. In 2015, Sam became the Director of South End (née Atherton) Market, and currently oversees all FMMS-managed farmers markets.
With over 45 years of marketing and promotional experience, local food advocate Tom Petaccia has conceived and written successful marketing promotional programs for a wide range of industries, covering everything from banking to transportation to food & beverage to microprocessors – as well as the United States Army. In addition to his other clients, he is leading the branding efforts for South End Farmers Market and North End Farmers Market – as well as the expansion of the FMMS identity.
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