Advertise With Memphis Farmers Market
Memphis Farmers Market operations, events and products are sponsored every year by local businesses and organizations. Their support has helped build a successful market that is an asset to the Memphis area community.To become a sponsor or learn about sponsorship benefits, download and submit our sponsorship packet.
To learn more about how you can contribute financially, in-kind, or advertise, send us your questions.
Sponsorship/Advertising Audience
Our customer surveys show that most market shoppers attend every week and come predominately from Downtown and Midtown Memphis. They spend between $40 and $50 each visit and the majority is between 31 and 70 years of age.
Market Quick Stats
- Over 65,000 people will visit the market this season to shop with 60+ vendors.
- The market will host over 100 music, nutrition, community and cooking events this season.
- More than 100 friends, sponsors and partners contributed financially to the market in 2008.
- We send our weekly email newsletter to 3,300+ recipients - and growing. We have over 2,000 Facebook fans – and growing.
- The market is supported by a team of over 400 hard working, passionate volunteers.
- Our 2008 annual Harvest Celebration generated over $20,000 in contributions from more than 350 attendees.
- Vendor and attendee numbers have nearly doubled since 2006, resulting in an estimated $4.5 million economic impact in 2008 for the Memphis area.
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Why We Need Your Support
Memphis Farmers Market is a volunteer run non-profit that is supported financially by grants, memberships, sponsorships, vendor fees and merchandise income. Vendors retain all of their sales income – MFM does not receive a percentage of vendor sales. The market operates on a small budget that supports an array of operating expenses that include insurance, permits, licenses, signage, utilities, site improvements, marketing, promotions, a part-time market manager, and more. The market costs over $100,000 annually to run and we especially rely on generous financial donations to implement our marketing, operations, site development, health education and community relations programs to achieve our mission goals.
Our Mission
To serve as a community gathering place where local farmers, producers, and artisans can offer fresh agricultural and related products.
Our goals:
- Improve the community's nutrition options with the highest quality seasonal produce
- Assist area farmers, producers, and artisans with sustainable business opportunities
- Generate a sense of local pride and further the economic development of our community
- Provide a vehicle to educate the community on the importance of nutrition to good health
How We Use Financial Contributions
We use your generous contributions to fulfill our mission by continuously improving the farmers market shopping experience and nutrition options and growing our vendors’ sustainable business opportunities. We also provide the Memphis area community with good health and nutrition education via fun, engaging activities. We’re proud to have generated an estimated $4.5 million in local economic impact from these activities that you help fund.
2008 Accomplishments
Here are some of the accomplishments we’re proud of in the 2008 season.
Site Improvements
The MFM market site offers all the right characteristics of a successful market: parking, visibility, and proximity to other weekend destinations. To further enhance our prime, Downtown Central Station location, we’ve made some improvements for the 2008 season and beyond:
- Pavilion seating, tables and beautification for our patrons.
- Site control: monitoring public entry and exit access, accommodating pets via the Pet-Sitting Station, increasing vendor assistance throughout the day, and directing additional volunteers to maintaining site safety, cleanliness, and smooth operations.
- Safety: permanent ADA signage, caution warnings at all stepdown points, parking directionals, safety and health regulation signage, and more.
- Recycling: This season, MFM provides recycling container bins for plastic and aluminum. We also serve Market Café coffee in recyclable paper cups provided by International Paper.
- Security: MFM provides onsite security during market hours.
Market Cafe
In 2008, the MFM proudly introduced a new Market Café cart featuring coffee by the cup in several flavorful varieties. Each week, we fresh-brew java served in eco-friendly cups and sleeves, generously provided by International Paper, that are made from compostable, recycled materials. To avoid recycling altogether, we now offer Memphis Farmers Market insulated, reusable to-go mugs. And don’t miss the fresh donuts and bagels!
Demonstration Garden
The market’s new demonstration garden is in full swing with sprouting and flourishing vegetables and herbs, filling the 4-foot by 16-foot raised bed adjacent to the market plaza. MFM board member Lawrence Migliara planted and now tends the garden that was designed to show market shoppers and their children how things grow, while giving a better understanding of where healthy, natural food comes from. The garden is now brimming with corn, five varieties of tomatoes, okra, three varieties of bell peppers and two varieties of squash, cucumbers, eggplant, carrots, lettuce, cilantro, parsley, thyme, and watermelons. The demonstration garden shows how, in a small space, people can construct their own raised vegetable plot in relative ease and still benefit from the pleasure and satisfaction of harvesting their bounty. We invite market-goers to stop by the garden each week during their market visit to watch the growing progress. It should be at its peak of productivity in late August. Come take a look!
Market Events
The market continues its tradition of hosting a variety of events that cater to a variety of interests. Here are some successful events we’ve hosted this season.
Pet Adoption Good Dog Rescue and Save One Pet host dog adoption days at the market periodically. It’s a great way to meet and adopt your new four-legged family member.
Health & Nutrition Improving the community's nutrition options with the highest quality seasonal produce and providing a vehicle to educate the community on the importance of nutrition to good health is part of our market mission. Each week at the market the Harvesting Good Health table features programs and education focusing on different areas of health and nutrition, such as good diet, blood pressure, heart health and more. Here is a summary of some of the Harvesting Good Health events we’ve offered this season.
- Shop the Market with an R.D. Market-goers visit with a registered and licensed dietitian who specializes in wellness nutrition, weight management, and other nutrition disciplines.
- Free Blood Pressure Check. Get a blood pressure check and pick up some heart healthy recipes. Find out why blood pressure checks are important, and get some heart healthy tips, nutritional updates and recipes.
- Celebrate Women’s Health Day. Stop by the Harvesting Good Health table for information on breast health including Breast self exam, osteoporosis, & basic women's health screenings.
- Downtown Bike Tours. The Memphis Hightailers Bicycle Club is leading free, 2-hour bike tours this season every 1st and 3rd Saturdays. The tours start and end at the market and include a tour guide and escort cyclist.
Community Outreach
MFM has partnered with organizations to spread the benefits of farmer markets into the local community. A few of our community outreach activities include:
- Youth Villages visit where we hosted a group of teenage boys to learn about gardening and the benefits of eating fresh, local foods.
- Flower Power senior center visits to area senior centers where we donated flower bouquets to spread the positive emotional power flowers give those in need .
- EBT, Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). MFM is working to provide electronic payment options to accept food stamp and EBT cards. Several vendors currently accept SFMNP payment.
Current Market Sponsors
Our Community Partners
Memphis Farmers Market collaborates with community partners like local healthcare providers, coalitions of not-for-profit organizations and agencies, faith-based groups, fitness centers and government agencies to provide activities focused on educating the community on the importance of nutrition and good health. The MFM has established partnerships with the following organizations to further its mission: