"In our year here, our hot sauce has now landed in nine different countries, we're in 24 different states," said chef Sarah Germany, owner of her namesake Oakland-based hot sauce company. This highlights the far-reaching impact of participating in the Farmers Market and support from Foodwise, showing how local products can achieve international success.
"We actually cover their permit fees and help them with technical assistance, marketing, promotion, things like that. This is lower risk for them to jump start their businesses and test out their products before they fully commit to something," said Deven Okry, operations coordinator with Foodwise. This illustrates Foodwise's commitment to nurturing early-stage BIPOC food entrepreneurs and reducing barriers to entry.
"It started out with me just being here at the farmers market and starting to build connections to where now people they've either seen me on Foodwise's website, they've seen me at Foodwise's summer bash. It has just opened up so many opportunities outside of being at the farmers market," said Sierra Young, owner of Mangosay. This emphasizes the community-building aspect of Foodwise and its market, showcasing how it fosters important business connections.
"These people are more than friends, they're family at this point," said Okry. This statement encapsulates the strong sense of community that develops among the participants at the Farmers Market, creating lasting relationships beyond mere business interactions.
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