Selling Tomatoes to a Resturant

18 years ago

I had a farmers market meeting tonight in a neighboring town. Another vendor and I decided to grab a bite after the meeting and he took me to a new place. He new the people who opened it. The lady was one of my very loyal customers last summer. She started talking and said she wanted to buy tomatoes from me. She want to know if I would take orders, in addition to buying on market day. I was really blown away. I know I grew some good maters, but I never thought I would be selling to a resturant. Yes it is a very small place, but solid weekly sales would be very nice. Maybe I should plant a few more plants and not give them away?????

All this discussion has me thinking.

I have a couple questions to anyone who has or is doing this.

1) Do you take a little less per pound to sell more?

2) Do you sign some sort of contract or is a handshake and a person word good enough. I know what alot of people will say, contract, but I thought I would ask.

Thanks for your thoughts.

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Comments (5)

triple_b
18 years ago
Hey, good luck on that! I hope it goes well for you. Not many folks get to follow their hobby/passion AND get paid for it. Many do try though. All the best to you. Do you grow heirlooms? THAT will make for some good restaurant food.
dave1mn2
18 years ago
~~~ 1) Do you take a little less per pound to sell more? ~~~

Thats usually how things go but if you have pricing power, why not use it? You have to feel that one out to see if the increaced production is worth the effort.

~~~ 2) Do you sign some sort of contract or is a handshake and a person word good enough. I know what alot of people will say, contract, but I thought I would ask. ~~~

There are few things more gratifying to me than being able to pull off a win/win deal on a handshake but you do have to cover your risk. Again, you have to feel this out and judge the importance of risk coverage of your increaced input costs vs. expected gain.

I would be careful about committed quantities. If you have a problem with your crop, you don't want to be in the position of having to buy lrg. quantities at wholesale to sell at wholesale, especially if you have named any non common varieties.

If I were the other side of this deal, I'd require from you price breaks for lack of quantity commitment.

Best of Luck!
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carolyn137
18 years ago
PLease read the thread below now on this first page titled Has Anyone Sold their tomatoes. Lots of good info there.

Carolyn, who sold tomatoes to several restaurants and had the pleasure of cutting off one of the chef's b/c all he wanted was German Red Strawberries delivered and I had but three plants and he got cranky and more so...... LOL
triple_b
18 years ago
People who have never grown tomatoes have NO idea of the limitations that are set by Ma Nature. They are outdoor grown (which is why chefs want them, they are superior) and at the end of the day are still subject to the whims of the abovesaid Momma.
carolyn137
18 years ago
and at the end of the day are still subject to the whims of the abovesaid Momma.

*****

If I'm the above said Momma you don't me to post here what actually happened in terms of colorful language. And no whims were involved. LOL

When I was contacted by a chef wanting to buy tomatoes I'd take to him or her flats filled with examples and also a certain book to show pictures of others and also a growout list and go over the possibilities with each and every chef.

And they were also told about weather, as in don't expect a delivery if it's been raining heavily, and they were also told that while they certainly could request certain varieties that no promises could be made as to what was actually delivered.

So this chef knew all that and threw a hissy fit with quite colorful words when he couldn't have his GRS fruits. That was the first time it happened, and when it happened the second time, with even more colorful words I said that's it. I don't need to take such abuse and told him he could go back to ordering his Yellow Pears from CA at an exorbitant price. And told him to see if ANYONE would deliver GRS's at each delivery b/c I couldn't.

And then I exited left. LOL

Carolyn