Thursday, 12 December 2013 00:01
-
- {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Good Market vendors grow from 32 to over 100 during a year
Expanded to Sundays at Araliya Garden car park, Colombo 3
Looking at opening an organic shop featuring vendor products in 2014
By Cheranka Mendis
A year since the Diyatha Uyana stalls were transformed from a plant-lovers’ paradise to an area that is heavy with the sweet aroma of fresh food and happy vibes, Thursdays have now been given a revered spot as a marketing day for fresh food and good buys among Colombo shoppers.
It is a day on which to sneak out of office in search of the freshest vegetables, juiciest fruits, tastiest desserts and responsible products. Good Market days are red star days on the calendar, marking a must-do trip to Battaramulla.
Completing one year of all things good, the Good Market has now expanded its reach, opening their first-ever Sunday Good Market at the Araliya Garden car park located close to Crescat Boulevard.
Joining the Daily FT for an update on the market was one of its main organisers Dr. Amanda Kiessel on the first year anniversary of the curated event.
Merging two needs of society
“We started the Good Market because we saw many producers and entrepreneurs that were trying to benefit the environment, communities, and health even though their stories were unheard,” Kiessel said.
They saw groups engaged in organic production, met organic farmers, and groups taking on fair trade. They also came across exporters of organic products, even though the products were not released in the local market, and some who were selling but with no or minimum local awareness.
“They were making an extra effort to grow organically, maximise their social impact, and produce all natural, environmentally friendly products. We wanted to raise awareness about the good work they are doing,” she said.
At the same time, there were many in Colombo that wanted to buy products that are safe and healthy for their families and that have a positive social and environmental impact. There was a need for a space for these two social needs to come together. Hence the birth of the Good Market.
“The Good Market is a place where ethical producers and ethical consumers can join together.”
Finding space
Kiessel noted that it was not easy finding someone who really understood their drive, let alone interested in promoting the idea. It was during this time that the suggestion to approach the Secretary of Defence and Urban Development came, since in many countries it is the governments that help with this kind of a market.
“The Secretary of Defence himself is a vegetarian and likes organic produce. He was really excited about the concept and was very supportive. Thursdays were the only available day at Diyatha Uyana, and this is how it came to be,” she said.
Having grown from 32 vendors to a network surpassing 100 with a large waiting list of those interested, the organisers of the market decided to expand it to a weekend, a day that people are free to walk around and enjoy the best of nature’s production.
A new chapter for the market
While Thursday’s Good Market will continue its journey, on 8 December a new chapter for the market began as it opened at the Araliya Garden car park.
Having experienced a resounding success on the first day, the Sunday market will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “We will start there with close to 60 vendors, of whom the majority will be those selling on Thursdays and will gradually go on to accommodate 70.”
Starting small, growing big
Over the past year Good Market became an ideal platform for vendors of various levels and scales to grow their business, forge partnerships and expand business.
Kiessel explained: “We have vendors who are exporters but never sold their products locally. A good example is MA’S Foods, which holds a large presence in supermarkets for their spices and curry mixes, but never sold their equally big organic fair trade line in Sri Lanka (only exported). They are using the Good Market to shift towards their organic mission.”
While they have groups that are big but need space to start something new and test the market, there are also new businesses that came up because of the market but have grown rapidly to capture the hearts of many. Eyrie, Panino and The English Cake Company are outstanding examples of the latter.
“We also have a bunch of rural producers who have gotten a lot more organised and opened up a lot of new opportunities. They have developed their product and improved supplies.”
The crowds keep coming
It is hard to estimate how many people visit Good Market a day, she said. However, she noted that there seem to be three crowds visiting Thursday’s market.
During 12 to 2 p.m. there is the serious shopper crowd that comes in to do their groceries before products sell out (most of them do!). This crowd has even begun to pre-order. During the same time period there is a corporate crowd from around the area coming by for lunch. In the evenings after 3 p.m. there are a lot of mothers coming in with their kids.
Keeping the crowds entertained
To keep the little ones entertained, the market hosts various kids programs from 3-5 p.m. Some of the activities change weekly while some are consistent due to popular demand.
The most popular one by far is the Nature Kids program. Held from 4:30-5:30 p.m. every week, children partaking in this receive a different lesson every week under Kanchana Weerakoon in understanding the urban environment and observing nature in this surrounding. Almost every week Creative Playhouse hosts craft classes as well. “We have yoga for kids once a month or so.”
Various artistes are also given a place during the event.
There are two reasons behind this, Kiessel said. “We wanted to be a community space where it is fun to come and you don’t necessarily have to buy anything,” she explained. “In the same way we help vendors come up, we also want to encourage young artists and musicians. We give priority to groups that have original music and try to do something different.”
Over 30 artists and musicians have been supported during the past year.
Partnering for greater good
There are too many heart-warming moments to list, Kiessel remarked when asked to share some of her favourites.
However, it has been fun to watch vendors develop relationships, she added. “Normally when people think about market or business, they think of competition. But here everyone is trying to do something good for society. There have been a lot of partnerships that have come up, one vendor supplying fruits and vegetables to another, and many more little things like that have been fun to witness. Sometimes we don’t even know about it till after it has happened. Collaborations between vendors have been great to witness.”
For vendors, it is not just about Thursdays but a chance to tell their story and keep the community posted on what else they are doing.
What next?
One of the next steps of the Good Market will probably happen in January with the organisers now deliberating on setting up a small natural food and organic shop featuring products of Good Market vendors.
To take organic to the next level this is an essential step and through this shop the vendors will receive the necessary boost to scale up. “If we want to help them scale up, we really need to have a place to sell items if it does not sell on the particular day of the market. We also have a lot of customers telling us that they wished certain products were available to purchase during other times as well.”
Taking it out of Colombo
If another group wants to start a similar project elsewhere, the organisers are fully ready to encourage it, she acknowledged, stating: “It does not all have to be under the Good Market.”
Right now they have received inquiries from Kandy to start a Kandy Good Market, which they are pleased to help with. “It is hard for organic groups in Kandy to come to Colombo right now because they do not have enough products. But if they start there, they can build up there.”
Pix by Lasantha Kumara
