A father and daughter team has launched an app for consumers to browse and buy from local farm shops for delivery or collection.
The ‘virtual farmers’ market app’ – called Famooshed – allows local farm shops to list their products for free, with the platforms taking a 15% cut of the subtotal of each order.
The app has been launched by Eden France and her father Simon France, in response to consumer trends towards buying locally and supporting nearby businesses.
“With the rising demand for sustainable, local and traceable produce, we saw an opportunity to create a community-driven marketplace in which customers can source products from local businesses,” Eden France told The Grocer.
“In talking to our merchants, we found footfall at traditional farmers’ market has been declining in recent years with the shift to online shopping. This has meant local businesses and artisanal producers have been struggling to access and grow their customer bases.
“The app empowers local farmers and artisans to grow and prosper and by joining our platform, they become part of a supportive ecosystem that values their hard work,” she added.
According to a Virgin Media O2 Business Index, 70% of shoppers express a desire to support small or local businesses. Shopping on their local high street is important to 64% of Brits who are willing to spend, on average, 19% more to support local businesses.
“Our family has always been passionate about shopping locally and the merits of local, fresh produce. We also wanted to help to support local businesses and economies in creating a solution to an industry-wide issue,” France added.
At present the app does not have its own delivery service, with fulfilment handled by the sellers, who also have the option to offer click & collect.
In time the app would “foster a community of local loving shoppers” it said, with users able to access virtual farm tours, cooking demos and live Q&A sessions with local farmers.
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