Farm to table. It’s a concept gaining in popularity especially during this pandemic. Now, imagine if your local farmers market and a grocery delivery service combined forces.
Farmstop is helping everyone, from metro Detroiters to our Michigan farmers, rebound during the pandemic with over 400 products now being grown, packaged, and delivered in our backyard.
"We give people an opportunity, an alternative way of shopping," said Brad Berry from Farmstop, a twist on your average farm stand. You’ll find locally sourced groceries customized and packaged for you to pick up or, even better, delivered directly to your front door in a service model much like Instacart and Shipt.
Simply select your groceries online, choose a delivery time, and watch the farm to table concept come to life.
Brad Berry and Jonathan Sitko are the two college friends who launched Farmstop amidst COVID-19 and the service couldn’t have come at a better time for risk-averse customers looking to minimize exposure to the virus.
"There are some people that can’t go to the grocery store, they’re immune-compromised," said Jonathan Sitko.
"There is less people handling our products," said Natalie Peterson. "Which we really enjoy."
When they hatched the idea eight months ago providing convenience to customers was just the half of it.
"The profits, which would normally go to large corporations out of state, you're sending right back into your own community," said Sitko.
That community? A network of struggling Michigan farmers who normally get just 30% of a sale. Farmstop is aiming to triple that number.
Seventy to eighty vendors are now working with Farmstop on a daily basis, including local mainstays like Donahee Farms, Guernsey, and Avalon Bakery.
By supporting those farmers, they’re growing the farms, they’re also supporting local businesses and it’s a cycle.
A cycle of farmers feeding families, and families feeding local agriculture the support they need to rebound.
