The FayreTrade Market

The FayreTrade Market is the business title that our group came up with for our design studies project. The purpose was to create a business proposal for an ethical company that provides a product or service that will appeal to the Post-consumer. It was after much consideration of what it was we wanted to do. We wanted to create something that would be appealing and get the community to work together as well as help others.

This is what we came up with. The FayreTrade Market. This is a new service that is aimed at the post consumer revolution. This is to encourage people in urban areas to grow their own food (fruit and vegetables) at home. An event would be held four times throughout the year. It would be here that people can book a stall to set up their produce and re able to trade with other stalls or people coming in with a few homegrown produce to trade for a few other things.

Our tag-line "Grow your own, Trade your own" is a very simple and powerful message that is easy for people to follow and understand.

We always took into consideration that this would more than likely be a non profitable service, but we took pride in knowing that what little profit we would make the key outcome is that the community worked together to support a sustainable, healthy, fair trade service. This also shows the importance of buying locally and saves food mileage at an astonishing level. Instead of buying food that has been transported from elsewhere in Europe or further abroad, growing and trading your own food is much better for the planet. Those who are knew to this experience of homegrown can come along and share knowledge with those who already do this..

Our group also came up with an option where those who are committed to FayreTrade and its values can purchase a growers card. This is a membership that is cheaper than paying for a stall every time the event is held. There is however a limited number of grower positions available. The first ten applicants every season will automatically become a grower. They would even be saving £6 and paying only £18 for the entire year. Whereas those who would pay upon entry would need to pay £6.

As a way to further encourage people to grow their own produce we would sell Grower packs that would include a bag of soil, watering can, seeds, gloves, trowel etc. so that they can start their own little area in their garden or on the roof of the flats if available. Seasonal packs would also be available. Another item we would have available is recipe cards. These would include various meal recipes for game, vegetables, fruit etc. if there are any recipes that people would like to add all they would have to do is to get in touch with FayreTrade and let us know so we could include it in the future. the recipe cards will also be seasonal and will change every time the event is held.

As a way to help people understand the best times to begin growing certain food, seasonal charts will be available at each event or can be downloaded on the FayreTrade website. The charts will also change depending on the area where the events are being held, such as the area around Dundee or the area around Edinburgh and Glasgow.

To help alert people of who we are as well as when and where we will be will be advertised on the website but also by Facebook, Twitter, as well as posters and handing out flyer's and even an advert in the local paper.

We also had a one year plan, then a three and five year plan to show how much profit and how popular the service would be depending on the sales made. This would expand every year to bigger communities, as well as heading down into England and Wales. The profit we would end up getting would be from all the packs and recipe cards.

A summary of what we want to provide for people is:

Grow your own

Community spirit

Encourage trading local produce

Be sustainable

Establish a trusted name.