Attracting more than 3,500 visitors a day, the flourishing Market is open seven days a week, 24 hours per day, 364 days a year (the market is only closed to the public on Christmas Day). During the holiday season, the Atlanta State Farmers Market also serves as a major distribution center for Christmas trees, selling an average of 250,000 trees each year.
Selling more than $1.1 billion worth of goods in 2012 from the state’s 159 counties and beyond, the Market employs more than 3,700 and has an estimated payroll of $75 million. The Market’s produce-retail area includes 18 open sheds (576 stalls) and six enclosed sheds (96 stalls).
Although vendors sell fruit and vegetables grown throughout the Southeast, the vast majority of produce on the market is Georgia-grown (see table on previous page for some examples by specific unit type). In 2012 the market sold just under $3.2 million in Georgia-grown tomatoes (all types), $3.1 million in watermelon, $2.1 million in collard greens, and $1.4 million in bell peppers. Vidalia onions and cantaloupe both had sales just shy of the million-dollar mark, while cabbage, corn, cucumbers, hot peppers, and squash all had annual sales over $500,000.
A sampling of the most popular fruit and vegetables not grown within state or in sufficient quantities to meet demand include apples, bananas, bell peppers, grapes, iceberg lettuce, lemons, onions, potatoes, strawberries, and tomatoes—especially Roma tomatoes.
Advantages
Although it’s been around for more than seven decades, the Atlanta State Farmers Market has evolved by leaps and bounds since its inception. “The Market is continually changing as is our produce industry,” points out Brian Young, vice president of Coosemans Atlanta, Inc., which receives and ships a wide range of fruit, vegetables, and specialty items.
Young says the market has made countless improvements over the years, including additional warehouse space, improved energy-efficient lighting, increased awareness of locally grown produce, and seen new leadership within the Georgia Department of Agriculture. “These changes, along with the demographics of Atlanta and surrounding areas, are all good for business,” he adds.
