To the Market We Go
From Augusta to Macon to Savannah, there are a total of nine state farmers’ markets scattered across Georgia, offering a mix of wholesale and retail sales. These markets are responsible for more than $1 billion in sales each year and are home to dozens of businesses employing thousands of workers. Eighty-five percent of these businesses are based at the state’s biggest and most well-known market: the Atlanta State Farmers Market.
Although the first Atlanta Market was built in the 1920s on Central Avenue, it moved to its current location in Forest Park in 1959. “I think we’re positioned in the right place,” says Paul Thompson, the market’s manager. “We’re just on the south side of Atlanta right by the airport, and we’ve got rail access. It’s a great place to be.”
Joshua Anderson, team lead for produce at C.L. Services, Inc. in Atlanta, has similar thoughts. “Atlanta makes for a great central location for the Southeast produce industry. As a transportation company [with our] hub near the Farmers Market, airport, ports, and cold storage facilities, we’re able to assist multiple customers with different business requirements.”
There are also exciting changes on the horizon for the Market itself. On the lower side of the market, six sheds will be removed and replaced by a 77,000-square foot refrigerated space. “It will be the largest one-time improvement to the Market since its inception,” enthuses Thompson. “We hope to break ground this calendar year, and the space should be occupied in the first part of 2018.”
Also located on the market is the Atlanta Produce Dealers Association (APDA). “We welcome membership for distribution companies, retailers, and wholesalers of produce, as well as associate members like banks and transportation companies that do business with our members,” explains Bonnie Wilson, the group’s chairman and vice president at Sutherland’s Foodservice, Inc. on the Market. Founded in 1947, the APDA serves as an advocate for the local produce industry and liaises withgovernment officials.
Retail Corner
With a surge of new supermarkets entering the area in recent years, the retail scene across the state—and particularly in metro Atlanta—is extremely competitive. “We continue to see a wide variety of retailers in Georgia, from large nationwide retailers to regional players to smaller specialty stores,” Shuman remarks.
Scott views it as a healthy mix of independents and chains. For example, Super H and Buford Highway Farmers Market cater to the area’s large Asian population, while independents offer a variety of specialty foods and store formats. That said, Kroger, Publix, and Walmart still reign supreme in Georgia’s $13 billion grocery industry, representing more than three-quarters of the state’s grocery stores.
