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Dunkirk Farmers Market adopts new technology for advance ordering

On Sept. 5, Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas announced the beginning of a local food partnership between Erie-2 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES (E2CCB) and the Dunkirk Farmers Market. Each week, E2CCB staff place orders with Dunkirk Market vendors using the free FreshFoodNY app. On Wednesdays, orders are delivered to the LoGuidice campus, and can be picked up between 3-4 p.m.

“We were looking for a way to make healthy, local food more accessible to our staff,” Linda Finn, Wellness Committee coordinator at E2CCB, said. “Having farm-fresh foods delivered straight to our workplace saves a trip for those whose work and personal commitments make a farmers market visit difficult.”

“The Dunkirk Farmers Market’s customer base at LoGuidice has been the fastest in New York to adopt the mobile app and order from participating vendors,” said Jacqueline Lachevre of Crave Food Systems, the partner and curator of the mobile app technology powering FreshFoodNY. “I have been really impressed.”

“This program is a great fit for the Dunkirk Market,” Sarah Sorci, Dunkirk Farmers Market manager, said. “Because our Market runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays, folks who work full-time may not have the opportunity to come. This program opens up a new customer base to our vendors. Because the delivery can be made by one person each week, the program doesn’t require much more of our vendors’ limited time.”

Participating vendors include Roberto Fred Farms (fruit, vegetables, preserves), For Peate’s Sake Homestead (free-range meat, eggs, honey) and Becki’s Bakery (variety of baked goods).

The Dunkirk Farmers Market is taking advantage of technology created by the Farmers Market Federation of New York, in partnership with Rhode Island-based food technology company Crave Food Systems, to empower markets across the state. Since many consumers are used to the convenience of online shopping, the FreshFoodNY app for iOS and Android allows customers to browse the Dunkirk Market all week long at their convenience. Payments are made with a credit card through the app, and no money is exchanged at pickup.

If individuals not on staff at E2CCB are interested in ordering through FreshFoodNY, they may do so by selecting “Dunkirk Farmers Market” as the pickup location. Customers can pick up orders at the Dunkirk Market between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Customers may pick up orders after market hours, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the city of Dunkirk recreation office in the Senior Center building (45 Cliffstar Court, Dunkirk). The Market is scheduled to run through Oct. 24.

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