3 ms·
The rule of thumb is simple: more middlemen equals lower share going to the person actually making the thing. I had this revelation too when I started buying f
by brnt 5y ago
The rule of thumb is simple: more middlemen equals lower share going to the person actually making the thing.
I had this revelation too when I started buying food from farmers direct and was surprised at the low prices. Its kinda obvious, when you think about it.
- nanis 5y ago> more middlemen equals lower share going to the person actually making the thing. Most people forget that the transaction might not have taken place were it not for said middleman.
- treis 5y agoEh,that's not entirely true. The farmer has to box up their produce in retail sized bits instead of shipping a truck sized load for someone else to do that. They also have to pay someone to man a store, handle returns, etc. Same deal for online retail. You've gotta have a warehouse, someone to box orders, a website to take orsers, customer service, etc. This all costs money and Amazon has the scale to do it all a lot cheaper than you can.
- bombcar 5y agoThat’s why “farmer direct” often has you doing the bulk of the pick work.
- a9h74j 5y agoOr the least practical packaging as with a CSA.
- brnt 5y agoNever heard or seen that here. They still have their pickers (and butcher), they just don't have an intermediary come take it at prenegotiated prices which then sells it to some grocer, they just sell it direct in their own shop. Meat is frozen, the rest fresh and on shelves.
- bcrosby95 5y agoProbably depends upon how exactly it's done. Our local farms let us come out and pick our own food. They weigh it at the end and charge us based on that. It's cheaper than anywhere else. And fun for the kids.
- logifail 5y ago> The farmer has to box up their produce in retail sized bits instead of shipping a truck sized load for someone else to do that. They also have to pay someone to man a store, handle returns, etc. We're able to get fresh milk from a local farm. It's (literally) sold ten steps from where it's milked, you can hear - and smell - the cows in the building. It comes from a chilled stainless steel vessel with a spigot, you bring your own bottle and serve yourself, and as for payment processing ... there's an honesty box.
- cycomanic 5y agoExcept for the fact that many of the large supermarket chains have the farmer put the vegetables into the boxes that are used in displays. Even more the farmers have to buy the boxes and are charged a rental fee. The world of supermarkets and how they deal with their suppliers is truly screwed up.