| About the Virtual Farmers Market |
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Introduction to the Virtual Farmers Market. Click the play button to hear what Marcus has to say.
The Virtual Farmer's Market is the brainchild of Marcus Carter who came up with the concept whilst working on his market stall at the Partridges Farmer's Market (Sloane Sq end of the Kings Road, London) one Saturday morning. He wanted to share the farmer's market experience with more people so they too could share his passion for exquisitely produced artisan food & drink. Bringing the experience into peoples homes seemed the ideal way to do this as many people do not have the time, or the means, to visit their local farmer's market. The online Virtual Farmer's Market was born. Seeing the face behind the food has never been more important, and the Virtual Farmer's Market allows shoppers to 'meet' the producer via video streams on the website. The Virtual Farmer's Market acts as a hub where consumers and independent food manufacturers can trade on-line with national consolidated distribution. A little more about Marcus in is own words...
Patchwork manufacture Pate to the independent food trade both throughout the UK and Ireland. I set up an export arm and we supplied agents in Japan, Hong Kong, and several European countries. I recently left Patchwork to start up my own food distribution company (Carter Food House) selling artisan food products to butchers in and around London. Once I thought of the Virtual Farmer's Market concept I met Roger Saunt, my business partner at Digital Presence, and the rest they say is history. |
I was educated in North Wales and left school at 16 to work as a Jackeroo in New South Wales, Australia. I mustered large numbers of cattle on horseback and ultimately managed land irrigation. I returned to the UK after 8 years. On my return I was offered a place at an agricultural college in Devon and after three years gained my Diploma in Agriculture. I then obtained a post with Genus Breeding (An arm of the now defunct Milk Marketing Board) managing their Artificial Insemination programme from bull selection to matching strengths to weaknesses with the aim of herd improvement. I looked after 230 farms and after 8 years left them to manage sales in Patchwork Foods, my family business.
