The Resurgence of the Farmers’ Market & Why Your Craft Food Labels Matter

The popularity of farmers' markets has waxed and waned over the years. For a while, the supermarket, that mecca of one-stop shopping, threatened to push farmers' markets to the edges of the food shopping scene. But quality often suffers at the altar of convenience, and these days many shoppers are looking for quality ingredients, from more local sources. And so the farmers’ market is on the rise again, with nearly 10,000 markets now open throughout the United States. 

For craft food suppliers, this is a major business boon. You can have the best-looking booth at the farmers' markets, but if your product packaging is not appealing enough, then it’s just wasted effort. Jazzing up your craft food labels will give you the chance to meet and greet your ideal customers, get to know them better, and talk up your goods. Let’s dive in. 

What is a Farmers’ Market?

Before supermarkets and chains of big box stores peppered the landscape, people relied much more heavily on locally-produced food and goods. Small, specialized businesses were the norm. And so were farmers’ markets.

Farmers’ markets are gathering places for farmers, craft food producers and other vendors to sell their goods. Some are small but many are fairly large, a sprawl of booths and tables and even tents, since markets can often be held outdoors. Some markets are both indoors and out, with vendors spreading out from a central building.

And don’t let the name fool you – these days farmers’ markets feature far more than just farmers’ goods. With more and more people wanting to buy local and 62% of shoppers saying they want affordable organic choices, craft and artisanal food producers and vendors are just as popular at these markets. 

Sounds exciting, right? It is. But before you set up your farm stand display, you need to make sure the labels you’ve created for your honey, jams, spices, hot sauces, and other craft foods are doing everything they can to make YOU stand out. 

Labels Can Make Your Brand Stand Out at the Farmers’ Market

Your labels will inevitably do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to selling your products. We eat with our eyes, after all. And if a food’s packaging doesn’t look appealing, or send out the right vibe about what’s inside, it’s going to influence a potential customer’s yay or nay decision.

You only have a few brief seconds to catch someone’s eye as they stroll through a loud and crowded market. So what can you do to stand out? Start by making an awesome product, of course. And then? Design a label that grabs people’s attention and holds it. Nail these four key elements of craft food label design and your next sale is in the bag.

Color

Color is mood. So, how are you going to set the mood? There’s a whole science behind color and buyers’ psychology. Incorporating colorful visuals have been shown to increase someone’s focus on it by 80%. So you want to be eye-catching. But the biggest guiding factor to choosing your colors and color scheme will be your brand. Who are you, what are you all about? And do the colors on your labels suit the mood and aesthetic you want potential buyers to associate with your brand?

Red is a popular color for food labels and signs. Take a look at this label, it connects shoppers with what’s actually in the jar. The bright red strawberry, and red text saying “strawberry,” makes you almost taste the bright sweet flavor of the jam inside.

Font

Your font is your tone of voice. And the way you talk to your customer's matters. Not just in person but through social media, on your website and, you guessed it, on your craft food labels as well. A study even showed how something as small as a font can influence a viewer’s mood, and therefore their buying decisions.

A handwritten font, whether printed or cursive, is a craft food favorite. But don’t rule out trying other kinds of fonts, especially if they work with your brand’s aesthetic. Readability is key, of course, so keep that in mind as well while on the hunt for the perfect font.

A font can whisper, or it can scream. When it comes to hot sauce, fonts, colors and graphics are often loud – leaving no doubt about the powerful pungent punch the product proudly carries.

Info & Infographics

From your name to allergy warnings and nutritional information, expiration dates, tips on how to use the product or even short recipes – and don’t forget your website! – your labels have a lot they need to say. And while it’s easy to get overwhelmed, think of this as an opportunity to refine your pitch (which is kind of what every label is, right?). You only get a person’s attention, either in person or when they see your product, for a very short time. So, what do you need to say?

Consider the info you want to include while font and color hunting. Everything needs to work together. Is your tone going to be friendly and folksy? Your colors and the way you present your company, your product and information about each all need to work together to create a strong, focused vibe.

Layout

So you know what you need to say, how you want to say it, the information and even graphics or pictures you want to use. Now you have to figure out how to put it all together, in a pretty tiny area. Utilize the space you have available by thinking beyond the front of your box, jar or bottle. Sides, top and bottom are all viable real estate.

Creative use of the space, without overcrowding any one area, will grab a shopper’s interest, make them pick up your product and turn it this way and that to read the labels. And if your product is in their hands it’s already halfway sold. Take a look at that raw honey label! By using an image of a honeycomb, the label appears more appealing because it shows that the product is natural and organic. Talk about straight from the hive! 

Standing Out with Stomp

Farmers’ markets are on the rise in both rural and urban areas. Farm-to-table is also becoming more common as well. There is a huge opportunity today for craft food makers and suppliers to expand their businesses. However, it also means that standing out is imperative.

Creating craft food labels that showcase your product are essential. Craft and artisanal foods are all about time and quality, and you want the visual elements of your brand marketing and advertising to reflect that. The right labels use every element, from color and font to info and pictures, to really sell your product.

Ready to start your next craft food label design? Make your labels pop with Stomp Stickers’ easy-peasy online design tool. Approve your art right away, click that print button and you’ll be a farmers’ market success story before you know it. 

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