“When we first started, Justin and I drove around for six months finding people, recruiting cheese-makers, honey-makers etcetera,” says one of the men behind the Neighbourgoods Markets (Cape Town and Johannesburg), Cameron Munro. That was back in 2006, when fresh produce markets conjured images of country bumpkins, musty-smelling anoraks and a certain breed of hippy. Since then, the market scene has been re-positioned as a hip place to eat and shop, and has turned a square of turf at a produce market into hot property. Today, most of the country’s most popular markets have long waiting lists and getting in is no picnic. So how do you get a chance to showcase your wares?

Skipping the queue
As the popularity of markets has grown, many organisers have taken their application process online in order to streamline the process. (Scroll down to the bottom for a list of links to online applications.)

Once you’ve applied, you’ll need plenty of patience. All the markets we spoke to have waiting lists – many of them sixty vendors long or longer. At the Neighbourgoods Markets, Cameron explains that spots are particularly slow to open up due to a low vendor turnover rate. But the encouraging news (at least for those with a really amazing offering) is that these lists are not necessarily treated numerically.

“If something is really interesting and we think the public is really going to love it, obviously that gets priority,” says Cameron. Items that are of a very high quality; have great, sustainable origins; and are not already on offer at the market, are more likely to get a spot.

Retha Van Hoven of the Hazel Food Market says that for her, it’s equally important to be doing something that you really love and are passionate about. “People ask what I need at the market, but I always ask what are they good at. If you’re not passionate about it, you’re not going to do it well.”

You’ve also got to have the right personality, says Christine Standeaven of Shongweni Market in KZN. “Reliability, strength of character, well-planned setup, and of course the product they are selling,” lists Christine as her criteria.

It’s also important to find out whether your product is suited to the market in question. “See if it’s the type of market where people come to socialise and eat something, or the type of market where people are more inclined to buy special ingredients for home cooking,” advise Callie Maritz and Mari-Louis Guy, authors of Make Give Sell, a recipe book packed with recipes designed for those selling at markets.

Taking the gap
Once you’re on the waiting list, seize any opportunity to fill in for cancellations, or special event markets. Cameron mentions that the Neighbourgoods Market is also actively recruiting food trucks to create a ‘kraal’ area, with two new ones starting this Saturday. They’re also investigating the possibility of starting a night market in the Cape Town city bowl within the next six months or so, and Cameron can confirm that they’ll be accepting some new traders for these markets in order to offer something fresh and interesting.

The costs
Costs of stands vary greatly across the country. The different markets we spoke to varied from R114 all the way up to R800 per stand per market. Some markets also have a tiered pricing structure for different types of stalls. “There’s a much smaller mark-up on fresh fruit and vegetables than on something like a bottle of wine,” explains Cameron.

Aside from the cost of ingredients and renting a stand, you also need to consider all the other costs. “Look at the buying power of the people attending, and the practicality of costs like travelling in relation to the mark-up on produce you will be selling,” advises Christine.

Once you’re in
Kate Shrire started The Creamery in November 2011 with just one employee, Marianne Visser. Today, the business has five permanent employees and around 12 part-timers staffers, and Marianne reveals they are even beginning to look tentatively at a retail space. So what’s their secret?

Marianne emphasises the importance of finding out what else is out there. When Kate first began developing their ice cream, great quality artisanal ice cream was something of a rarity. Appearances are also all-important. “Making your stall look really great and having it stand out definitely makes a difference,” says Marianne. “Make sure that people walking by can immediately see what you are selling and at what price,” add Callie and Mari-Louis.

“Stalls that have the person present who makes the product do much better,” observes Retha of Hazel Food Market. “Somebody else never has the same passion.” She’s also noticed that traders who sit down at their stalls sell less. “I’d say they sell about 30% less than people who stand up and interact with the customers.” She also recommends using taste samples as a tool to help people to engage with you.

“Be ready to trade from your first booked market; do not arrive with a half-hearted attempt,” cautions Christine of Shongweni. “My biggest bugbear is stallholders speaking on their phones, sms-ing or using bbm while serving the public,” adds Christine.

Lastly, remember that all food vendors must apply for a health certificate from the municipality, the costs of which vary depending on the region. Both the Western Cape and Gauteng offer more details about this on their sites.

“Markets are not for the faint-hearted,” warns Christine. “It is hard work, but the rewards are amazing.”

Online applications
Gauteng
Bryanston Organic Market  
Hazel Food Market  
Irene Village Market  
Neighbourgoods

Cape Town
Bay Harbour Market  
Earthfair  
Neighbourgoods  
V&A Market at the Wharf

Winelands
Country Craft Market Somerset West (Approval days)  
Root 44

By Katharine Jacobs
Photographs (from top): Bay Harbour Market (x3), Neighbourgoods JHB, Bryanston Organic and Natural Market (x2), Hazel Food Market and Neighbourgoods Cape Town.
Featured on home page: Neighbourgoods Cape Town

Also read about our favourite Saturday markets.