Country Boys Farm to Table Fresh Market | Application Preview
Country Boys Farm to Table Fresh Market is seeking government grants to launch a community-focused business that aims to provide delicious, organic foods and fresh produce while supporting local farmers and reducing carbon emissions through minimized transportation. The funds will cover essential start-up costs such as meat and farm products, equipment, payroll, marketing, licenses, supplies, utilities, and insurance, with a total funding request amounting to approximately $100,000.
The business plan emphasizes increasing access to fresh foods in underserved areas, creating a direct-to-consumer market, and fostering collaboration among local farmers. Within a year, the plan includes diversifying revenue through renting space to local entrepreneurs and expanding offerings to include catering and delivery services.
Marketing strategies will leverage a strong online presence, including an informative website and active social media engagement to reach a broader audience. Despite moderate overhead costs, the financial outlook is promising for future growth, particularly as the founder plans to keep staffing minimal initially.
The founder’s extensive background in the food industry, specifically in the meat market, coupled with the absence of local alternatives in Meridian, MS, highlights a critical need for fresh food options. With no existing butcher shops or farm-to-table markets in the area, the project aims to fill this gap, especially in light of challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic where reliance on large grocery chains proved inadequate.
Competition exists in local stores, but Country Boys will differentiate itself by offering a combination of fresh produced meat, seafood, and specialty foods under one roof, providing a unique culinary experience not available elsewhere in the community. The request for grant funding supports a vision dedicated to enriching the local economy and enhancing the community's access to healthy food choices.
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General Information
Business Registration Number: 88-2773090
Location: Broken Arrow, OK, United States
Length of Operation: 1-5
Number of Employees: 1-10 Employees
Annual Gross Income: Less than $100k
Annual Gross Expense: Less than $100k
Open to Loans: NO
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Funding Usage
Accomplishing our farm to table mission will include providing our local community with delicious, organic foods, fresh produce, fueling the local economy as well as supporting local farmers and helping the environment by reducing the long-distance shipments and truck travel which eliminates carbon emissions in the atmosphere. We will need start-up funds for setting up our farm to table business. It is expensive to run a local and organic fresh market while competing with the buying power of large grocery chains. Beef, Pork, and seafood are especially expensive to raise. It is very costly for locally sourced farm to table products. Small businesses are the driving force to grow our economy, but to start a new business it takes money. Grant funding is an optimal solution for our new community focused farm to table business. The following is a list of items that the grant money received will be used for: Meat/Farm Products ($20K -$40K ), Equipment ($25K) payroll/salaries/wages and employee related expenses ($10-$15K), payroll taxes ($330), advertising/marketing ($1500) licenses, legal and accounting fees ($10K), supplies/office & shop ($15,000), Telephone and Internet ($100), Utilities ($3000), Repairs and Maintenance ($500), Interest ($400), rent ($1500), Insurance ($500).
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Business Plan
Country Boys mission is to Increase demand for natural and locally grown products by creating a direct-to-consumer market opportunity, processing kitchen, and a space that inspires, educates, and feeds the community. In the local community there are opportunities to Increase access to fresh foods to underserved communities • Facilitate use of local farm products in specialty food businesses • Sales outlet to food entrepreneurs • Replaces mail meal kits with local food option • Community hub for events • Encourage seasonal eating and awareness • Collaboration with local farmers. Once Country Boys Farm to Table Fresh Market is up and running, our plan is to diversify funding streams. Within a year we plan to advertise space for rent to different local community members that sell products aligned with our mission. Within the next two years we will sell other products and services such as catering and delivery and begin to incorporate fundraising activities. After we have established steady operations, as a part of sustaining revenue, within the next two to five years we plan to partner with farmers throughout the state of Mississippi. The marketing for Country Boys will be done through a variety of ways to include but not limited to the internet, mass media, print and networking. Internet efforts will center on the creation of a user-friendly website that clearly list all the core services that will be offered. In addition to the home website, plans also call for the creation of a strong social media presence using Facebook.com and Twitter.com; the world’s most popular social media portals with over one billion persons in their combined user communities. The financials for Country Boys are promising and indicate open paths for future expansion into other regions and service areas. The overhead costs are moderate, but do not threaten the long-term profit margin potential that the organization shows. Salaries are also projected to be Moderate as the founder does not project adding employees during the initial stages of market entry. Management does reserve the right to add employees as needed for business and resources on hand dictate. Marketing and operations expenditures will be the bulk of the expenses during each of the projected years. The financial standing of Country Boys is exceptional and is positioned well for all future growth in terms of services being offered and the markets that will be entered. While I realize that there are many candidates with similar technical skills in the meat merchant market, the things that sets me a part is my unique experience and already established team of local supporters, my distinct history in the meat market field, my love and passion for farm life coupled with my holistic approach to bringing this vision alive in my community. Since I was 11 years old, I have worked in the food industry. I started out working with my aunt on a farm. I helped her process locally raised gulf coast seafood, sell fresh produce and eventually I learned to work all aspects of the business until it closed. After her store closed, I began working as butcher and worked with stores such as Winn Dixie, Sack and Save, Food Max and Potter and Sims Foods. I have over twenty plus years of experience as a Store Manager managing the store day to day operations to include, verifying store deposits were correct, maintaining accountability for inventory, hiring, and firing employees, ensuring employees follow company policies, ensuring budget and store goals were met and providing a comfortable shopping environment for customers. As a Meat Supervisor I have experience in cutting, processing, and packaging meat as well as knowledge of all things concerning the meat market. I have also been selected on several occasions as a representative from my store to attend conferences in the industry. In addition to my unique personal experience, this new venture and business, ‘Country Boys Farm to Table Fresh Market,’ will brings a fresh perspective and market to the city of Meridian, MS. Meridian has around a 37,000 population and is about fifty-four square miles. Within this area there are “NO” butcher shops or farm to table fresh markets to serve the community. This leaves over 37,000 people lacking healthy choices and options, stranded in a food dessert. There is a desperate need for fresh food in the local area and city! It became even more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lingering effects of the pandemic on my community, highlighted the need for local markets that sell fresh meat and produce. Large grocery stores depend on big corporations and when the threat of transporting products via shipping and trucking became a problem, there were no local outlets to turn to. Building a one-of-a-kind local business such as ‘Country Boys’ will help provide options and means to eliminate these types of problems and product availability gaps.
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Self Identified Competition
Competitors in the area are as follows: The Back Porch, Sugar Bears Deer Store, and Winn Dixie. The Back Porch sells frozen meats, seasonings, and a variety of nonfood items. The store Sugar Bear’s Deer Store offers deer processing and packaging. Winn Dixie is a full-service grocery store. We will differ from Winn Dixie by offering specialty foods. In addition to my unique experience and the first and only farm to table restaurant in Meridian, MS, Country Boys is unique because of all the services offered under one roof. We have grocery stores, restaurants, wild game processors but we will combine all three to create a different culinary experience for our customers. Country Boys will sell fresh and local raised produce and offer services of smoked meats. On Thursday- Saturday, we will sell steamed seafood. There is only one other place in Meridian that sells seafood. The Back Porch does not offer the same services as Country Boys. We also differ from Sugar Bears Dear Store by in addition to providing deer processing, offering beef and pork by the pound, seafood, and a fresh line of locally raised produce. We will also differ from Winn Dixie by offering specialty foods. The slab bacon will be sliced to ordered variety of cheeses will be cut to order. There will be smoked brisket and prime rib sold by the pound.
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Contact Applicant
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