Case Study: From the farm to the

plate, via the NBN

www.nbnco.com.au

Customer: Willunga Farmers Market, Willunga SA Internet Service Provider: Internode www.internode.on.net

Connecting consumers and farmers minus the middlemanThe Willunga Farmers Market is one of thousands of similar markets around the country that connect shoppers with the people who grow and produce their food. Every Saturday, Ms Billy Doecke, Assistant Manager of the market’s not-for-profit organising committee, opens the gates at dawn and makes sure everything runs to plan.

According to Doecke, the markets not only provide somewhere for families to stock up on fruit and vegetables but provide a place for people to learn about their food and ask questions about its production and provenance. In theory anyway…

“Our farmers are farmers,” Doecke said. “They’re not retailers, and they’re not necessarily ‘people-people’, which can make it hard when customers want to ask a question. Sometimes people feel like they can’t ask ‘is this really organic?’ or don’t want to waste the farmer’s time.

“Equally from the farmer’s perspective, some people just want to grow their produce and sell it. They aren’t retail specialists or marketers – that’s where we step in.”

“We set up a YouTube channel, a Facebook page, a weekly email newsletter and we’re developing an app that will allow people to find out the information that they need,” Doecke said.

The farmers market upgraded to an NBN fibre connection from ADSL2 in October last year, and Doecke said it had made her work a lot more efficient and easier to concentrate on both promotions and logistics.

The NBN – the best thing since organic sourdough The farmers market upgraded to an NBN fibre connection from ADSL2 in October last year, and Doecke said it had made her work a lot more efficient and easier to concentrate on both promotions and logistics. The committee is now looking at developing a smartphone app that will allow people to log on in the morning and check out the markets before they leave home.

“We’re also developing a virtual tour of the market. It’s in the early stages of development, but it would allow people to walk around and see who is there and where they are positioned on the day and what they’re selling.

“You’ll also be able to search for produce and see farmers’ farming practices and if they are organic or not. We could also host virtual farm tours, where shoppers could see how everything is made, or meet the cows and chickens.”

Willunga Farmers MarketCase Study Type: • Business

Location: • Willunga,SouthAustralia

Challenge:• AftersettingupaYouTubechannelto

showcaseweeklyproduceatthemarketslowspeedsmeantuploadingvideoscouldpotentiallytakehours.

Solution:• Fasteruploadspeedshelpedstaff

efficiencyandopenedupopportunitiestofocusonbothmarketingpromotionsandlogistics.

For more information:

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Visit our website at www.nbnco.com.au

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“We started with a YouTube channel with a market wrap on what was in season every Saturday. Previously, without the NBN, it would take hours to load using our ADSL internet connection.”

NBN Co offers a wholesale speed of up to 100 megabits per second download and 40 megabits per second upload to its wholesale customers via fibre. Your experience depends on some factors outside our control, like your equipment quality, software, broadband plans and how your service provider designs its network.