An exciting effort is underway in the Meramec Region─Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski, and Washington counties. The Naturally Meramec Consortium (NMC) is a group of local agriculture, tourism and culinary businesses working to grow these businesses by finding ways to collectively market and use each other’s products and services. To that end, NMC is hosting a Virtual “Speed-Date” afternoon where buyers and sellers can meet, talk, and connect on locally produced products/services.
As a producer and/or potential buyer of agriculture, tourism and/or culinary goods and services, you are cordially invited to attend this Virtual “Speed-Date” event on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, from 1:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. At this event, buyers and sellers learn about each other and explore potential partnerships. This event is offered free of charge.
Producers/Sellers: You will have an opportunity to discuss your products, flyers, or brochures and to tell several potential buyers all about your business and discuss possible contracts. First, Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) staff will review the set of instructions provided to all participants in the registration packet. Second, each seller will be given 5-7 minutes to provide an overview of their product. Third, MRPC staff will move all buyers into the breakout rooms. Finally, MRPC staff will move interested buyers into individual seller breakout rooms to allow buyers and sellers to further discuss potential partnerships. This event is intended for commercial buyers, not individual consumers, so producers should be those interested in picking up accounts for large volumes.
Buyers: You will have the opportunity to meet with several businesses in one afternoon at a single setting, thus increasing your chances of gaining new local products and services to pass on to your customers. This event is intended for commercial buyers, not individual consumers.
The Meramec Region is rich in businesses that offer quality products and services. This event will allow buyers to see the face behind the product, and not simply read marketing material.
If you are interested in participating in this event, please complete either a seller or buyer form attached and return it to me via email or mail to the address below by Thursday April 1, by 5:00 p.m. Some of you will be both a buyer and a seller. An example of this may be a winery that sells product to others, but also buys local cheese, etc. If that is the case, you may fill out both forms, but will need to have more than one person at the event to represent both functions.
If you have any questions about the Naturally Meramec Consortium or this event, please contact:
Mark A. Perkins
MRPC Senior Community Development Specialist for Naturally Meramec
4 Industrial Drive
St. James, Missouri 65559
573-265-2993
mperkins@meramecregion.org