The Taste NY Market at Todd Hill continues to support and promote New York State agricultural businesses and artisanal producers as it enters its fifth year in business, generating more than $4.65 million in total sales since it opened in 2014. Operated by Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County, the Market has seen an increase in sales year-over-year with a growing number of visitors passing through its doors as consumers continue to discover the Market’s offerings of local, farm-fresh food and beverages.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “The Taste NY Market at Todd Hill continues to showcase the very best of New York’s farmers and food and beverage producers to an increasing number of visitors. The team at CCE Dutchess County knows the local farms and artisans in the area and display a true talent for choosing unique products that highlight New York’s diverse food, beverage and gift items. We love what the Taste NY Market at Todd Hill has done for these small businesses and that more consumers are getting to experience New York-made products every day.”
Taste NY Market at Todd Hill Market Manager Lachele Coninx-Wiley said, “The Taste NY Market at Todd Hill is proud to showcase abundant and delicious NY farm and artisanal food products. The positive feedback from our growing and loyal customer base is a testament to the quality and variety of fruits, vegetables, maple syrup, honey, cheeses, meats, sauces, baked goods and so much more. Now in our fifth year of operation, we continue to work closely with our farmers and value-added food producers to help them grow their businesses.”
In 2017, the Market saw a banner year, with more than $1.5 million in sales, a 23 percent increase over 2016. The number of visitors stopping at Todd Hill has also increased since 2016. The location serves travelers on the Taconic State Parkway and is open year-round.
The store has offered products from over 215 vendors since it opened its doors in June 2014. Wholesale purchases from New York farms and businesses amount to well over $2.6 million since inception. The exposure from Taste NY has helped the farms and companies participating in the program to reach more customers, increase online sales, and, in many cases, expand the processing capacity of their business. Taste NY's food and beverage businesses also support the State's farmers by using New York grown and produced ingredients in their products.
Sara Higgins of Raspberry Fields Farm said, “Having our products in Taste NY at Todd Hill creates a synergy for our online sales. It has increased our overall sales and our customer base as well. Partnering with Taste NY truly helps promote the buy local concept.”
Shelley Schulz of Healing Home Foods said, “We began selling to the Taste NY Todd Hill store in mid-June of 2016. The initial orders were about two weeks apart, but the store quickly became one of our most consistent customers, ordering every week. Looking at the June to December period in 2017 versus 2016, our sales to the store grew by more than 120%. Sales continue to grow year to date in 2018 versus 2017; the number of granola, crackers and graham bites bags sold through the Todd Hill store is up 44%. Our successful relationship with this store has led to new business for us with two locations in Broome County-- the Southern Tier Welcome Center and the Front Street Cafe in Binghamton.”
Acting as an incubator and ambassador for New York-based agricultural products and brands, Taste NY promotes New York farm and food products at events, kiosks, stores, and at New York Welcome Centers in numerous regions of the State. The Taste NY Market at Todd Hill, located on the Taconic State Parkway in the Mid-Hudson Valley, is the State’s first stand-alone Taste NY store. The store has also hosted an outdoor farmers’ market every year since 2014.
The Todd Hill Farmers’ Market is dedicated to offering shoppers products that represent the Hudson Valley in food, farming, and tourism. At least sixteen vendors may be found in the rotation, offering their fruits, vegetables, flowers, maple syrup, honey and beeswax products, cheese, baked goods, whiskey, bourbon, skincare products, eggs, oil, prepared foods, and soft drinks.
Since it opened this season on May 25, 2018, farmers’ market vendors have collectively reported $18,500 in sales. The Taste NY Farmers’ Market at Todd Hill takes place on the front plaza on Fridays from 2 to 6 pm, through October 13, 2018.
Farms participating in the New York State Grown & Certified Program also have products available at the Market. The program is the first statewide, multi-faceted food certification program designed to strengthen consumer confidence in New York products, address food product labeling, and assist New York farmers so they can take advantage of the growing market demand for foods locally grown and produced to a higher standard. These farms are working with Cornell Cooperative Extension both to qualify for registering for the program, and to receive recognition as producers of high quality food. Products from Grown & Certified Program participants Ronnybrook Farm Dairy, Hudson Valley Fresh, Red Jacket Orchards, and Arbor Hill Grapery are offered at the Market, showcasing the flavors of the State.
About Taste NY
Taste NY is an initiative launched by Governor Cuomo in 2013 to promote New York’s food and beverage industries. It is overseen by the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and has created opportunities for local producers to showcase their goods at a variety of stores and venues throughout the State and at large public events, such as the Great New York State Fair and the Barclays Tournament at Bethpage State Park.
The Taste NY initiative has seen steady growth and recognition since it was created in 2013. The program reported sales of $1.5 million in 2014, tripled those figures to $4.5 million in 2015, and $13.1 million in 2016. For more information about Taste NY, please visit www.taste.ny.gov. Connect with Taste NY through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
About NY Grown & Certified
Governor Cuomo launched NYS Grown & Certified in 2016 to help meet the growing consumer demand for local foods grown or produced to a higher standard. The program certifies New York State producers who adhere to high food safety and environmental stewardship standards. It is supported by a marketing campaign including on-product labels, promotional materials, such as the NYS Grown & Certified website, and sales materials, to educate retail and wholesale buyers on the value of the program. For more information on NYS Grown & Certified, visit certified.ny.gov, or follow the program on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About the Taste NY Market at Todd Hill
The Taste NY Market at Todd Hill is a vibrant marketplace featuring a curated selection of food and artisanal goods grown or processed in New York State. Known by locals and explorers alike, it is a historic destination and an experience that continues to attract new and returning customers. Located in the median of the Taconic State Parkway in Dutchess County, the Taste NY Market at Todd Hill is a project of Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County. Todd Hill is a vehicle to deliver high impact programming to the region’s food and agricultural communities. For more information about the Taste NY Market at Todd Hill, please visit taste.ny.gov or email [email protected].
