Pantry of Hajdúság – a farmers' market moving from social media to reality

By project GOCORE

Published on 19 November 2024

Hungary

Észak-Alföld

Debrecen

About this good practice

Overcoming the initial difficulties of the relationship between producers and consumers, which inevitably had to be confined to the online space during the pandemic, the Pantry of Hajdúság initiative has managed to become one of the county's leading onsite community meeting places in recent years, involving more and more producers and reaching an ever wider social circle.
The basic aim of the owner/idea holder was to organise a consumer community where producers meet consumers interested in local food. It was obvious that Hajdú-Bihar county is full of treasures, made with great expertise and passion by farmers and producers.
Started within the globe of the online space during lockdown, the community became an integral part of farmers’ market ecosystem in Hajdú-Bihar.
By strengthening the short supply chain, on the one hand, the social fabric of the town and the rural area is strengthened, the pressure on the environment is reduced, and community resilience is enhanced.
By making the initiative as widely known as possible, the initiative not only helps and protects local artisanal producers, but also provides customers with high-quality local products.
The Pantry of Hajdúság became a regular participant of several community events providing producers and consumers new opportunities to meet and promoting local values at a wider scale.

Resources needed

The initiative started as the idea of a young entrepreneur seeking for possibilities to strengthen short supply chain during the pandemic. No specific sources were provided but committed “champions” (farmers, organizers). It took about 4 years to achieve success and operate on a regular basis.

Evidence of success

The Pantry of Hajdúság began in 2020 as a Facebook group with 4-5 producers. It expanded to a FB page in 2021, Instagram in 2022, city events in 2023, TikTok in 2024. Now uniting 10 producers with 10 product types, it reaches 190,000 people. Its market rotates through 4 venues monthly, products are available at stores. Supported by the Reformed Church of Debrecen-Nagytemplom, it combines modern marketing with tradition through the Churchyard Market while seeking new growth opportunities.

Potential for learning or transfer

The mission behind the practice is clear: its goal is to create markets that are not only good to return to, but also create real value for both visitors and producers. Where conscious buyers experience the passion of the quality porter community and experience the true market culture, all in a fusion of tradition and innovation. They believe that these events not only build and strengthen the community, but also contribute to the promotion of a sustainable and conscious lifestyle.
The practice needs a well-qualified coordinator bringing together producers at local scale. Regular venues are also required where the market can be organized at least once in every month. Promotion is a must-have: social media and participation in several local events could serve this purpose quite well.
Enough time is necessary to build the system for a regular operation but the process should be open for newcomers as well.