FOA 225: A Masterclass in Building a Direct-to-Consumer Farm Business

Can a farmer transition from the commodity market into a full-scale direct-to-consumer brand? 

The answer is “yes”, and David Newman is proof. 

But this isn’t a story of an overnight success. The transition for Newman Farm has been in the works since the 1990s. Over the past 20 years he has learned many lessons, and he was kind enough to share some of them on this episode. 

This is a special episode of the “Future of Agriculture” Podcast because for the first time, the interview did not include our usual host, Tim Hammerich. Guest co-host Janette Barnard sourced the story and interviewed David. 

*Be sure to subscribe to Janette’s weekly newsletter about innovation in the animal agriculture value chain: primefuture.substack.com. 

David and Janette discuss: 

• Transitioning from a commodity focus to building a brand
• Finding the right strategy for growth
• How COVID-19 has impacted their business
• The need for reinvention no matter how traditional your industry
• The challenges of a branded product with direct customer access
• The importance of relationships and growing with partners
• Advice to others interested in making a similar transition

*As a bonus, this episode includes a “Startup Spotlight” segment at the end, which features Janelle Maiocco, Founder and CEO of Barn2Door, which is a software that David Newman has used to grow his business.