Fresh Fork Market was born at the Entrepreneurship Education Consortium in August of 2007.  Four Case Western Reserve University students carried their idea forward throughout their senior year of college.  In June of 2008, Fresh Fork Market launched service in Cleveland, Ohio to deliver fresh local products directly from local farmers to local restaurants.  The service relied on direct interaction between farmer and restauranteur over a virtual farmers market.

In its first year of operations, Fresh Fork Market delivered high quality agricultural products from thirty-six different farmers in the Cleveland area to fifty-five different restaurants, country clubs, caterers, schools, and hospitals.  The success of the virtual marketplace was seen across the Greater Cleveland area, prompting articles and press in publications such as the Plain Dealer, Crain's Cleveland Business Magazine, The Wine Buzz, and many other local and regional publications.

Starting in January 2009, Fresh Fork Market began to answer the calls of individual consumers as well.  After many months of wondering when they too could easily procure local products for their families, Fresh Fork allowed individual customers to sign on and order product.  Within a few months, over 150 individuals and families have signed up to use Fresh Fork Market, and that number today has grown into the thousands.

Also getting its beginning in January 2009, Fresh Fork started licensing its web-application to commercial customers and offering the system to farmers markets on a transaction based rate.  This can provide anyone across the country with the ability to build a local food system in their area, no matter how big or small.

In the coming year, Fresh Fork Market will continue to focus its efforts in improving its operations and technology in the Cleveland market.  If you have any questions, please email us at info [at] freshforkmarket [dot] com.