The environment in which consumers make purchases continually changes and evolves. Over the past few years, several trends emerged in the consumer buying environment that is affecting t

Gale’s Green Barn, based in Olathe, Kansas, with five locations across the U.S., was founded by Dottie Gale in 2012. The Gale Family, five generations of farmers, sells produce at county fairs and roadside produce stands. In 2010, after completing her MBA, Dottie Gale handed in her resignation to pharmaceutical lab, she’d been working at in Dublin, Ireland, and returned to her family’s row- crop farm in Olathe. Dottie was interested in sustainability and healthier living. In the span of eight years, Gale’s Green Barn grew to five locations – Olathe, Chicago, Santa Clarita, Atlanta and Denver. Sales at each of the locations was appx $5 million annually with revenues generated from products, soil and seed sales, classes, and Farm to Table Weekend Events. Gale’s Green Barns are community-based operations and have no online sales presence. Sales were increasing yearly driven by consumer interest in non-GMO produce, alternative medicine and sustainability.

In March of 2020, Gale’s Green Barn was impacted by the pandemic. All five locations were closed April – December, resulting in layoffs at all five locations.

Dottie made the decision to close the Farm to Table offering permanently

because dine-in options were restricted. She started to rent out the land and kitchens to local growers to generate revenue. Dottie’s supplier/farmer partners were also affected. She could no longer support the Food Banks in the communities she served. Gale’s Green Barns re-opened in January 2021 with limited capacity. The losses are enormous. The Green Barn has a website and some use of social media, but no online sales. Dottie is looking for your consulting firm to create a strategic marketing proposal focused on rebranding and repositioning to save her family business.

Stakeholders: Customers, Employees, Farmers, Food Banks, Community, Board, Suppliers, Lenders

Gale’s Green Barn Mission: “Plants with a Purpose – Organic plants, products and produce for healthier living.”

Revenue Generators: • Garden Center – Sales of Essential Oils, Hemp products, CBD, seed packets, produce, pots, crafts made by locals. • Soil Sales – Sales of specially formulated soils sold in bulk. • Classes – Kids’ Create Your Own Garden, Repotting Plants, How to Grow Your Own Herbs…. • Farm-To-Table – Now closed. Offered weekend only dinner events with all local produce offerings. • Land Rental – Renting land to apartment dwellers who are interested in gardening.