The purpose of our consortium is to improve profits with collective fibre processing, sales, and marketing for small and large alpaca farms. Other agricultural industries benefit from marketing boards and agencies. It is time for the alpaca industry to form a consortium to pool our resources and develop a marketing strategy. Send us an email if you have any questions.
Why join our Consortium?
As a member of the consortium you will have access to a group of people who will facilitate the processing of fibre from its raw state to the sale of a finished product. Large alpaca farms may not have enough time to do their own sales and marketing. Smaller farms may not have enough fibre to justify attending shows. Many people don't have the time or skill to prepare their fibre correctly for processing.
How it works
You submit fibre which is pooled with similar fibre from other farms to streamline processing and create larger batches.
The grade of your fibre will be assessed before batching.
A 50% deposit for processing will be required, with final payment due when processing is complete.
Marketing Plan
We will create a unique brand for the products we produce and sell.
The consortium will conduct internet sales and marketing, host open houses, and attend trade shows. Distribution will be done from one central location to save on costs.
Marketing costs will be divided among consortium members proportionate to the amount of fibre they have contributed to the consortium.
Members will take turns staffing booths at our retail venues proportionate to the amount of fibre contributed to the cooperative. If a member is unable to be there, they have the option to either trade with another member or pay another member to take that shift at a rate of $12 per hour.
Product will be appropriate to the type of show we are attending, e.g., rovings for a hand spinners' conference.
Inventory will be taken before and after the show. Any shortages in inventory will be the responsibility of the members staffing the booth.
Sales totals and inventory values will be provided to members after each show.
Full financial statements will be provided to members on a monthly or quarterly basis.
In the first year we will book shows that members have previous experience with. The viability of each show will be evaluated after the show. In subsequent years we plan to attend larger shows such as the One Of A Kind craft show.
Purchasing alpaca products from Peru could be considered to compliment the Canadian-made products.
Members
Royal Fortress Meadows, Trevor & Kim McKnight, Moorefield, ON
email rfmalpacas@gmail.com
Heritage Farm Alpacas, Ed & Dorothy Van Dyke, Hepworth, ON
email dorothyvandyke@hotmail.com
7th Heaven Alpacas, Frank & Sally Andrade, Harriston, ON
email sally@7heavenalpacas.ca
site www.7heavenalpacas.ca
Serenity Suris, Darlene Long & Lee Kalwat, Palmerston, ON
email serenity.suris@gmail.com
Hidden Hollow Alpacas, Carolynne Rodgers, Erin, ON
email carolynnerodgers@sympatico.ca
Heed Farm Alpacas, Kai-Liis McInnes, Mansfield, ON
email kai-liis@sympatico.ca
Sire Power Alpacas, Deb Griffey, Palmerston, ON
email deb@sirepoweralpacas.com
site www.sirepoweralpacas.com
Pootcorners Alpacas, Peter & Suelaine Poot, Palmerston, ON
email smpoot@hotmail.com
site www.pootcorners.com
A Brother's Bond Alpacas, Reuben & Isaac Poot, Palmerston, ON
email rcpoot@hotmail.com
Providence Pastures, Moria Poot, Palmerston, ON
email mspoot@hotmail.com
To Be Alpacas, Taryn Poot, Palmerston, ON
email tbpoot@hotmail.com
DL Farms, Dee Graham, Lucknow, ON
email dlfarms@hurontel.on.ca
Faye & Fred Glauser, Mitchell, ON
email ffglauser@quadro.net
