The Jump to eCommerce: Success Stories from Other Local Food Businesses
Cherry tomatoes on the vine from Sanctuary Farms.
If you’ve been thinking about selling your products online, you’re not alone. More and more farms, food producers, and small-batch makers are turning to eCommerce to reach customers year-round, reduce administrative work, and build more reliable sales.
Here’s the good news: the shift doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With the right tools and a clear plan, eCommerce can open doors you didn’t even know were there.
Let’s take a look at how three local food businesses made the jump and what happened once they did.
Jackstone Creek Farmstead: Building Confidence With a Brand That Works
VIEW THE JACKSTONE CREEK FARMSTEAD CASE STUDY
At first, Jackstone Creek Farmstead just needed a way to help customers reserve half and whole hog shares online. But without a brand or website, it was hard to explain what made their pastured pork special, and even harder for new customers to understand the process.
What They Needed
A memorable brand, a simple website, and a trustworthy place for customers to learn and purchase.
How We Helped
We started with the essentials:
A new logo and visual identity to instantly communicate what the farm sells
A clean Squarespace website focused on educating customers about heritage-breed pork
Simple eCommerce functionality so customers could reserve shares online
A branded email template they can reuse
Why It Worked
Strong branding and an educational website give customers clarity, and clarity drives conversions.
Jackstone Creek Farmstead now has:
A recognizable brand people connect with
An online shop that answers the “How does this work?” question before customers even ask
Tools to build trust with potential share buyers
“We are absolutely blown away by our logo and website design, and can already feel it making changes in our business.”
Sticky Spoons Jam: Turning Foot Traffic Into Repeat Online Orders
VIEW THE STICKY SPOONS JAM CASE STUDY
Sticky Spoons Jam already had a loyal following at their storefront and local events, but once those customers went home, they didn’t have an easy way to reorder. Wholesale buyers also needed clearer access to product availability.
What They Needed
An online store built for growth, with real-time inventory for wholesale buyers.
How We Helped
We designed a Shopify website focused on:
Seamless retail and wholesale ordering
Clean, modern product pages
Integration with their inventory system
A site structure ready for future SEO growth
The Results (All within the first year!)
200% increase in wholesale accounts
17% increase in overall revenue
Significant time saved by reducing manual ordering
More production time due to fewer in-person sales requirements
Why It Worked
When buying is easy, customers return, and wholesale buyers order more often.
Download this free resource to learn how to optimize your ecommerce shop!
Sanctuary Farms: Using Technology to Strengthen Community Impact
VIEW THE SANCTUARY FARMS CASE STUDY
Sanctuary Farms isn’t just growing produce; they’re growing soil health, community resilience, and access to fresh food. But outdated digital tools made it hard to communicate their mission or manage compost and produce orders efficiently.
What They Needed
New systems, better storytelling, and a way for customers to place orders without relying on staff time.
How We Helped
We rebuilt their digital infrastructure from the ground up:
WEBSITE REDESIGN
A modern site with pages for compost delivery, produce, staff bios, and their impact.
PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO
High-quality visuals for storytelling, campaigns, and partnership communications.
MULTIPLE ECOMMERCE SOLUTIONS
GrownBy for produce (including future SNAP acceptance online)
Square for compost deliveries with scheduling
GRAPHIC DESIGN
An annual report and one-page summary built in Canva for long-term reuse.
EMAIL & SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY
Clear, realistic plans to help the team stay consistent and efficient.
Why It Worked
Better systems = more capacity. Sanctuary Farms can now devote more time to community-centered work.
What These Successes Have in Common
Clear Messaging
Customers buy more confidently when the value is clear.
Educational Content
Guiding customers through the process (hog shares, compost delivery, wholesale ordering) reduces confusion and boosts purchases.
Systems That Reduce Labor
Online stores should give business owners time back, not create more work.
Strong Visual Assets
Good photography and cohesive branding increase trust and engagement at every touchpoint.
Friction-Free Purchasing
When customers can buy from anywhere, anytime, your revenue is no longer limited by store hours or location.
Ready to Explore eCommerce for Your Business?
Whether you’re a jam company, a pork producer, a compost supplier, a CSA, or a farm store, eCommerce can help you:
Reach customers beyond your immediate community
Capture repeat orders effortlessly
Reduce administrative time
Create new revenue streams year-round
We’d love to help you take the next step.