How do I hand over my honey business’s farmers market and retail accounts?

Begin with a list of every account. For each retail customer, note who orders, how often, what they carry, how they pay and any informal promises such as exclusive flavours or seasonal gift sets. For market stalls, record the stall position, the days you attend and who manages the booking. Ask shops how they prefer to be contacted and who in their staff really makes the buying call.

Some markets assign stalls to a person or a vendor application, not to the business. Ask each organizer early whether the stall can pass to the buyer, and treat that answer as part of the sale, not an afterthought.

Plan the introductions together. Visit key shops with the buyer and let them see the relationship. Regular customers at your stall will want to meet the new face, so overlap a few market days if you can. Sort out the money. Tally what shops owe you, what you owe suppliers such as jar and label makers, and who takes responsibility for each after closing. Ask your accountant how to treat these balances, and ask your lawyer to put the arrangement into the sale agreement. Remember that a few accounts may want to renegotiate when ownership changes, so go over each one with the buyer in advance.

Key takeaways

• List every account with order habits, payment terms and informal promises.
• Ask market organizers early whether a stall can pass to the buyer.
• Agree who collects and who pays outstanding balances at closing.