What should I ask about a market garden’s CSA box subscribers and renewal rates?
Ask for the subscriber list in a form that protects privacy, and how many came back each season. Ask how people sign up, how they pay, what a box contains, and what members say when they leave. Then ask how much of the subscriber relationship depends on the seller personally.
Start with the members. Ask how many subscribers there are now, how that compares with past seasons and how many are new or returning. A good seller can tell you who leaves and why. Ask about the share types on offer, such as full, half or work-share, and how pickup or delivery works.
Next, ask about promises. What does a member expect in a box, and how does the seller handle a bad crop week? Look at newsletters, member messages and any reviews. These show the tone of the relationship and how problems get handled. Ask about the money: when members pay, and what is owed to them at the time of sale. Your lawyer and accountant should look at that.
Last, ask about the personal side. Do members know the seller by name? Do they come for the farm or for the person? Plan an introduction through a newsletter, a farm day or a pickup, and ask the seller to stay visible for a season. Ask where the subscriber data is kept and how it passes to you, since privacy matters. Ask what the seller would change in the box program if they stayed, as the answer shows where members are least satisfied.
Key takeaways
- Ask how many members returned each season and why others left.
- Find out what is owed to members already paid at the time of sale.
- Plan a gentle introduction so members meet you through the seller.
Related reading
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Due diligence
Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
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