GOOD MARKET GOES GLOBAL
Having started as a single-day event in Diyatha Uyana in 2012, Good Market has since moved to an underused, tree-shaded parking lot at Colombo Racecourse, and opened its physical store across the road. This year, the team launched Good Market Global, an online community platform for socially and environmentally responsible vendors anywhere in the world.
The team now spends more time sending out contact details of their vendors, in response to the many requests from parties who want to be members of the community outside the market and the shop. Suddenly, there was a need for something bigger, a network where members could get in touch and share their experiences.
Good Market Global is a curated platform where members can follow vendors, learn about their business, share feedback and get in touch with them. Potential vendors are required to go through an application process that reviews whether they comply with the minimum standards articulated clearly for each area, from renewable energy to organic crops.
Since the launch of the application in 2016, the website has surpassed expectations. “We haven’t even started promoting it and there are already so many members,” marvels Achala Samaradivakara, co-founder and director of Good Market Sri Lanka. The website is currently home to 473 vendors from 14 countries and various industries. The seemingly large number is only a fraction more than the 4,000 applications that Good Market has received.
GOOD MARKET
Every Saturday from 10am to 8pm
Nuga Tree Car Park next to Colombo Racecourse
Focus: Social enterprises, sustainable vendors, organic food
Number of vendors: 75-80
Attendance: 2,500-3,000 per day
FAIRWAY COLOMBO STREET FOOD FESTIVAL: BRINGING THE CITY BACK TO LIFE
A street food festival organised by a hotel in the central business district at the end of the month has revitalised the area and is bringing new customers to neighbouring restaurants. The Fairway Colombo hotel, located opposite Colombo’s World Trade Centre, opened in late 2016, and like all new hotels, had to contend with poor brand recognition. “The festival helps promote Fairway Colombo in a way that has never been done before,” says Rukshan Johar about the festival, which has contributed to increased bookings at the hotel. “We’ve got a lot of publicity through word of mouth, among both locals and foreigners.” Many others find out through reviews on booking websites.
“Our guests are amazed that things like this are happening in Sri Lanka; they say it reminds them of the streets in Thailand,” says Fairway’s Johar. Each day, 7,000 people attend the festival, which has grown from a Saturday event to a two-day occurrence. Once a month, Fairway closes Hospital Street to make space for food stalls, bring in picnic tables, hang up nets of twinkling lights and set up a stage. When people see the lit-up street, they want to experience it. Gihan Fernando, general manager of The Steuart, seconds that, “A lot of people look forward to it. I got to know from tour guides that people now want to plan their stay in Colombo during the food festival.”
The Steuart, a hotel only steps from Fairway Colombo, plays an active role in the festival. Although most visitors are between the ages of 18 and 21 and their spending power is only around Rs1,500-2,000, Fernando is pleased with the results.
“Revenue-wise, it’s quite good. We have been making around Rs250,000 per day. Last time, it was around Rs400,000 because the festival went on for two days.”
The greatest benefit for The Steuart is its location. When there is an overflow, people come in to try something they saw at the festival or heard about from their friends. Since the festival started, the pork chop at &Co. has become an all-time favourite.
FAIRWAY COLOMBO STREET FOOD FESTIVAL
Every last weekend of the month from 6pm onwards
Hospital Street next to Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct
Focus: Local and international cuisine, live music, tourists
Number of vendors: 24
Attendance: 7,000 per day
EAT STREET CMB: A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ESTABLISHED BRAND
An independent food festival organised by Share Innovations, an event management company, brings home-based vendors and established brands to Green Path at Viharamahadevi Park. Visitors come to Eat Street to try the food, drinks and popular competitions, like eating and cooking challenges, that attract a young audience that Zesta, an established tea brand and the main sponsor of the event, is looking for.
Zesta has been struggling with a lack of interest in its products among youth. Teenagers are not keen on drinking tea, or at least not in the traditional way. That is why Zesta decided to join Eat Street and play the game of entertainment.
From a photo booth to iced tea, mocktails and an interactive app tracking customer experience in real time, the brand’s stall focused on youth. Having met its target group in person, Zesta learnt that very few people knew about their extended collection of products that goes beyond off-the-shelf BOPF black tea. To raise awareness of its premium products, Zesta introduced a digital spin-the-wheel at its stall for customers to win gift packs or even a trip to Ella’s 98 Acres Resort & Spa.
Selling iced tea for two days once in a few months hardly generates significant revenue; it is mostly brand image and publicity that make the festival worth the brand’s while. Eat Street CMB has given the brand exposure on radio, newspapers, cinemas and especially on social media.
“It’s the first time we participated in an event like this. It was a bit of a challenge because, at first, management wasn’t interested,” says Nadeesh Wickramage, brand manager of Zesta. As more people keep coming and sharing, Zesta is waiting to see if the experience proves to be a successful one. If so, it might set an example for other established brands to try and step away from their traditional ways.
EAT STREET CMB
2nd-3rd December from 10am to 10pm
Green Path next to Viharamahadevi Park
Focus: Home-based vendors, local brands, family entertainment
Number of vendors: 100
Attendance: 15,000 per weekend