Foodwise Ferry Plaza farmers market uplifts BIPOC entrepreneurs

SAN FRANCISCO - Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, booths pop up around San Francisco's Ferry Building as part of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market operated by Foodwise.

Foodwise is an educational based nonprofit organization that helps people connect with the farmers and food makers, learn about local and seasonal food, and build a sense of community.

Saturdays are the busiest day at the market with more than 100 vendors sharing their products with the Bay Area. Foodwise is an essential resource for both established and up and coming businesses.

"In our year here, our hot sauce has now landed in nine different countries, we're in 24 different states," said chef Sarah Germany, owner of her namesake Oakland-based hot sauce company.

The organization's Building Equity Program offers business development resources and opportunities for early-stage BIPOC food entrepreneurs. "We actually cover their permit fees and help them with technical assistance, marketing, promotion, things like that. This is lower risk for them to jump start their businesses and test out their products before they fully commit to something," said Deven Okry, operations coordinator with Foodwise.

Mangosay owner Sierra Young talked about the exposure Foodwise provides. "It started out with me just being here at the farmers market and starting to build connections to where now people they've either seen me on Foodwise's website, they've seen me at Foodwise's summer bash. It has just opened up so many opportunities outside of being at the farmers market."

The organization and its programs not only open doors for businesses, but everyone involved also builds meaningful connections with each other.

"These people are more than friends, they're family at this point," said Okry.

The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market is open year-round and operates from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Foodwise also organizes the Mission Community Market on Bartlett and 22nd Streets in San Francisco. That market is open on Thursdays in March and November from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.