When the first lockdown started in the spring of last year, many were forced to turn to online solutions in their businesses, but due to the emergence of the novel coronavirus, to also consider the importance of a healthy diet for overall health. We had witnessed the forced rise of technology use, while online delivery services and online sales of food and other necessities have flourished.
The City of Sveta Nedelja adapted to the situation turning to online solutions for the benefit of many local family producers, but also their citizens. Namely, in April last year, Sveta Nedelja launched an online market project within the city to provide family farms and citizens with a common platform for selling and buying fresh groceries and homemade products.
„For our fellow citizens and for our family farms, we have introduced an e-marketplace system, an online store boasting domestic products, thus enabling the direct purchase of fresh and healthy ingredients and products,“ said Dario Zurovec, the Mayor of Sveta Nedelja, in a recent interview with TCN.
Organic essential oils, immortelle hydrates, soaps, balms, and more
Fruits, vegetables, cereals, pumpkin seeds, oil, liqueurs, jams, cheese, are just a part of the offer at the e-marketplace of Sveta Nedelja. Using the e-marketplace is very easy. In just a few clicks, customers can search for the groceries they need, then find a family farm that they like because of price or quality. Also, each local family farm has its own profile which shows its products, contact information, OIB, and information on delivery to the doorstep.
For easier navigation, the online offer is divided into categories according to the type of food (fruits, vegetables, dairy products, beverages…).
In addition to the listed products, on the e-marketplace of Sveta Nedelja, you can find various types of vinegar, pumpkin oil, barley porridge, lavender hydrates, organic essential oils, soaps, balms, and even souvenirs at prices equal to or even lower than those on the city market.
“We want to enable our fellow citizens to buy healthy and fresh products as easily as possible on the e-marketplace, but also to make it easier for our family farms to sell in a situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic,” they say in Sveta Nedelja.
While people and organizations from many parts of Croatia launched online markets on Facebook groups and other social networks on their own initiative, the City of Sveta Nedelja is one of the first cities in Croatia to provide its citizens with an online platform to sell and purchase products from local family farms. Apart from Sveta Nedelja, this way of administrative assistance to local family farms was also provided by Istria County, Zagreb, Poreč, Čakovec, Velika Gorica, Rovinj, and many other Croatian cities.
