Johney Zhou of Johney's Dumpling House got a lot of support at the markets for his business. Photo / The Little Big Markets
Johney Zhou of Johney's Dumpling House got a lot of support at the markets for his business. Photo / The Little Big Markets
Author Zoe Hunter is a freelance journalist based in Tauranga and a former Bay of Plenty Times and SunLive reporter. She wrote this on behalf of The Little Big Markets, which is in its winter season.
What began as a humble gathering of entrepreneurs born from the ashes of the Global Financial Crisis has become the launch pad for some well-known businesses.
Chris and Rachelle Duffy launched The Little Big Markets in Tauranga 16 years ago to help uplift small businesses after the 2008 market crash.
Rachelle Duffy said the markets started in 2009 with about 20 vendors.
“Within six months we had about 80 vendors and within a year we had 150. Now, more than 2500 small businesses come to our markets.”
Kiwi food brand Pepper & Me began at the markets eight years ago.
Now, Cherie Metcalfe’s spices, salts and sauces can be found in stores nationwide, with thousands of orders shipped from the Tauranga warehouse each week.
The chef and entrepreneur said her first day at the markets was “exciting and nerve-racking”.
“We had no money for any nice bits for the store, so I used my duvet cover to put over the trestle table and I set my spices up on that.”
Metcalfe said launching a new business at the markets was a great way to “dip your toes in” without fully committing to an online business.
“It’s great to meet the people face-to-face and chat in depth about what you are making and selling.”
Cherie Metcalfe from Pepper & Me. Photo / ilk Photography
The markets gave locals somewhere easy and accessible to sell their products, she said.
“It’s not too expensive and there’s always a great crowd, so you know you’re going to have a good day of sales.
“It’s also amazing to meet all the other epic small business owners who, in turn, have helped our business grow with epic collaborations.”
Mount Maunganui cakery Spongedrop debuted at The Little Big Markets in 2012.
Danielle Cubis always dreamed of launching her own cake business and said the markets were an obvious starting point. So she and her partner, Elric James, set up a stall.
“We were so excited. We sold cupcakes, cake pops, macarons and cake by the slice,” Cubis said.
“We were able to meet our customers face-to-face, introduce them to the brand and really got to ‘test the waters’ so to speak.”
Johney’s Dumpling House founder, Johney Zhou, attended one of the very first Mount Maunganui markets.
Zhou, then aged 23, had just started his own business selling homemade dumplings.
“I was quite overwhelmed, but I remember thinking that if you got in with The Little Big Markets, you were off to a good start.”
Zhou said Rachelle and Chris were like mentors to him, helping remove the fear of starting a business.
“Chris did my very first logo. I had made something for my menus and banner just using Microsoft Word and some pretty bad fonts – I think I used it for about 10 years.”
Johney’s Dumpling House now operates from The Rising Tide brewery and restaurant at the Mount, but Zhou still attends the markets when he can.
“I just love the people, being on the ground meeting fellow vendors and one-to-one with customers. I still see some of my customers from day one.”
Rachelle Duffy said what initially began as a personal project had become an integral event for small businesses and a vibrant hub for the local community.
“We believe in the power of community.
“By providing a platform for local entrepreneurs, we help them grow and thrive, contributing to the economic and social fabric of our community.”
After a successful summer, Duffy said, the events team was focused on the winter market season.
“We’re encouraging our regulars, as well as new businesses, to come and share their awesome products at the winter markets. Make hay while the sun still shines.
