Contact with questions at hello@bluedogwood.com
PERMANENT VENDOR SELECTION CRITERIA
A:  Permanent Vendors have a food business that does all of the following:
  1. Creates unique core products through specialized skill and knowledge
  2. Procures ingredients or products from a local or regional source if possible
  3. Offers products unique to Blue Dogwood
  4. Commits to the Blue Dogwood community model of sharing space, equipment, marketing, and ideas with other small businesses
 
B:  Permanent Vendors have products that are one or more of the following:
  • Homegrown or farm-raised food products
  • Handcrafted – Homemade products using artisan skills that are not commercially or mass produced.  Handcrafted applies to both food and non-food products
  • Allergen-free – Vendors are encouraged to provide some menu items designed to fit the needs of people with dietary restrictions (such as gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, and vegan).  May or may not be certified
  • Ethnic food – Products reflecting various ethnic cultures that are not plentifully available within the Piedmont.  Ethnic products may include a few high-quality imported items if the vendor makes homemade products using those items  
  • Willingness to supply or use products supplied by other Blue Dogwood vendors - Vendors who commit to working with other vendors when possible
  • Non-traditional and creative products with a local or regional “twist” - Products that represent the spirit of North Carolina and the Southeast (such as Carolina barbecue tacos and Cheerwine snoballs)
 
C.  Permanent Vendors must have exemplary product quality, which includes but is not limited to:
  • Taste
  • Freshness
  • Consistency
  • Uniqueness
  • Ingredient sourcing
 
D.  Permanent Vendors must have excellent financial viability, which includes but is not limited to:
  • Adequate funding
  • Relevant experience and reputation of the vendor, including quality of service
  • Management and staffing plan and costs
  • Realistic projections of revenues and costs
 
E.  Other criteria to improve Permanent Vendor selection:
  • Preference for small, local vendors looking to grow or for startups with secure funding
  • Vendor who educates customers about food and production
  • Vendor with a unique business story to tell
  • Vendors who are proven participants in local events and the community
  • Vendors with products with reasonable projected pricing
  • Solid small business marketing strategy, which focuses on existing and new customers, email marketing, website, social media, events and outreach
POP-UP VENDOR SELECTION CRITERIA
The Pop-up Vendor selection process is more informal than the selection process for Permanent Vendors.
 
A:  Pop-up Vendors must have a food business that does all of the following:
  1. Creates unique core products through specialized skill and knowledge
  2. Procures ingredients or products from a local or regional source whenever possible
  3. Offers products unique to Blue Dogwood
 
B:  Pop-up Vendors must have products that fall into one or more of the following categories:
  • Homegrown or farm-raised food products
  • Handcrafted – Homemade products using artisan skills that are not commercially or mass produced.  Handcrafted applies to both food and non-food products
  • Allergen-free – Vendors are encouraged to provide some menu items designed to fit the needs of people with dietary restrictions (such as gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, and vegan).  May or may not be certified
  • Ethnic food – Products reflecting various ethnic cultures that are not plentifully available within the Piedmont
  • Non-traditional and creative products with a local or regional “twist” - Products that represent the spirit of North Carolina and the Southeast (such as Carolina barbecue tacos and Cheerwine snoballs)

C.  Pop-up Vendors must have exemplary product quality, which includes but is not limited to:
  • Taste
  • Freshness
  • Consistency
  • Uniqueness
  • Ingredient sourcing
 
D.  Other criteria to improve Pop-up Vendor selection:
  • Preference for small, local vendors looking to grow or for startups with secure funding
  • Vendors with a unique business story to tell