Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association

What Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association does

Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association (PCFMA) is a tax-exempt 501(c)(5) agricultural nonprofit founded in July 1988 and headquartered in Concord, California. The organization manages over 30 certified farmers' markets across six San Francisco Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Solano), positioning it as the oldest and largest farmers' market association on the West Coast. PCFMA's markets connect roughly 500 California-certified farms and local food producers directly to Bay Area consumers, with farm-site certification by county agricultural commissioners ensuring that vendors sell only what they grow.

PCFMA's core products and services are: (1) the network of certified farmers' markets, (2) the Market Match nutrition incentive program that matches CalFresh/EBT benefits dollar-for-dollar up to $15 per market visit for fresh produce, (3) the Market Money non-expiring gift certificate program accepted by all vendors, and (4) the Beyond the Market video series profiling farmers and recipes. The organization operates using standard nonprofit and retail operational tools with no proprietary technology platform.

Revenue is generated primarily through vendor stall fees (ranging seasonally from $32 to $52 per week per 10x10 stall) and annual application fees ($175 for new participants, $200 for returning producers), supplemented by USDA and state nutrition incentive grants. PCFMA is governed by a 13-member board chaired by Shelly McMahon (Shelly's Farm), with day-to-day leadership provided by Executive Director Allen Moy (18-year tenure). Key strategic partners include the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the Ecology Center-coordinated California Market Match Consortium, Kaiser Permanente (multi-hospital market host for 20+ years), VA Palo Alto, and several municipal partners.

Name

Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association

Legal name

Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association

Website

https://pcfma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association is a 501(c)(5) nonprofit founded in 1988 that operates over 30 certified farmers' markets across six San Francisco Bay Area counties, connecting roughly 500 California farms and food producers directly to Bay Area consumers via stall-fee markets and the Market Match CalFresh incentive program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Farmers' Market Management Services

akta.pro primary industry

Farmstead & Local Artisan Food Markets (Retail Shops) (CRAHAGAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Farm-to-Consumer Cooperative Markets (Local Producer Co-ops) (CRAHALAG)

Keywords

• Certified farmers markets
• Direct-to-consumer sales
• CalFresh EBT nutrition incentives
• Market Match program
• California agricultural markets

Headquarters

HQ city

Concord

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Vendor Stall Fees: Primary revenue stream from charging farmers and vendors for booth space at markets. Farmers pay $32 to $52 per week per 10-foot by 10-foot stall depending on season. Additional $2 state-mandated CDFA fee per market day collected from all producers.
2. Application Fees: New participant application fee of $175; returning farmers/producers pay $200 annually. $50 discount available for electronic submission by December 8th.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

PCFMA operates over 30 California Certified Farmers' Markets across six San Francisco Bay Area counties, providing direct-to-consumer sales infrastructure for 500+ California family farms and food producers. The organization administers the Market Match nutrition incentive program that doubles CalFresh/EBT benefits up to $15 per market visit, issues Market Money gift certificates accepted at any market vendor, and produces the Beyond the Market video series showcasing farmer profiles and seasonal recipes.

Product overview

Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association operates a network of certified farmers' markets as its core product, making it the oldest and largest farmers' market association on the West Coast. The organization offers four integrated service offerings: certified farmers' markets providing direct-to-consumer sales for California family farms across six Bay Area counties; Market Match, a nutrition incentive program matching CalFresh/EBT benefits for fresh produce; Market Money, a gift certificate accepted by all market vendors; and the Beyond the Market video series showcasing farmer stories and recipes. These offerings work together to support California farmers and communities by providing accessible farmers' markets while promoting local agriculture and food access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certified Farmers' Markets A network of 30+ California Certified Farmers' Markets operating across six San Francisco Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano), providing direct-to-consumer sales infrastructure for California family farms. All markets are certified by county agricultural commissioners, ensuring farmers sell only what they grow.
• Market Match A nutrition incentive program that matches CalFresh/EBT benefits dollar-for-dollar up to $15 per market visit for purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables at PCFMA farmers' markets, supported by federal GusNIP and state CNIP funding. Available at every PCFMA market enrolled in the federal SNAP program.
• Market Money A gift certificate program accepted at any PCFMA market vendor. Treated as cash, never expires, and change is given in US Dollars. Available for purchase and use across all PCFMA market locations.
• Beyond the Market Video Series A video series featuring farmer profiles, product showcases, and seasonal recipes highlighting farmers, products, and recipes from PCFMA farmers' markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $130 million in purchases from California farmers supported since 2015
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CDFA administers the California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) which funds Market Match. PCFMA is a founding member of the California Market Match Consortium. CDFA's Office of Farm to Fork administers these programs and PCFMA has advocated for continued CNIP funding with state legislators.
• Ecology Center (Berkeley)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015The Ecology Center coordinates the California Market Match Consortium statewide. PCFMA participates in this consortium which has supported over $130 million in purchases from California farmers since 2015. The Ecology Center manages the statewide Market Match program and applies for USDA GusNIP funding.
• Kaiser PermanentecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPCFMA operates farmers' markets at multiple Kaiser Permanente hospital locations (Antioch, Dublin, Pleasanton, San Jose, Santa Clara). The partnership began 20+ years ago when a Kaiser physician met PCFMA's Executive Director at a farmers' market, launching the first hospital-based farmers' market initiative. Markets serve patients, staff, and community members.
• VA Palo AltominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPCFMA operates a farmers' market at the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, providing fresh produce access to veterans.
• City of PinoleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with City of Pinole to operate the Pinole Farmers' Market every Saturday.
• Vallejo Main StreetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Vallejo Main Street organization to operate the Vallejo Farmers' Market.
• California Market Match ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide consortium of nearly 300 certified farmers' markets participating in Market Match. PCFMA is a founding member. The consortium advocates for nutrition program funding and shares best practices across California markets.
• Farmers Market Coalition (FMC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization convening farmers' markets to share best practices, learn from one another, and strategize ways to increase FMNP utilization and healthy food access. PCFMA and other California market partners are members.
• Coastside Farmers' MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in WIC FMNP and Senior FMNP matching programs funded through CNIP. Previously collaborated on pilot WIC FMNP matching program in 2020-2021.
• Fresh ApproachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in WIC FMNP and Senior FMNP matching programs. Collaborated on pilot program in 2020-2021 that increased healthy food access for approximately 6,200 low-income families while supporting over $170,000 in additional sales for California farms.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ecology Center (Berkeley): Operates the Berkeley Farmers' Market and coordinates the statewide California Market Match Consortium, of which PCFMA is a founding member. Directly comparable as a nonprofit farmers' market operator running CalFresh/EBT incentive programs in Northern California.
• CUESA (Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture): Operates the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco, a flagship certified farmers' market in the same Bay Area geography as PCFMA. Comparable as a nonprofit running high-traffic certified markets with SNAP acceptance and educational programming.
• Agricultural Institute of Marin: Operates multiple certified farmers' markets across Marin County (including the Sunday Marin Farmers' Market), directly comparable in scale, model, and CalFresh/Market Match participation to PCFMA's Bay Area operations.
• Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEE-LA): Nonprofit operator of several Southern California certified farmers' markets (Hollywood, Santa Monica, Atwater Village). Closest analog to PCFMA operating a multi-market nonprofit portfolio with SNAP/EBT acceptance at scale.
• Coastside Farmers' Markets: Operates certified farmers' markets on the San Mateo County coast and is a documented PCFMA partner in WIC FMNP and Senior FMNP programs. Comparable Bay Area nonprofit market operator.

Regional players

• GrowNYC: Operates the NYC Greenmarket network — the largest farmers' market network in the U.S. Comparable mission and multi-market nonprofit operating model, but geographically focused on New York City rather than California.
• Davis Farmers Market Alliance: Operates the Davis Farmers Market and surrounding certified markets in the Sacramento region. Comparable nonprofit operator model, but serving a different Northern California geography.

Emerging players

• Fresh Approach: Bay Area nonprofit focused on increasing access to fresh, affordable produce, including partnerships with PCFMA on WIC FMNP and Senior FMNP matching programs. Comparable mission overlap but smaller operational scale.

Others

• Farmers Market Coalition: National nonprofit membership organization convening farmers' markets to share best practices. PCFMA is an active member; comparable as a sector-supporting nonprofit rather than a direct market operator.
• California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Office of Farm to Fork: State agency that administers CNIP funding and certified farmers' market oversight. Functions as a key regulator and funding partner rather than a market operator; included to reflect the institutional ecosystem around PCFMA's operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/paccoastfarmers
• YouTubeinstagram.com/PCFMA
• Facebookfacebook.com/PCFMA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pacific-coast-farmers'-market-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/PCFMA

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association