Marketlink Technologies

What Marketlink Technologies does

MarketLink is a federally funded program operated by the Farmers Food Assistance Bureau (FFAB) that enables Direct Marketing Farmers (DMFs) and Farmers Markets across the United States to accept electronic payments for federal nutrition assistance benefits, including SNAP/EBT, eWIC, eFMNP, and incentive programs. Established in 2013 under a USDA Food and Nutrition Service cooperative agreement through the National Association of Farmers Market Nutrition Programs (NAFMNP), MarketLink was transferred to FFAB in 2024, which now manages operations and the TotilPay technology portfolio previously built by the now-defunct Novo Dia Group.

The core technology stack centers on TotilPay Go, a Bluetooth-enabled point-of-sale application that processes SNAP, credit, and debit transactions on Android and iOS devices, with payment routing through Square ($0.10 + 2.6% per transaction, no contract) or WorldPay/FIS ($0.15 + 1.79%, 3-year contract). Supporting products include myMarketLink (consumer digital wallet with QR-code-based EBT transactions), the TotilPay Incentive Management System (TIMS) for vendor sales tracking with 2-3 business day direct deposits, and GrownBy (Farm Generations Cooperative's USDA-approved eCommerce platform used under the SNAP Online Grant, integrated with WorldPay/FIS for PIN processing).

MarketLink's revenue model is grant-funded adoption: eligible DMFs and farmers markets receive free Bluetooth card readers, a one-year TotilPay Go subscription, printer exemption, and one-on-one Regional Representative assistance at no cost, with no per-transaction fees on SNAP sales. Post-grant, users pay $19.95/month or $191.40/year for TotilPay Go, with automatic renewal for users maintaining $500+ in annual SNAP sales. Distribution occurs via self-serve online eligibility assessment, Regional Representative field/onboarding support, and state agency partnerships (Indiana Department of Health, Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance). The program is funded through USDA cooperative agreements renewed through 2028.

Name

Marketlink Technologies

Legal name

Farmers Food Assistance Bureau (FFAB)

Website

https://marketlink.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MarketLink is a USDA-funded program operated by FFAB that provides Direct Marketing Farmers and Farmers Markets across the US with electronic payment hardware, software, and grants to process SNAP, eWIC, eFMNP, and nutrition incentive benefits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Payments Technology

NAICS

Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223)

akta.pro primary industry

POS, SoftPOS & In-Person Acceptance Infrastructure (FSAGABAO)

Keywords

• SNAP payment processing
• EBT solutions
• Farmers market technology
• Nutrition benefits processing
• Electronic payment platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. USDA Grant Funding: MarketLink is funded through cooperative agreements with the USDA Food and Nutrition Services. The grants cover equipment, subscriptions, and program operations for helping farmers and markets accept SNAP and other federal nutrition benefits.
2. TotilPay Go Subscriptions: After the free 1-year grant period, Direct Marketing Farmers and Farmers Markets pay $19.95/month or $191.40/year for TotilPay Go subscriptions. Additional card readers require additional license purchases.
3. Credit/Debit Processing (Square): MarketLink offers Square integration for credit/debit processing with fees of $0.10 + 2.6% per transaction. No monthly fees or contracts required for Square processing.
4. Credit/Debit Processing (WorldPay): WorldPay integration for credit/debit processing with fees of $0.15 + 1.79% per transaction. Requires 3-year contract with $120/year subscription cost.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MarketLink provides electronic payment processing solutions that enable Direct Marketing Farmers and Farmers Markets to accept federal nutrition assistance program benefits, including SNAP/EBT, eWIC, eFMNP, and incentive programs. The platform delivers wireless, app-based POS systems (TotilPay Go) integrated with credit/debit processing, plus grant-funded Bluetooth card reader equipment and one-on-one technical assistance for USDA SNAP Retailer Authorization.

Product overview

MarketLink Technologies, a program of the Farmers Food Assistance Bureau (FFAB), operates as a multi-component platform enabling direct marketing farmers and farmers markets to accept federal nutrition assistance program benefits. The core offering centers on the TotilPay Go point-of-sale application, which processes SNAP/EBT transactions through integrated payment processors (Square and WorldPay). The portfolio includes two grant programs—the SNAP Equipment Grant providing free hardware and software subscriptions, and the SNAP Online Grant enabling e-commerce via the GrownBy platform. Supporting components include the TIMS management system for vendor sales tracking and the myMarketLink consumer app for benefit recipients. All services are designed to modernize farmers' acceptance of SNAP, WIC, FMNP, and incentive program benefits through electronic payments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TotilPay Go: A SNAP point-of-sale app and payment processing platform that enables farmers and farmers markets to accept SNAP/EBT, credit, and debit payments. Provides free Bluetooth card reader equipment, one-on-one technical assistance, and no transaction fees for SNAP processing.
• myMarketLink
• GrownBy
• TotilPay Incentive Management System (TIMS)

Products and services

• TotilPay Go

Quantifiable outcome

• Free first-year equipment and subscription for eligible Direct Marketing Farmers and Farmers Markets
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Farmers Food Assistance Bureau (FFAB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024FFAB is the parent organization that now oversees MarketLink's operations. Established by NAFMNP in 2024 to continue MarketLink's mission. FFAB manages the TotilPay technology portfolio and all MarketLink program activities.
• USDA Food and Nutrition Services (FNS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA FNS established MarketLink in 2013 through a cooperative agreement with NAFMNP. FNS provides ongoing funding and program oversight, with USDA renewing support through 2028. FNS reviews and approves all SNAP retailer applications and sets program requirements.
• TotilPay (Novo Dia Group)coreTechnology or IntegrationTotilPay is the payment processing platform that powers MarketLink's services. Originally developed by Novo Dia Group (which is no longer operating). TotilPay Go simplifies EBT acceptance at point-of-sale. Now managed by FFAB.
• GrownBy (Farm Generations Cooperative)coreTechnology or IntegrationGrownBy is the USDA-approved eCommerce platform for SNAP Online through MarketLink's grant program. Developed by Farm Generations Cooperative, a national agricultural cooperative. Provides online sales platform for Direct Marketing Farmers to accept SNAP benefits.
• SquaresupportingTechnology or IntegrationSquare provides credit/debit card processing integration with TotilPay Go. MarketLink customers can link their Square account and card reader to process credit/debit alongside SNAP on the same device. Terms: $0.10 + 2.6% per transaction, no monthly fees.
• WorldPay/FISsupportingTechnology or IntegrationWorldPay provides credit/debit processing and PIN services for SNAP Online. Integrated into TotilPay Go app. Terms: $0.15 + 1.79% per transaction with 3-year contract and $120/year subscription. Provides PIN processing for SNAP Online authorization.
• Indiana Department of HealthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarketLink partners with Indiana Department of Health since 2023 to support Indiana's electronic Farmers Market Nutrition Program (eFMNP) transition. Farmers and markets can participate through the Indiana Farmers Market Community of Practice.
• Massachusetts Department of Transitional AssistancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarketLink supports Massachusetts as they implement the electronic Healthy Incentives Program (eHIP), including assisting with digital systems transition, technical guidance, and helping farmers and markets prepare for program participation.
• National Association of Farmers Market Nutrition Programs (NAFMNP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAFMNP established MarketLink in 2013 through a cooperative agreement with USDA. NAFMNP created FFAB in 2024 to continue MarketLink's work. NAFMNP links states, tribal organizations, territories, and stakeholders in USDA's Farmers Market Nutrition Programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Worldpay (FIS): Worldpay is a credit/debit processor and PIN services partner integrated into MarketLink for SNAP Online authorization. As a major incumbent in payment processing, Worldpay offers overlapping capabilities around federal benefit PIN processing at point of sale.
• Clover Network (FIS): Clover is a POS and merchant services platform from FIS targeting small and mid-sized businesses. It is comparable as a broader POS infrastructure incumbent that competes for the same SMB payment acceptance use case as MarketLink's TotilPay Go.
• Toast: Toast is a POS and payments platform focused on restaurants, with capabilities that could extend to farm-to-table venues and farmers markets. It is comparable as a vertical-specialized POS/payments incumbent operating in food-adjacent SMB segments.
• Square (Block): Square is a partner and credit/debit processor integrated into MarketLink's TotilPay Go app. As a broader incumbent in small-merchant payment processing, Square is comparable as a POS/payments infrastructure provider targeting SMBs including farmers and market vendors.
• Stripe: Stripe is a major payment processing platform with APIs and pre-built integrations for e-commerce merchants. It is comparable as a broader fintech incumbent providing payment infrastructure that could be configured for federal benefit processing at small merchants.

Emerging players

• Farmers Market Coalition: Farmers Market Coalition is a national non-profit supporting farmers markets through training, advocacy, and capacity-building programs. It is comparable as a mission-aligned ecosystem player addressing the same farmers market operator customer base.
• Wholesome Wave: Wholesome Wave is a non-profit that operates the Double Value Coupon Program and similar nutrition incentive initiatives for SNAP recipients at farmers markets. It is comparable to MarketLink in its mission-driven approach to expanding federal nutrition benefit acceptance at farmers markets.

Direct peers

• Novo Dia Group: Novo Dia Group was the original developer of the TotilPay platform that powers MarketLink's SNAP/EBT processing. Though now defunct, it was a direct peer as a technology provider enabling small retailers and farmers markets to accept federal nutrition benefits.
• Farm Generations Cooperative: Farm Generations Cooperative develops GrownBy, the USDA-approved eCommerce platform that powers MarketLink's SNAP Online grant. The cooperative is a direct peer in serving direct marketing farmers with digital commerce and federal benefit acceptance tools.

Others

• National Association of Farmers Market Nutrition Programs (NAFMNP): NAFMNP is the parent organization that established MarketLink in 2013 and created FFAB in 2024 to continue its work. It is comparable as the founding ecosystem partner linking state agencies, tribal organizations, and stakeholders in USDA's Farmers Market Nutrition Programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/mymarketlink
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mymarketlink
• Facebookfacebook.com/402133656598808
• Instagraminstagram.com/mymarketlink

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Marketlink Technologies