GREEN BAY, Wis. (NBC 26) -- Without the opportunity to sell his food at some of Northeast Wisconsin's biggest events, Pat Joyce's food truck stayed put.
"It was basically night and day for us," he said. "Last year, we lost probably $90,000."
Amid a pandemic summer in 2020, vendors who sold prepared foods were prohibited from attending the Farmers' Market on Broadway.
But Joyce's 'Taste of Ethiopa' is getting back on track in a new year with a normal market.
BACKGROUND
- Farmers’ Market on Broadway to start on Wednesday, June 3
- Farmers' Market on Broadway kicks off for the season
"Without these big events, there really isn't a ton extra for us to do," Joyce said. "So the Farmers' Market is the backbone of our summer."
While it's still not seeing pre-pandemic gains, Joyce says his nonprofit dedicated to an orphanage in Ethiopa will take every penny.
After working with limited vendors, smaller crowds and shortened hours amid the pandemic in 2020, sellers at the Farmers' Market on Broadway say they've bounced back with much-needed profits over the summer.
— Ben Bokun (@ben_bokun) September 22, 2021
One vendor says he lost nearly $90,000 last year. pic.twitter.com/DahTQ3zUxo
"We had a super great year in 2019," he said. "We had enough to launch a school feeding program in Ethiopa."
Since May, Apple Lane Orchard has been one of 90 vendors at the Green Bay-based farmers market.
Bill Kleiser sold fruit at last year's event with limited attendance and reduced hours.
"The orchard that [the owner] has in Pulaski is not set up to go out and pick your own apples," Kleiser said. "So this is a way for us to market the apples that we pick and bring them in."
Kleiser says this past summer was a success. And every Wednesday, the customers come back for more.
"We have a lot of people that come back every week and buy more," he said.
Though this year's Farmers' Market on Broadway has provided much-needed support for vendors, some say the road to recovery continues on.
"We've got great crowds, people are coming out," Joyce said. "But we still have to really manage well to make it go."
