Seattle Growers Market: Lessons from 15 years of cooperative flower marketing with SGM General Manager Carrie Read

One trend we’ve noticed is the growing number of flower farming cooperatives. We think it might be part of local growers banding together to increase market power as the American flower market bounces back from decimation due to the Andean Trade Preference Act, but don’t take it from us. This week we talk with Carrie Read, the General Manager of the Seattle Growers Market (recently rebranded from the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market), which is celebrating 15 years in 2026. We talk with Carrie about how the coop is structured, grower fees, and the digital sales platform they use to coordinate it all. We also discuss pricing, and how the coop navigates being competitive vs getting the best price possible for their blooms. Carrie also tells us how they’re navigating delivery and pickup rates in an era of tariffs and fuel surcharges, how they add new growers while preserving the equity of established growers, and what they’ve learned as the coop reaches the 15-year mark. Connect With Guest: Website: seattlegrowersmarket.com Instagram: @seattlegrowersmarket Podcast Sponsors: Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: There are a lot of farm sales platforms out there, but there’s only one that’s cooperatively owned by farmers. That’s GrownBy — your all-in-one solution to simplify farm sales. GrownBy makes online farm sales easy and affordable; setting up your shop is free, and you only pay when you sell. Join over 900 farms who have already signed up for GrownBy, at grownby.com. Farmhand is the virtual assistant built for farmers—helping CSAs scale sales, run error-free fulfillment, and deliver 5-star service. Whether you’re at 100 members or 1,000, Farmhand helps you grow without burning out. You’ve heard us—and our farmers—right here on the Growing for Market Podcast. Explore more stories and learn more at farmhand.partners/gfm. Nifty Hoops builds complete gothic high tunnels that are easy to install and built to last.  Their bolt-together construction makes setup straightforward and efficient, whether it's a small backyard hoophouse, or a dozen large production-scale high tunnels- especially through their community build option, where professional builders work alongside your crew, family, or neighbors to build each structure -- usually in a single day.Visit niftyhoops.com to learn more. Seven Springs Farm Supply is a farm-based supply company focused on serving market gardeners and has been in business for 35 years. Our catalog includes a comprehensive selection of approved-for-organic fertilizers, pest & disease controls, growing mixes, cover crop seed, and more. We offer custom fertilizer blending and seasonal cooperative purchasing opportunities, and our experienced team is ready to help guide you to the best solution for your farm's needs. Request a free paper catalog and learn more at sevenspringsfarmsupply.com or give us a call at (540) 651-3228.  Farming is hard. Running it shouldn’t be. Tend helps you plan your season, map your farm, and track every task from seed to sale. No spreadsheets, no guesswork, just seamless workflows. Tend is the all-in-one farm management platform that brings together planning, field mapping, fulfillment, real-time inventory, sales, labor, traceability, and accounting in one easy platform. Built for small market gardens, CSAs, and large diversified farms. Get started with a free account at Tend.com. No credit card required. If you grow for market, you know performance is everything. That’s why so many farmers are turning to <a href="https://www.burpee.com/far