From Soil to Screen: A Sustainable Farming Business Goes Digital

Q: What is the story of your business?  

Creation Farms was purchased back in 2019 and has been steadily expanding ever since. As a family-owned and operated business, Creation Farms offers nourishing and delectable produce and artisanal goods, while also promoting a sustainable way of life. Creation Farms set out to produce and sell their own food, with the aim of keeping their local community, and beyond, nourished. 

Sylvie, co-owner of Creation Farms, says this about their products and mission: 

“Our values are passion and commitment, transparency and accountability, sustainability, collaboration, and stewardship. Our product line features fresh, no spray produce, handmade all-natural soaps, herbal teas, delicious baked goods, beautiful fresh-cut flowers, gourmet spices and preserves, artisan chocolates, and hand-painted ornaments.” 

Q: What brought you to the ShopHERE powered by Google program?  

The co-owner knew that she wanted to build an online presence for Creation Farms. She explains that before signing up with the ShopHERE powered by Google program their business exclusively sold their products in person.  

“We didn't have a way to showcase our items in an e-commerce platform”, which lead them to the program.  

Q: How was your experience with the ShopHERE program? 

Sylvie shares that she thoroughly enjoyed her time with the ShopHERE program and that it is a wonderful resource for small businesses that are just getting started, 

 “When you're a small business with no website, having a ‘boost' really helps propel you forward and that's exactly what the ShopHERE Program provided us with.” 

She had done some research and had a vision for the Creations Farms website. “We (wanted) a clean, modern, and aesthetically beautiful website, full of colourful and styled photos which we have taken ourselves over the years. We wanted to introduce our customers to who we are, our values, and by providing them with this website, we feel it's an effective avenue to achieve that. 

The co-owner assumed the process of getting e-commerce ready would be challenging due to her lack of experience in website building but was happily relieved that the experience was easier than anticipated.  

“I thought that the process of getting an online store set up would be complicated and that it would be a daunting situation. I didn't study HTML or coding in school, so that was part of my brain that was like, “Nope, not today”. But thankfully, working with an experienced and professional eCommerce Coordinator made the whole experience easier and Square has a user-friendly drag-and-drop type of layout management which made things more for me, a visual learner much easier” 

 Sylvie was thrilled that the website was launched even sooner than expected.  

Q: What was it like working with your dedicated ecommerce coordinator? 

From start to finish Creation Farm’s e-Commerce Coordinator was able to provide them with industry expertise and helped Sylvie apply these best practices to their website. 

She explains how easy it is to set up an online website with one-to-one support: 

“We are super grateful for the expertise, know-how, and quick turnaround time of your eCommerce Coordinator to help us establish an online storefront. It was tremendously beneficial to work with someone who has had previous experience working on the platform.”

When reflecting on her time working with her e-Commerce Coordinator, Sylvie notes, 

“Her knowledge of the software was extremely refreshing. We are very grateful for our e-Commerce Coordinator’s resourcefulness, professionalism, and timely assistance.”  

When asked to rate her experience with the ShopHERE powered by Google program, she selected a 5/5 and says “We are so grateful to have worked with Digital Main Street!”  

Creative Farms is now officially online and ready to serve customers delicious and handmade all-natural products.

To check out Creation Farms' fresh products you can find them at the local Newmarket Farmers Market every Saturday or visit their website here. If you're aiming to expand your business and achieve success in the online realm, make sure to explore the ShopHERE program powered by Google by clicking here.