Founder and CEO Robert Blazer came to Atlanta nearly 50 years ago with little capital but a clear plan: buy directly from growers and sell directly to customers. He started small—a modest greenhouse open Thursday through Sunday, with no real refrigeration, selling out each night and reloading by week’s end. In 1986, the market relocated to its current home, and its vision expanded without losing its edge.
“We’re a direct link between the consumer and the grower,” Blazer says. That promise drives quiet discipline behind the scenes. YDFM has never advertised; if they do the work well, he believes, customers will come. “We’re not short-term thinkers,” he adds. The market has earned a top reputation by treating suppliers with the same respect it shows to its shoppers.
Customers have returned that trust. Years ago, an ice storm caused the roof of the original space to collapse. Insurance didn’t cover it. Shoppers wrote checks to help rebuild the business. Blazer insisted those checks be used for food when the doors reopened eight weeks later, a moment that still explains the bond between the market and its community.
Increased scale hasn’t changed its focus. Over time, the team built a deep in-house kitchen, featuring breads made with organic flours, roasted coffee and nuts, house-made sausages, and a bustling food–to-go section. Many recipes come from Blazer’s wife and business partner, Barbara. “Anytime I make something Robert loves, he says, ‘Let’s make it for the market,’” she says with a laugh. Prepared foods feel homemade because they are—“women upstairs cooking like they’re at home.” Favorites of the Blazers include grass-fed beef from Montana; Amish milk and eggs from Iowa and Pennsylvania; and a steady stream of tropical staples.
The sourcing web is global and unusually direct. Your DeKalb Farmers Market has developed relationships with growers in Mexico and Central America and now operates its own container shipping line into Port Manatee, located south of Tampa, which transports produce to the market and other buyers up the East Coast via rail. Inside, each department—produce, seafood, meat, international groceries—runs like a specialty shop, supported by dedicated warehousing and packing.
What most shoppers don’t see is the people system. Days begin and end with short stand-ups. Employees work in paired teams with coaches and leads, a circular structure designed for accountability and open conversation. Blazer has documented the approach at ourworldmarket.com, which features free lessons on how the Blazers have created a culture of care amongst their employees.
Future growth remains on the minds of the Blazers, but it still hinges on partnership. Robert points to Barbara, long-time vendors, committed employees, and customers who have stood by them before.
Continuing these cherished relationships is how Your DeKalb Farmers Market plans to keep its promise—direct, fair, reliably fresh—no matter how big it gets.