Food at Market

Our intent is to present to Saturday Market patrons an unusual, nutritious and varied eating experience not available anywhere else in Eugene. In order to achieve this variety, vendors are expected to present their own unique product. These guidelines favor the lowest level of commercial processing. Food booths are judged on and chosen for quality of food, presentation, reliability and significant difference from present food products. The four criteria identified under "What May Be Sold" in the beginning of this booklet applies to food booths also.

Application

Interested parties may leave their names and contact information with the Market office. All potential applicants are contacted by mail when a vacancy occurs and invited to submit an application. In order to fill a vacancy in the food court, the Standards Committee along with the Chairperson of the Food Court Committee will review all applications and select potential candidates. These candidates are then scheduled for a Standards Committee taste test that shall be announced in advance to all current food court members. Following the taste test the Standards Committee shall select the finalist. The following criteria are used in all selections:

1. Owner Operation. Extent to which the applicant would be personally and actively engaged in the manufacture and the sale of products,

2. Management Ability. Ability to successfully operate a food booth. Knowledge of food services is helpful,

3. Encouragement of New Business. Extent to which the acceptance of the applicant would create a new business opportunity as opposed to providing a retail outlet for an existing business,

4. Unique or Unusual Product of High Quality. Extent to which the product to be sold would be unique, handmade, unusual and of superior quality,

5. Mix and Balance of Products. Extent to which the products to be sold are different from those already sold by existing food booths or those on the waiting list or the extent to which the products will improve the mix and variety offered by the existing food booths or those on the waiting list. (2/3/93)

Taste Test

All food sold at the Saturday Market must be taste-tested prior to being sold at the Market unless this requirement is waived by the Standards Committee. Tastings for added menu items may be held on-site.

Menu Items

All food and drink items sold at Saturday Market must be approved in advance by the Standards Committee. All food vendors must submit a complete food and drink menu along with ingredients and retail prices for review by the Standards Committee before the beginning of each season. All menu changes require prior approval of the Standards Committee. This approval may be granted on a temporary basis with the approval of the Standards Committee Chair and the Food Court Committee Chair. The Food Court Committee Chair is responsible for assessing potential balance and mix issues and for resolving them before granting approval. Items granted this temporary approval will be discussed at the next Standards Committee meeting and a taste test scheduled if required. Without this approval the proposed menu changes will be discussed by the Standards Committee at their next scheduled meeting and all current Food Court vendors will be notified. All Standards Committee recommendations are presented to the Board of Directors at their next meeting for approval.

Any approved menu items not served with a period of twelve months will lose their approved status. (10/98)

Licensing

All food booths must be licensed as temporary restaurants before they can sell at the market. Call the Lane County Environmental Health Department (135 E. 6th Ave., 687-3955) or the Market office for more details.

Space Allocation

There are approximately 22 permanent food booth spaces at the Market site. Open spaces are filled from a waiting list of approved vendors.

Permanent Booths: All newly admitted food booths are on probation for the first five weeks to ensure compliance with guidelines. Permanent food booth fees are the same as regular booth fees outlined earlier. This includes appropriate space reservation fees.

Fill-in Booths: An approved food vendor may be admitted as a fill-in to cover a period of one week or several, depending on space availability. The Market cannot guarantee any advance status for fill-in booths. Booth fees for food fill-ins are 10% of gross sales, the booth fee is waived.

Attendance

Food booth attendance is very important to the Market both in sustaining budget projections throughout the season and in presenting an interesting and varied eating experience for our customers. Food booths are not permitted to miss more than six weeks of Market attendance without the permission of the Board of Directors. The following attendance policy also reflects that degree of importance.

YOU MUST NOTIFY THE MARKET OFFICE IF YOU WILL NOT BE PRESENT.

If you notify the office in writing at least one month before an absence, there is no charge to you.

If you notify the Market office by Tuesday of that week, you will be charged a $5 fee.

If you notify the Market office by 4:00 p.m. on Friday of that week and have a reasonable excuse, you will be charged a $10 fee.

If you do not notify the Market office at all, you will be charged the average food booth fees for that day.

Health Inspections

A health inspector visits each food booth every Saturday. Failure to comply with Health Department rules and regulations may result in immediate closure.

Use of Space

In addition to the guidelines cited earlier, food booths must meet additional rules to satisfy both Market and Health Department regulations. The following checklist of requirements ensure your compliance.

1. A 2A10BC fire extinguisher. When using woks or when deep fat frying, a 40-BC extinguisher is required. (1999)

Propane tank located at least 5' from the booth structure and tied down securely. Only one cylinder allowed at any time in booth. Maximum 125 water gallon capacity. (1998)

The sidewalls, drops and tops of booths shall be composed of flame-resistant material or sall be treated with a flame retardant in an approved manner (1998)

Additional Regulations

Imposed by the Market:

1. You must comply with all City and County Health Regulations.

2. The main menu item is to be the vendor's unique recipe.

3. Carnival-type foods are not allowed (i.e. hamburgers, hot dogs, cotton candy, snow cones, soft drinks, pre-popped popcorn).

4. Imitation foods and drinks are prohibited (i.e. Cool Whip, non-dairy creamer, etc.).

5. Commercial sauces, intended as a part of the main product, such as canned or bottled Bar-B-Q sauce are prohibited.

6. Drinks: Fresh juices can be sold alone if prepared by the vendor. Bottled juices may be sold but must be significantly enhanced by combination with or by addition of other acceptable ingredients. Real, pure, frozen juices, ades and/or concentrates may be used if significantly enhanced as above.

7. You are required to provide a non-porous ground cover and leave your space clean before leaving Market that day.

8. All food items and menu changes must be approved in advance by the Standards Committee.

9. You may not transfer your space to another vendor.

10. No business may occupy more than one booth space.

11. Vendors are expected to be ready to sell by the time Market opens at 10:00 a.m.

12. Hawking your product is not allowed.

13. The use of disposable Styrofoam containers is not permitted.

Imposed by the Health Department:

1. Booths must obtain a restaurant license before they can sell.

2. All food must be prepared at the Market site or a licensed commissary. No home preparation or overnight storage is permitted without an appropriate license. Protect raw food during transport to the Market.

3. Food handlers cards are required for all persons in the booth and should be available upon request. Cards may be obtained from the Lane County Environmental Health Department. Call for details.

4. All food must be from an approved source of supply, e.g. government-inspected meat, commercial ice, approved milk, etc. No home-processed/canned food allowed.

5. Perishable foods must be refrigerated below 45 degrees or heated above 140 degrees F. Coolers must have liquid-spirited thermometers placed in the warmest spot.

6. All food and utensils must be stored off the ground and protected from dust and contamination. Condiments should be labeled and kept in covered containers.

7. Unacceptable materials for storage and cooking: enamel-coated pots, copper, tin can, cardboard. Acceptable: glass, stainless steel, aluminum, cast iron, plastic.

8. Use only disposable eating utensils and individually-wrapped straws.

9. Each booth must have one garbage can for patron use and also must provide containers for the disposal of refuse from the booth. Containers must be cleanable - no cardboard.

10. Hand washing: Two containers, one with soapy water, the other with a sanitizing rinse of at least 50 ppm chlorine. Paper towels must be provided. Wash hands often.

11. Stoves: Use only propane fuel. White gas (Coleman fuel) and gasoline are not permitted. A 5 lb. ABC fire extinguisher is required when using any open flame.

12. Booth construction: Roofs are required and all counter tops must be made of hard, non-absorbent, cleanable, smooth materials. Use sneeze guards to protect food preparation.

13. Wear aprons and tie hair back or wear a scarf.

14. No use of tobacco inside the booths.

15. If you're sick, don't work.

Home Bakery Licenses

Products baked at home may be sold at the Market in either a food booth or craft booth if the home is a licensed domestic bakery. Items sold for on-premises consumption must be sold from an approved food booth. Pre-packaged food items for off-premises consumption are subject to the rules found on page 5.

The following rules are a summary of the State regulations governing home bakery licenses. For specific questions, call the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Food and Dairy Department, in Salem at (503) 986-4720. To arrange for local inspection, call Gary Morse at the Department of Agriculture at 689-7920.

1. You must be able to close off the kitchen from the rest of the house.

2. Only the license holder and those under his/her supervision are allowed in the kitchen during production.

3. No pets in the whole house at any time.

4. You cannot use the kitchen for domestic purposes while simultaneously using it for production of baked goods under the bakery license.

5. You must have closed and locked containers for ingredients and finished products.

6. You must have refrigeration to keep perishables below 45 degrees F.

7. Keep cleaning substances and medical supplies separate from all else.

8. Kitchen must be available for inspection.

Strolling Food Carts

The strolling food cart program was discontinued by the Board of Directors in the summer of 1993 due to overcrowding on the Park Blocks.

This is the end of the Vendor Handbook

Go back to Standards or Handbook Intro or Home

revised 2/3/00