The Bounty

An app-based marketplace designed to bridge the gap between farmers and consumers—operating straight from the source.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Bounty is a concept marketplace that bridges the gap between consumers and farmers, operating straight from the source. An integrated app paired with local farm stands designed to make quality food accessible for everyone while limiting waste, overproduction and environmental impact. The primary product is a digital marketplace app that utilizes IOT, AI technology and social networking to shop, sell and trade. The app operates in tandem with The Bounty market stands and local farmers, creating a holistic, regenerate and full-circle business model.

Working with individuals from the agriculture industry to gain insight and collaborate made this project what it is. This was crucial to understand and design a product and system that worked with all parties, for all parties.

Deliverables: Branding • Digital Product (UI/UX) • Campaign • Proposal Video

ROLE

Owner of project—concept to creation

KEYWORDS

User Experience Design (UED) • Brand Identity • B2B Modeling • Motion Graphics • Product Design (UI/UX) • 3D Modeling • Social Networking • Videography

CREDITS

Agriculture Collaborators: Driscolls, J&R Organics, Blue House Farms

Project Timeline: 40 weeks

The Problem

The state of our current food system is centralized around three major issues; food waste, big agribusiness monopolies and environmental degradation. Food waste is estimated to make up 40% of the national supply, with 97% heading directly to landfills. Mass scale production created by monolithic agribusinesses are severely degrading our resources and claim to be the largest driving force of major environmental issues.

Our current system not only degrades the environment and food itself, but is operated in a way that hurts local farmers. The uneven distribution of market power prompts farmers to produce in conditions that benefit larger corporations at their own expense.

The solution: create a community-based system that provides access to quality local grown goods, raising human and planetary health while leveling out argoeconomics.

Interviews

I sat down with three individuals within the industry to interview, here’s what they had to say:

“Distribution has become a really big problem”

The old ways of farming are hopelessly in-efficient, there is something to new technology making life easier. Distribution has become a really big problem. These massive scale agribusinesses are forced to harvest much earlier leaving medium to low quality nutrition left in our food. Let’s talk about Monsanto…. farmers are hooked on them. You’ve got to buy Monsanto seeds every year but they modify (sterilize) them so they won’t reproduce, and the farmers have to keep coming back for more. In a way, smaller farms are trapped by these companies, you can’t make your own seeds, starting off with two strikes against you.

- Mark Sanders, Ranch Owner and Business Owner

“Farmers that work directly have the most success”

CSA programs used to be crude, get whatever in season. Groups that consolidate in other areas to add more seasonality and selection to what you're buying offer very diverse produce. For example, Farm Fresh To You invests heavily in good user interface and flexibility. If people don’t order, people don’t waste. But there are a lot of delivery issues, traditionally 1 - 5 farms participate, not a lot of profit margins. It is still a direct to consumer approach and transportation tends to take a lot of profit margins. In my opinion, farmers that work directly with grocers, restaurants, etc have the most success in these type of situations.

- Parker Weiss, Director of Operations at Driscoll’s

“People are willing to pay more for better quality”

We became a fully organic farm in 1980 after members of my family were getting sick from the pesticides we were using. Despite our original worry, we are much more profitable since going organic—people want the best quality and are willing to pay a higher price. We use natural herbicides and traditional methods of safe farming practices to ensure the best produce. We do CSA and as many local farmers markets as possible, but these markets are becoming an inflated enterprise. With so many markets, the competition to get a space, increase rent, and high volume demands are going again what many of us local farmers believe.

- Michael Rodriguez, Owner of JR Organics

Brand Identity

The Bounty was derived from the Middle English word ‘bounty’ meaning goodness and generosity—especially in a yield. Creating an image and feel that reflects the mission of the brand was important to represent the products offered. Developing keywords to use as foundational pillars inspired new ideas and maintained standards and visual cohesion.

Traditional
Image + product driven
Simple / minimal

App Development

A market-based platform that bridges the gap between consumers and producers to buy, sell, trade and barter local grown goods. A community based solution designed to make wholesome food accessible for everyone. The app features a main screen consisting of local farmer highlights, product feed and seasonal/sale items. The interface (UI) design was based off vintage agriculture newsletters and papers, consistent with timeless serif type and editorial style typography and layout.