Forget the refrigerated aisles and long supply chains – in Aarhus, you can now order fresh produce directly from local farmers via Facebook. REKO Aarhus is a new food market where consumers and producers meet without intermediaries, giving small-scale farms a real chance to compete with major players.

“The REKO market we’ve set up here in Aarhus puts the small-scale farmer at the center and prioritizes making it as easy as possible for small producers to access a market and engage directly with customers,” explains Andreas Felipe Dominguez Simonsen, co-founder of REKO Aarhus.

Many products at the market come from farms based on regenerative principles, focusing on rebuilding soil health while delivering high-quality food. According to Cecilie Fink, one of REKO Aarhus’ founders, producers want customers to verify the quality in person – reflecting a desire to connect consumers more closely with the origin of their food.

Andreas Felipe emphasizes that the option to pre-order via their Facebook page, REKO Aarhus, is crucial for providing financial security to participating producers. The direct trade model used in the project eliminates the retail layer, giving consumers access to products without markup from intermediaries. It also helps reduce food waste, as producers can better estimate sales. Pre-ordering is optional but available, and the market takes place on the second Sunday of each month.

The project’s vision extends beyond the current market, with potential to expand to nearby cities like Silkeborg. To make it easier for others to establish a REKO system, the REKO team is developing a practical handbook sharing their experiences and guidance on how to build and run a REKO food market.

A future vision for REKO Aarhus includes an unmanned drop-off and pick-up spot, allowing goods to be collected outside market hours.

“It acts as a distribution point for farmers and a pickup point for customers,” says Andreas Felipe. Goods won’t be purchased for resale but simply facilitated through a store that’s free for producers. However, he adds that this concept will supplement the REKO market, as the core idea is about the meeting between consumer and grower.

Aarhus University’s research, using REKO Aarhus as a case study, aims to understand what drives support and growth for REKO in Aarhus. Through interviews and facilitated group discussions with producers, consumers, policymakers, and REKO network members, researchers will explore the challenges of implementing food markets in urban contexts, stakeholder motivations, and the structural changes needed to support the growth of local food markets in cities.

Aarhus Municipality and the Department of Food Science at Aarhus University are connected to the REKO market through the EU-funded research project, whose involvement has been crucial to ensuring the project’s viability. The funding aims to create a stronger foundation to support the initiative’s continued success. The research also serves as a valuable tool for REKO Aarhus in future grant applications, with the goal of exploring whether expanding REKO can support regenerative agriculture in the long term.

• What: REKO Aarhus, a pre-order-based food market (pre-ordering is not required to attend)
• When: Held on the second Sunday of each month
• Where: Mejlgade 53, 8000 Aarhus
• Learn more: REKO Aarhus Facebook Group
• Contact REKO: Rekoaarhus@gmail.com

	CONTENT & PURPOSE
Study type	Using qualitative data collection methods such as interviews and focused group discussions with key stakeholders — including producers, consumers, policymakers, and REKO network members — the study aims to map the main implementation challenges in urban contexts. Researchers will also examine stakeholder motivations and identify structural changes crucial for supporting the expansion of local food markets in cities.
Eksternal partners	Aarhus Municipality, REKO Aarhus, FoodCLIC & Café Mellemfolk
Eksternal funding	The study is part of and funded by a larger project supported by the EU’s Horizon Europe Innovation Actions program, called . FoodCLIC collaborates with 18 partner institutions across Europe to improve food policy by fostering sustainable partnerships, social inclusion, and interdisciplinary connections in eight European cities to help transform the food system.
Potential conflicts of interest:	This project is made possible through collaboration with Café Mellemfolk and REKO Aarhus.
Contact	Mads Kløvdal Research Assistant, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University E-mail: Mads.klovdal@food.au.dk Tlf.: +45 20 51 88 80 Kimie Kongsøre Journalist & Science Communicator, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University E-mail: kiko@food.au.dk Tlf.: +45 20 84 43 63