Markta

Markta operates as a digital farmers' market in Austria, creating a direct link between regional food producers and consumers. The company was founded in 2017 by Theresa Imre, who serves as the CEO. The inspiration for Markta stemmed from Imre's successful food blog, "eingebrockt & ausgelöffelt," which won the Austrian Foodblog Award in 2015 and attracted the attention of numerous producers seeking support. This led to the development of the online marketplace, which officially launched in March 2018 with about 100 partner farms.

Imre's background includes a degree in International Business Administration and a Master's in Socio-Ecological Economics and Policy from WU Vienna. Her academic and professional journey, including a stint as a consultant, was scientifically accompanied by her studies, reflecting a deep-seated interest in creating a just and sustainable food system. This mission is central to Markta's operation, which aims to counter the decline of small and family-owned farms by providing them with a digital platform and shortening supply chains. The business model ensures that producers receive a significantly larger portion of the sales price compared to traditional supermarket channels.

Markta's platform functions as an e-commerce solution where consumers can order from a full range of regional and seasonal foods and household goods directly from over 250 local producers. The company established its own logistics and refrigerated-chain center in Vienna in 2019, enabling it to bundle products from various suppliers into a single delivery for customers. This pivot to a centralized logistics model, described as "everything from one box," was a response to customer feedback and proved crucial during the surge in demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The company's revenue grew from around €90,000 in 2019 to €2.3 million in 2020. The business makes money through a commission fee of 20% on products sold through its marketplace model and also sells curated food boxes, available with a subscription option. Markta also serves over 200 corporate clients with offerings like office fruit and vegetable boxes, and branded gift baskets for employees and customers.

In addition to its online presence, Markta has expanded into physical retail, opening its first store in Vienna in 2023 and a second one in early 2025, enhancing its omnichannel strategy. Despite its growth and receiving numerous awards, including Forbes 30 under 30 for its founder, the company announced in April 2025 that it was filing for insolvency due to the challenging economic climate and insufficient investor security to sustain its growth.

Keywords: digital farmers' market, regional food, Austrian food producers, sustainable food system, local agriculture, online grocery, direct-to-consumer, e-commerce platform, food logistics, farm-to-table, Theresa Imre, Vienna, food delivery, local producers, sustainable agriculture, food supply chain, organic products, family farms, omnichannel retail, corporate gifting