The Members
To become part of the Merill Rural Network, one needs to grasp the significance of teamwork and trust. Over time, members recognise the myriad long-term benefits of these values, including opportunities for shared growth, knowledge exchange, and the cultivation of enduring relationships within our vibrant community.
We are often asked what it takes to be part of the network. Since Merill focuses on building bridges between like-minded people, through the years we established a number of unbreakable principles that we look for when considering new membership – we call these ‘the four premises of alignment’. These are based on the needs of the rural communities and the opportunities (but also challenges) presented in the Maltese Islands.
Operate a functioning and bona fide farm
The 4 Premises of Alignment
Promote 100% local (whenever possible)
Be committed to provide added-value to your products and services
Show propensity to long-term collaboration
How it Works:
First and foremost we expect authenticity.
Our members are encouraged to dedicate their efforts to their primary agricultural or artisanal pursuits. We understand that asking for farmers and artisans to become proficient rural hosts overnight would detract from the time they should be investing in producing high-quality products. This could potentially present an inauthentic image of the Maltese rural community to visitors. Instead, we opt to furnish them with the necessary resources and a structured platform to diversify part of their services into rural tourism services.
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Developing your own brand.
Merill actively fosters the growth of our members' individual brands. We believe in the uniqueness of each member and are committed to enhancing the value of their services and products by effectively targeting the right market.
We then connect the member with the right target market.
Through our partnerships, we facilitate the connection between small-scale farmers and artisans with consumers and potential visitors. Our collaboration with Malta Rural Tours, a fully-licensed tour operator, empowers our members to attract high-quality tourism and offer exclusive experiences at their venues.