Local growers and makers feed our region. They deserve access to quality facilities and expert support so that we can all benefit from the fruits (and vegetables!) of their labor.
Farming and food processing is part of Northwest Arkansas’s legacy, and Market Center of the Ozarks celebrates Springdale's rich and diverse agricultural heritage. The first known use of our facility’s name was on a 1950s chamber of commerce billboard welcoming visitors to the area and hailing it as the "Main Street of N.W. Arkansas" and “Market Center of the Ozarks.”
Today, we honor this heritage through our ongoing work to support local farmers and food entrepreneurs. After all, agriculture remains the number one industry in Arkansas, one that employs 1 in 6 of the state’s residents.
A renewed interest in small-scale farming is driving a resurgence of locally available produce. Since 2002, the number of farms growing fruits and vegetables in Northwest Arkansas increased by 200%.
Located in the heart of Downtown Springdale, the 45,000 sq/ft Market Center of the Ozarks was announced in 2022 and opened in May 2025. The nearly $31 million facility was designed by Patterhn Ives, a St. Louis-based architecture firm, and constructed the CDI Contractors, an Arkansas-based general contracting company.
The center connects farmers and food entrepreneurs to infrastructure, education, and technical assistance and increase food security across the region.
Explore the SPace
Team
Dr. Darryl Holliday
Dr. Holliday, Director of the Arkansas Food Innovation Center at Market Center of the Ozarks, is a senior level food and beverage professional with expertise in culinary and food science product development, ingredient functionality, cost reduction, and business development/market presence and is a Certified Research Chef through the Research Chefs Association. His undergraduate education in culinary arts and his graduate training in food science, nutrition research, and culinology, as well as his 20+ years in the food industry including work in bakeries, fine dining establishments, multi-unit chain restaurants (both kitchen and management), specialty ingredient companies, and finished product manufacturers uniquely position him to support a variety of clients.
Anthony Mirisciotta
As Executive Director of Spring Creek Food Hub, Anthony Mirisciotta brings a wealth of experience leading innovative, resilient, and community-focused food systems across the country, including his prior role as General Manager of South Carolina’s preeminent food hub, GrowFood Carolina. A national leader in local food aggregation, he has advanced nonprofit, for-profit, and cooperative models, served on the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee, and consistently delivered practical, sustainable solutions that support farmers and strengthen communities.
