reinventing the local food economy
DESCRIPTION
Reinventing the Local Food Economy. The Appalachian Center for Economic Networks is a regional entrepreneurship and economic development organization (501c3) located in Athens, Ohio. ACEnet builds the capacity of communities to - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Reinventing the Local
Food EconomyThe Appalachian Center for Economic
Networks is a regional entrepreneurship and
economic development organization (501c3) located in Athens, Ohio.
ACEnet builds the capacity of communities to
network, work together and innovate to create a dynamic, sustainable regional
economy with opportunities for all.
Where We WorkPrimary
Service Area
Appalachia
Counties
Clients also come
from other
parts of Ohio and adjacent states
ACEnet Strategies
1. Training & technical assistance
2. Business incubation & infrastructure development
3. Access to capital services, partnerships & referrals
4. Capacity building through product innovation, branding & adoption of technology
At the crossroads of local food economies
Environmental Sustainability
Food Security for All
New Economic
Opportunities
Farms & Foodways
Food & farm microenterprises are part of our heritage—High concentration of organic
producers
Community Gardeners
Athens Westside Garden grow from 60 to 121 gardeners in 2008
Long Tradition of Markets
Athens Farmers Market over 37 years old
Assets: Pastured Meats & Dairy
Food Sector Development
Kitchen Incubator Stakeholders-Tenants
• Produce farmer creating value-added products
• Restaurants creating signature, commercial products
• Caterers needing on-premise event space
• Push cart or kiosk vendors needing licensed food prep
• Home-based food businesses transitioning to legitimacy
• New low & moderate income food entrepreneurs
• Expanding micro-processors, bakeries, restaurants
• Farm marketers needing packing, storage & distribution
Tenants– Many Start-ups
High percentage Women or Family Owned & Operated
Tenants– Many Start-ups
Assists minority owned & operated microenterprises
Foodservice & Personal Chefs
Opportunities for Farmers
• Farmers can use excess or seconds for value-added products
• Value-added products provide year-round cash/flow
• Commercial shelf-stable products can expand direct marketing opportunities and open doors to wholesale placement
• Product lines strengthen farm brand
• Product quality competitive for freshness and small batches
Livestock Farmer Advantages
Move from direct to some wholesale accounts
Farmer Advantages
Public Market Convening – March 05
Lots of tomatoes to save from being plowed under
Farmer Advantages
Creating Products – Farmers Markets
• Collaborative kitchen allows for easier foodservice operations
• Fresh, chopped and refrigerated prepared foods can be legally produced
• Can increase diversity of products & entrepreneurs
• Can attract more low-income food entrepreneurs with ethnic or heritage foods
Market Vendors Extend Season
Advantages for Community Gardeners
Athens Community Garden Plot start a Pesto Business
Advantages for Restaurants
Commercial products for sale in restaurant & wholesale
Regional Assessment Process?• Assess community and regional sites for food &
farm incubation
• Determine site selection criteria
• Inventory existing licensed or adaptable facility locations
• Create models customized to the character and assets of place
• Identify funding opportunities
• Identify market partners and niche opportunities
• Harness existing private and public resources
Food Ventures Center
Timeline Highlights
1992-95 Raise funding for facility
1993-on Develop services & programming for food & farm entrepreneurs
1995 Close on property – begin renovation
1996 Open FV Center April 1996
1997 Start raising funds for expansion
2000 Facility expansion complete
2004 Seafood HACCP & ODA Meat license
Funding Partners
USDA – Rural Development
EDA – Dept of Commerce
Ohio Dept. of Agriculture
Local Bank Loans
Processing & Distribution
Approximately 90 tenants in Food Ventures--farmers, specialty food & foodservice
businesses
Food Ventures Center
Facility Specs· 12,000 sq ft shared facility· 10 offices· 3 loading docks · Shipping and receiving· Conference and training room · Retail space· Storage for dry, refrigerated &
frozen goods· Reception, fax, copier, computers
Bakery operations
Thermal processing
Foodservice
Frozen food
Dry packaging
Pasta production
ODA meat license
Seafood processing
Warehousing
Types of Operations & Licenses
Shared-use Central Kitchen
Bakery Operations
Ingredient Prep & Processing
Thermal Processing
Frozen Foods
Meat Cutting & Value-addingOhio Department of
Agriculture Meat License allows for product licensing of products with meat as main ingredient
Catering Enterprises
Dry Mixes & Packaging
Production & Processing Training
Cheese making Workshop with Chris
Warehousing and Distribution
Secured storage & walk-ins
Docks for Distributors and Delivery
WHY? Economic Impacts!
Trend OpportunitiesBuy Local, Buy Fresh ----
BrandingLocal is the new organicExponential growth of farmers
marketsCelebrating Rural –Regional
FlavorCountry is Re-examining our
valuesFoodies and ‘locavores’ spread
the word$$$ for infrastructure on the
way
Processors use Local Ingredients
Thermally-processed Products
Creating Niche Products
Using the Web Effectively
Building national markets & area recognition
Regional & National Markets
Now in 750 storesGrowth firm sells throughout the US & since summer 2008 – 5 countries
Regional Food Branding
Ads, inserts &
demos
Significant Sales
Store Demos build BrandMeet the producers
in the Kroger aisle
Athens Kroger
Over 50 local products lines in produce, dairy, meat and shelf-stable products
Heritage Foods become Products
Pawpaw designated Ohio’s native fruit
Local Food Economy Storywww.businessremixed.co
m
Economic Impacts• Over 90 current tenants creating over $8 million in annual sales
• Growth firms (Frog Ranch Foods, Crumbs Bakery, Herbal Sage Tea Company, Milo’s Whole Word Gourmet, Around the World Gourmet, Jose Madrid Salsa, Hometown Spirit and Integration Acres serve national and international markets)
• Current facility tenants create 129 full-time or self-employed jobs, and 87 part-time jobs)
• Over 260 tenants served since 1996