Larsen_Massey_Can food hubs catalyse health and resilient peri-urban Food systems?
- 1. How Can Food Hubs Catalyse Healthy and Resilient Local Food Systems in Victoria: Developing a Food Hub in the City of Casey Progress to Date
- 2. Background June 2011: scoping study into the feasibility of a food hub in the City of Casey. Support to develop the project through a ‘feasibility study’ VicHealth Innovation Grant commenced July 2012
- 3. Work Program 1 Can ‘Food Hubs’ catalyse and support local food systems in Victoria and Australia? Mapping & Exploration Co-Design Feasibility Work with stakeholders to design and test a Food Hub Work Program 2 Develop and test an evaluation framework for Food Hubs Establish Grow Support Share knowledge through the Australian Food Hubs Network
- 4. Mapping and Exploration Stakeholder Mapping Spatial Mapping Who, What and Where 3. Supply & Demand Who are the leaders? What do they think? Interviews • 15 Producers • 12 Businesses • 10 Community Services Many informal conversations and meetings Focus: on those who are interested
- 5. Supply: Key Issues for Producers • Urban growth • Prices • Most distribution through supermarkets and wholesale – lots of uncertainty • Loyalty to independent grocers • Uncertain of community demand • Economies of scale vs ‘quality’ edge Challenges: • Does the community value farming in the region? • Will demand increase with activity / identification of local farmers? • Is it possible to develop a Food Hub that complements existing independent retail? ‘They don’t see us as an asset to the local community, they see us more as a peripheral thing…’ right to farm - ‘we’re the outsiders’ ‘They don’t want the little growers in there, so they just want to squeeze us’
- 6. Demand: Key Issues for Buyers • Already fiercely competitive retail space Challenges • Competitive on price • Price will be critical • • Willing to test the waters How to handle quantity / seasonality issue? • Increasing interest in organics / health ranges • Support not compete with existing relationships • Work in with / support existing businesses • Community awareness and interest unknown ‘if we could get really good fresh stuff at a reasonable price, it would be wonderful’ ‘New houses, young people, they’re not going to spend $10 when they can get the same for $4.’ ‘There are about 14 different supermarkets in a 5 to 10 kilometre radius’
- 7. Assumption 1: Best to start with Wholesale Phase 1 results: • 60-75 local farmers deliver produce to warehouse. • Aggregate and distribute: schools, hospitals, restaurants, retail and food distributors • Competitive retail space • Need to support existing independent retail/distribution activity • Concern re jeopardising existing/long-• term relationships Provide opportunities for existing relationships and businesses Example: Local Food Hub Work with buyers and farmers to produce a ‘demand document’ each season
- 8. Assumption 2: Businesses interested if easy and cost competitive Phase 1 results: • Businesses lack streamlined pathway of accessing local food • Concern over efficiency and price • Ambiguity – what is local? • Guarded interest - like to test the waters… How can we test and build business interest? Opportunities to easily purchase local food • Online platforms • Catalogue? • Pilot new distribution systems Connections and networks • Local food dinners, networking opps. etc for farmers and businesses
- 9. Assumption 3: If local produce is available the community will want it • Farmers think people lack knowledge and interest • Businesses think hip pocket wins • Community says they’re interested • 2 box schemes say there is strong Pop-Ups demand for fresh, local produce • Markets – schools, neighborhoods, How can we test and build community demand? Local branding • North Carolina 10% Campaignbranding and awareness raising • shopping centers Meals – food vans, festivals
- 10. Co-Design Stakeholder Forum Supply, Demand and Partner Mapping February 2013 40 people (+ us) 11 farmers – huge diversity 17 retail/food service/processing, wholesale and hospitality businesses Community organisations, aged care, local government and community members. ‘Can’t review a film until you’ve seen it’ The Core Group Learn by Doing – Who’s In? Demand ‘Stocktake’ Key Issues Product Quality Price Quantity Timing of Deliveries Interested partners willing to be part of a trial
- 11. Broader Community Engagement & Mobilisation – coming up . . South East Food Hub Food Relief
- 12. Australian Food Hubs Network 4. Establish Australian Food Hubs Network 5. Collaboratively develop and share knowledge 6. Research and Draw Upon Case Studies