Do you wish there were easier ways to access local, healthy, naturally produced food?

That's what we're working on!

In Grey-Bruce, as in most modern localities, we run into the age-old question of how to build a sustainable food system that gets local, affordable, fresh food to customers while paying farmers a fair price. Large scale distribution systems like major grocery chains make it cheaper to buy food from elsewhere while squeezing farmers' livelihoods across the board. At the Grey Bruce Centre for Agroecology we are studying consumer needs and producer potential to develop a local food delivery service in Grey Bruce, to get good food to your door - affordable, directly from your farmer (if available), or from another healthy Ontario source!

You will find opportunties to get involved as producer or consumer - please move your mouse to the appropriate tabs on the left of this page!

Background

Why is it so difficult to access local food conveniently?
In Grey and Bruce County, the lack of distribution infrastructure limits the ability of producers to scale up their production, while the lack of sufficient supply also limits the economic sustainability of a distribution system. Amongst producers and food system advocates, this conundrum is known as the “chicken and the egg” problem of rural areas. To overcome this, production and distribution constraints have to be overcome simultaneously, such that producers have a venue for an increase in the volume of production while distributors have sufficient revenue to be viable.

In this collaboration, a core team was formed consisting of two producers and two processors. Two already have experience in distributing goods in this area, through a CCSA or with direct orders. Together, we are interested in scaling up production and developing a distribution system for our goods. The collaboration wants to explore the potential to enter a new market by delivering healthy food to three target groups
• the increasing population of retirees that are moving to Grey and Bruce and
• professionals that would like to eat healthier but have too little time to shop and cook for themselves on a regular basis
• local restaurants and retailers

Project Description

Growing Forward 2 has supported a project to develop a group business plan for a distribution alliance for healthy food in the region of Grey and Bruce County.

Project Description
The project develops a group business plan for a local food distribution alliance. Collaborators share a vision for the distribution alliance:
• Baskets of food products will be delivered to the home/business of clients and to common pick-up points within the region.
• Preference given to regionally produced food.
• To broaden the product range and provide a full shopping basket, products are supplemented, for example by partnering with the Ontario Natural Food Coop (ONFC). Individual specialty items that are not available in this area may be sourced from elsewhere in Ontario.
• We target customers who are health- and quality-conscious, families, but also institutional buyers and restaurants.
• Other forms of collaboration, e.g. moving b-grade/bumper crops to local processors, bulk purchasing of packaging material, etc


All collaborators are direct marketers. They have consciously avoided wholesaling and chosen a business model where they are price setters and want to maintain this strategy. While a cooperative may be a good business model, specifications need to be worked out using the knowledge and skills of the group.

Project goal
The project aims to develop a group business plan with three main lines of work:
• A market analysis of the customer base
• A group business plan for implementing the distribution alliance, including (a) mapping of production capacity (current and projected) and post-harvest handling infrastructure, (b) implementation options, (c) 5 year implementation strategy, (d) scaling up needs assessment at the producer level.

Project results
The results of our customer and producer surveys were very positive and we are confident that the distribution alliance will be highly successful IF we manage to reach around $1 Million annual revenue quickly (about 300 customers spending on average of 60$/week year-around). We can then deliver refrigerated, frozen and fresh groceries to your door at very reasonable prices. This requires a partnership between consumers and producers. We propose a not-for-profit co-operative with producer and consumer members. This is member-owned and professionally led, not unlike a Credit Union but without capital shares.


Summaries of this plan can be accessed at the consumer and producer tabs. For further questions, please contact

Thorsten Arnold
Tel. 519 935 3005
Email Thorsten.arnold@gbcae.com

Consumer Information

There cannot be a food distribution alliance without the support of consumers. We believe that the alliance must first-and-foremost serve the needs and wants of consumers, which we have assessed through a survey that over 430 interested consumers have filled out. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST - we were very happy to feel your enthusiasm and encouragement.

Project result: A business plan
On the link, you will find a summary of our findings:
Download the summary for consumers!

Start-up actions
For a successful start, we need to achieve two things:
- Access around $175,000 start-up capital, through donations, grants, and a loan;
- Get commitment from prospect customers - you - that you will not let us down after we invest all that money, at least for very beginning. We envision an account with a trustee where consumers can deposit money that guarantees sales within the first three months.

We are currently planning two major events:

1) TEST RUN

A test run where we deliver grocery boxes that are entirely local, including frozen meat, prepared foods, veggies, fruits, and dairy products. This delivery is scheduled for October 28, and we need to get our website for online ordering running by Sept 28. Then consumers have two weeks to order, and we have two weeks to get everything ready.
We are requesting for volunteering support by consumers. From producers, we are seeking producers who want to sell through the alliance on October 28, and give life to an idea. We will have a refrigerated cooling chain, and freezer capacity according to food safety standards.

2) A GALA EVENT OR LOCAL FOOD MARKETPLACE

The event will take place on November 14. Here, the co-operative will let local food shine - with easy and more complex recipes, some in partnership with chefs, some simple but delicious preparations.

A short survey
Please take a short consumer survey on start-up options now!

Producer Information

We envision an alliance that is open to any production method that a farmer can justify and explain to our customers, providing transparency and fairness.

Project result: A business plan
On the link, you will find a summary of our findings:
Download the summary for producers!

Start-up actions
For a successful start, we need to achieve two things:
- Access around $175,000 start-up capital, through donations, grants, and a loan;
- Get commitment from prospect customers - you - that you will not let us down after we invest all that money, at least for very beginning. We envision an account with a trustee where consumers can deposit money that guarantees sales within the first three months.

We are currently planning two major events:

1) TEST RUN

A test run where we deliver grocery boxes that are entirely local, including frozen meat, prepared foods, veggies, fruits, and dairy products. This delivery is scheduled for October 28, and we need to get our website for online ordering running by Sept 28. Then consumers have two weeks to order, and we have two weeks to get everything ready.
We are requesting for volunteering support by consumers. From producers, we are seeking producers who want to sell through the alliance on October 28, and give life to an idea. We will have a refrigerated cooling chain, and freezer capacity according to food safety standards.

2) A GALA EVENT OR LOCAL FOOD MARKETPLACE

The event will take place on November 14. Here, the co-operative will let local food shine - with easy and more complex recipes, some in partnership with chefs, some simple but delicious preparations. More info soon!

A short survey
Please take some time for a short survey on our name, and on products you might be willing to sell through our test event! Please take the producer survey on start-up options now!