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