Beyond the Edge: Australia's First National Peri-urban Conference La Trobe University Oct 2013

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

13. www.foodhubs.org.au