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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNew Venture Advisors SOQ_County of HawaiiCounty of Hawai'i Statement of Qualifications NEW VENTURE ADVISORS LLC August 14, 2025 Submitted to: Mr. Benson Medina Director of Research & Development County of Hawai'i 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 1301 Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 email: chresdev@hawaiicounty.gov phone: (808) 961-8366 Category of professional service: RD.1) Community Planning (Community and Economic Development, Community Engagement, Culture and Indigenous Data Science, Strategic Planning, Sustainability Systems) New Venture Advisors Statement of Qualifications 2 Name of firm, contact information including email address, principal place of business. New Venture Advisors LLC 2550 N. Lakeview Ave Unit N1404 Chicago, IL 60614 Kathy Nyquist, Founder and Principal knyquist@newventureadvisors.net (773) 245-3570 Age of firm and its average number of employees over the past five years. New Venture Advisors (NVA) was established in 2010 as an Illinois Limited Liability Company. The company has an average number of twenty two (22) consultants over the past five years. Education, training, and qualifications of key employees. Kathy Nyquist, Founder and Principal In 2009, Kathy founded New Venture Advisors to bring entrepreneurial momentum to the emerging sustainable food industry. Her work has led to numerous assessments, business launches, speaking engagements and publications focused on the rebuilding of local food systems. Kathy has served as a board member and advisor to many organizations including the Good Food Accelerator which offers training and mentorship to emerging food entrepreneurs; Garfield Produce, a hydroponic farm producing microgreens and herbs and providing jobs for those affected by poverty in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood; and the Food Hub Management Program, a certificate program offered by the University of Vermont. Kathy has over 20 years of marketing and strategic leadership experience with Fortune 100 companies. She served on the leadership team for a $5 billion product portfolio at Kraft Foods. She previously managed accounts at Leo Burnett and Young & Rubicam, then the nation’s largest advertising agencies, developing national campaigns for clients such as Coca-Cola, Keebler, Frito-Lay and Miller Brewing. A graduate from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Kathy earned an MBA with honors and the Dean’s Award for Strategy for achieving the highest academic record in Strategic Management. She also holds a B.S. in economics from Bradley University. New Venture Advisors Statement of Qualifications 3 Andrea Carbine, Sr. Director Andrea J. Carbine is an entrepreneur, chef, and consultant working in food for over twenty years. She has led teams and organizations of all scales in both the non-profit and for-profit food space. For her work, she was recognized with two James Beard nominations, a Local Hero award (Edible Magazine), and a Women of Excellence Award for Entrepreneurship. During her culinary career, she launched, operated, scaled, and sold her own entrepreneurial ventures, including multiple restaurants and a branded CPG product. For over 15 years as an East Coast chef and consultant, she was recognized for her active role in supporting and facilitating the local food economy and farm-to-table restaurant movements. She assumed a leadership role in developing local crop buying programs and distribution networks and provided funding and support to local value chain development amongst regional producers, fisheries, and ranchers. In 2017, she supported the development and launch of one of the first national brands of shared kitchen and incubation facilities for entrepreneurs. That work provided hands- on experience in designing and developing a multimillion-dollar venture. Today, she oversees food system planning and food enterprise development projects at New Venture Advisors, drawing on deep experience in the operation and management of shared kitchens, incubation and acceleration programs, restaurant and hospitality ventures, and supply chain resources in communities across the country. These experiences make Andrea an exceptional strategist and consultant to food companies. She currently resides in the Midwest with her family. Andrea holds a Grand Diploma of Culinary Arts from The International Culinary Center and a BA in Psychology from University of Washington. Kara Martin, Sr. Project Manager Kara leads food system planning projects for New Venture Advisors as a Food Policy & Planning Specialist. For over two decades, Kara has been dedicated to advancing equitable community food systems across the Greater Seattle region. With a background in food system planning and nonprofit management, her work has focused on food system assessments, planning and policy development, program development, and partnerships convening. Before joining New Venture Advisors, Kara was the Executive Director at City Fruit, a Seattle-based food security organization. For seven years she led the development of New Venture Advisors Statement of Qualifications 4 the Food Innovation Network, a community-centered initiative in South King County with a food business incubator and farmers market, aimed at providing business opportunity and financial stability for immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs and farmers. Kara previously ran a consulting firm where she collaborated with local governments and nonprofits on community food system projects to enhance food access and economic opportunity. Kara has served on the American Planning Association’s Food Division executive committee, the Seattle Planning Commission, and the Washington State Food System Roundtable. She is an Affiliate Instructor at the University of Washington’s Department of Urban Design and Planning, where she co-teaches a Food Systems course. Kara holds a Masters of Urban Planning, Land Use and Food Systems from the University of Washington, and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Colorado. Kamanani (Nani) Conklin, Food Policy Specialist Nani hails from the islands of O'ahu and Maui, where she grew up rooted in the concept of mālama 'āina — caring for the lands, waters, and communities that nurture us. Nani aims to translate community priorities into evidence-based policies and programs that shift the food environment in support of public health and social equity. Nani brings extensive experience with food and nutrition policy and food system planning. She researched the approach to food systems change in 25 state food system plans and helped to develop a toolkit for planners and policymakers. She is now managing the first-ever food system policy plan for Hawai'i as part of Transforming Hawai’i’s Food System Together, an initiative that centers Indigenous knowledge in pursuit of a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient food system for Hawaiʻi. She is also leading the development of a stakeholder-driven farm to food bank and gleaning sustainability plan for Hawai’i. In addition to her work with New Venture Advisors, Nani is a Community Health Fellow with the American Public Health Association and Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy, where she researches the health equity implications of policies related to issues like climate change, technology, and food security. Nani received her MPH at the University of California at Berkeley where she was a fellow with the UC Global Food Initiative and received the Dean's Diversity Award. She received a dual B.A. in Sociology and Philosophy from Williams College. She currently lives with three generations of her family in Kula, Maui, where they cultivate native crops like kalo (taro) and 'uala (sweet potato) and support restoration of their local watershed. New Venture Advisors Statement of Qualifications 5 Chelsea Hanson, Health Equity and Innovation Strategy Specialist Chelsea is passionate about working at the intersection of business and impact, particularly where she can advance racial equity and social justice in our health care and food systems. She is innovative and change-oriented, having launched, grown, and sold successful start-up ventures, as well as initiatives within large organizations. She was the founding Director of Equity & Innovation at the American Medical Association, where she launched the In Full Health initiative to advance equitable health innovation. Chelsea also served as AMA’s Director of Strategy & Partnerships focused on tracking emerging trends in health care and collaborating with external partners to accelerate innovation and impact. Previously, Chelsea launched a for-profit social venture that sold healthy prepared meals to low-income families through community distribution networks. She then held sales leadership and strategic operations roles at two high-growth health and wellness start- ups. Chelsea began her career as a consultant at Accenture, where she led change management, organization design, and communication strategy efforts in the consumer products, financial services, and technology industries. Chelsea has been a close associate and contributor to the food system development work at New Venture Advisors almost since its inception. Today she brings a highly valuable mix of experience and skills to the Food as Medicine projects she leads. She holds a B.S. from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Names of up to (5) five clients who may be contacted, including at least two for whom services were rendered during the preceding year. The Food Basket, Inc. 40 Holomua St., Hilo, HI 96720 Kristin Frost Albrecht, Executive Director (808) 430-2554 Project: The Food Basket Agricultural Innovation Park Dates of Service: 2021-2025 Description: The Food Basket and New Venture Advisors began working together in August 2021 to develop a community food center, later called an agricultural innovation park, that would expand The Food Basket’s ability to serve the increasing needs of residents in Hawai’i County. New Venture Advisors developed an operating model, financial model, building program, and preliminary diagrams of the food center. New Venture Advisors Statement of Qualifications 6 Maui County Department of Agriculture with Hawai’i Institute of Public Health Lauren Nelson, Food Access Coordinator (Maui County) (808) 270-8287 Project: Maui County Food and Nutrition Security Plan Dates of Service: 2024-2025 Description: New Venture Advisors assisted in completing the Maui County Food and Nutrition Security Plan by analyzing challenges and opportunities identified in the recently completed food system needs assessment and community talk story sessions, and translating community priorities into actionable policy recommendations. These recommendations were workshopped with local communities and policymakers to ensure the final Food and Nutrition Security Plan reflects Maui County’s needs. Whatcom Community Foundation 1500 Cornwall Ave Ste 202, Bellingham, WA 98225 Alexandrea Spaulding, Director of Special Projects (360) 685-9282 Project: The Millworks Dates of Service: 2018 to present Description: New Venture Advisors is assisting a community foundation in redeveloping a vacant waterfront property into a local food campus that aims to catalyze the food system into a thriving, dynamic food landscape and foster economic development and wealth creation for families in the community. Work includes operating model development, business planning, facility design, partnership development, and ongoing implementation advisory services. Northwest Indiana Food Council PO Box 530, Crown Point, IN 46308 Virginia Pleasant, Co-Executive Director (317) 250-1005 Project: Northwest Indiana Community Food Access Plan Dates of Service: 2023-present Description: New Venture Advisors completed a Food System Assessment of the current food system in Northwest Indiana and will use the findings to inform a Community Food Access Plan with specific policy and program recommendations for the 7-county region. New Venture Advisors Statement of Qualifications 7 Can-Do Kalamazoo 519 S Park St Suite 2, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Lucy Dilley, Founder & Executive Director (269) 492-0261 Project: Can-Do Kalamazoo Kitchen Expansion and Microlending Program Dates of Service: 2019-2020 Description: Can-Do Kalamazoo is a nonprofit kitchen incubator devoted to removing barriers to food business ownership through experiential education and access to commercial kitchen facilities and other resources. The organization was embarking on an ambitious expansion, potentially tripling its footprint to serve a growing number of current and aspiring food business owners in the Kalamazoo area. New Venture Advisors advised the founder on the relocation strategy, developed the facility plan and created a microlending program that helped the organization plan for programmatic growth to meet the needs of entrepreneurs while remaining sustainable as a business. Any promotional or descriptive literature which the individual or firm desires to submit. See the attached file About New Venture Advisors. About New Venture Advisors August 2025 INTRODUCTION N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 2 New Venture Advisors LLC (NVA) is a strategy consulting firm specializing in food system assessment, planning, and enterprise development. Since our founding in 2010, we have helped hundreds of clients develop their food systems in rural towns, cities, and regions across the U.S. Our clients are community-based organizations, NGOs, municipal planners, investors and entrepreneurs. Their common thread is a shared goal of creating a more connected food system within their communities that create opportunities for all. They seek greater access to markets and technical assistance for their local farmers and producers. And they envision more nutritious and sustainably sourced food in their local institutions, restaurants and markets. Our expertise spans the entire food ecosystem—from supply chains and infrastructure to rural economic development, municipal planning, and policy analysis. We have helped our clients develop aggregation and distribution facilities, food processing centers, shared kitchens, food business incubators, food halls, retail grocery stores, community centers, culinary training programs, and food as medicine programs, to name just a few of the hundreds of types of projects we have led. We believe in the power of community-based planning to ensure each project is developed around the local culture and capacity. Our collaborative methodology engages diverse voices from relevant sectors and across all organization types, community groups, and industry stakeholders to develop practical, actionable recommendations that can address the community’s unique challenges. New Venture Advisors is a certified woman-owned small business (WBE, WOSB) based in Chicago with a team of 24 consultants in 17 states. Kathy Nyquist, Founder and Principal(773) 245-3570 knyquist@newventureadvisors.net New Venture Advisors LLC2550 N. Lakeview Ave. #N1404 Chicago, IL 60614 https://newventureadvisors.net/ OUR SERVICES AND EXPERTISE 3 Teams Food System Planning Food Enterprise Planning Funding Development Purpose To help our clients assess the issues and opportunities in their food system and create strategic action plans with programs and policies that have a positive impact in the community To help our clients evaluate, design and implement feasible solutions that accomplish their goals for their food system or food business, and maximize their impact and investments To help our clients secure financial support to carry out their work Core Services ▪Food System Assessment ▪Food System Plan ▪Food Access Plan ▪Action Plan Implementation Coaching ▪Feasibility Study ▪Business Plan ▪Conceptual Design ▪Implementation Advisory ▪Funding Development Plan ▪Grant Writing & Review ▪Grant Production Management Expertise o Food system landscape analysis o Food policy and planning o Food policy council development o Food as medicine policy and programming o Grocery / mobile markets o Food hubs / campus o Community kitchens o Public market / food hall o Food as medicine infrastructure o Food & livestock processing o USDA grants o EDA grants o Other federal and state food system planning grants N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 3 We help our clients set the strategic and policy foundations for food system development, design infrastructure and programming solutions that are equitable and sustainable, and raise funds to realize their vision. OUR APPROACH TO FACILITY DEVELOPMENT Operating Model Development •Market analysis and landscape assessment •Operating model development: components, programming, etc. •Stakeholder input meetings and site visit •Operating model refinement •Preliminary feasibility Facility Design & Financial Analysis •Facility layout & design •Financial analysis •Recommendations, risks and impacts •Go/no-go decision •Feasibility study finalization •Development milestones and roadmap Site & Operator Search •RFI for site, owner / operator, anchor tenants •Candidate screening, interviews and tours •MOUs with selected applicants Conceptual Design •Updated operating model, building program •Visualizations of facility, site plan •Estimated construction costs, financing strategy Business Plan •Comprehensive business plan: facility, operations, staffing, marketing plans •Pro forma financial projections through breakeven •Implementation milestones and roadmap Next Steps •Design development •Fundraising •Anchor tenant lease agreements •Construction •Launch P R O P R I E T A R Y & C O N F I D E N T I A L | N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 4 Feasibility Assessment Pre-Development Planning Our methodology for developing a new food facility moves through progressive phases, refining the concept and assessing viability at each stage to allow a go/no-go decision prior to making further investments. The specific scope of a project varies based on the needs of our clients. For some, we focus on a single step or combination of deliverables in this process. For others, we work from idea to venture launch to ongoing business support. Implementation OUR PROCESS FOR FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING Landscape Assessment •Set geography, stakeholder groups, sectors for study •Literature review •Key informant interviews •Preliminary policy and program scan •Secondary research and data analysis •Identify assets and gaps through an equity lens •Prioritize areas for primary research Community-led Assessment •Engage trusted local partners to lead outreach •Identify holistic stakeholder list •Create participatory research plan and develop data collection tools •Conduct surveys, interviews and roundtables •Integrate input with landscape data •Refine through an equity lens •Create final report Process •Recruit additional local partners as needed •Co-create planning process based on assessment •Equip local partners to lead engagement •Identify key stakeholder groups •Develop research instruments and data collection tools •Facilitate planning process Engagement •Support local partners in conducting surveys, interviews and roundtables •Facilitate input and advisory process with stakeholders (e.g., food policy councils) •Provide training, agendas, note-taking guides •Compile and evaluate feedback •Expand engagement as necessary to ensure equitable representation Food System Plan •Analyze all data and input gathered •Pull key themes •Create plan goals and objectives; prioritize through community input •Draft plan with assessment findings and action plans; gain community input •Finalize and present plan to elected officials for adoption Action Plan •Support hiring staff, forming councils and committees, creating networks, etc. to carry out the action plan •Advise them in accomplishing action items •Develop funding sources •Provide technical assistance through implementation 5 Food System Assessment Food System Planning Our methodology for food system planning moves through phases to establish baseline data, gain stakeholder feedback, collaborate with clients and local partners to co-create a plan, identify/secure funding, and provide implementation technical support. The specific scope of a project varies based on the needs of our clients. For some, we focus on a single step or combination of deliverables in this process. Implementation P R O P R I E T A R Y & C O N F I D E N T I A L | N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S MAUI COUNTY FOOD & NUTRITION SECURITY PLAN Hawai’i Public Health Institute and the Maui Nui Food Alliance supported the Maui County Department of Agriculture to create a Maui County Food and Nutrition Security Plan. This Plan will guide Maui County’s efforts to improve nutrition security, climate resilience, disaster preparedness, and opportunities for local food producers, with targets identified over the next 5 years, and identifies government agencies and community partners who will implement each strategy. New Venture Advisors assisted in completing the Plan by analyzing challenges and opportunities identified in the recently completed food system needs assessment and community talk story sessions, translating community priorities into actionable policy recommendations. These recommendations were workshopped with local communities and policymakers to ensure the final Food and Nutrition Security Plan reflects Maui County’s needs. Download plan here. MAUI, HI N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 6 A cover of a food nutrition security plan Description automatically generated THE FOOD BASKET AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION PARK The Food Basket (TFB) is Hawai`i Island’s food bank. Demand for its services is beyond the capacity of its Hilo facility. As TFB considered expansion to meet the increased food needs for Hawai`i Island residents, a vision emerged for food campus with the potential to dramatically improve food access, increase resilience and disaster preparedness, and provide food security for Hawai`i Island. New Venture Advisors is helping TFB design this new facility with added features that will offer new programs and services to the community. The first phase will provide a state-of-the-art facility for TFB to provide services for low-income and ethnic minority populations across the island’s 4,000 square miles. This facility will allow TFB to expand their ongoing efforts to promote the purchase and consumption of locally grown foods from a collaborative campus which brings together key partners, resources and functions in the Hawai’i island food hui (network). TFB’s Agricultural Innovation Park will include agricultural land, a shade house, ag innovation center and food lab, farmer’s market pavilion, and community center. These features are designed to benefit farmers, growers, and value-add processors across Hawai’i Island by providing shared production facilities, mechanisms for networking, collaboration and partnership, and on-site access to technical support and farmer training. N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 7 HILO, HI THE MILLWORKS: LOCAL FOOD CAMPUS New Venture Advisors is assisting a community foundation in redeveloping a vacant waterfront property into a multi-tenant site anchored by an affordable housing development with a food campus that will support small food business owners and combine production for three hunger-relief organizations in one central kitchen. The project aims to catalyze the food system into a thriving, dynamic food landscape and foster economic development and wealth creation for families in the community. NVA spent the first four months interviewing every community food and agricultural leader to develop a vision for the local food campus. The vision that emerged is rooted in strengthening the local food system by promoting health equity, forging tangible connections between food production and assistance organizations, and helping farmers connect with institutional markets. The expansive business case for the food campus includes strategic and financial analysis for community housing, the school district, port authority, community foundation and more than a dozen organizations across the food system. Read more about The Millworks project here. 8N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S BELLINGHAM, WA CAN-DO KALAMAZOO Can-Do Kalamazoo (formerly known as Can-Do Kitchen) is a nonprofit kitchen incubator devoted to removing barriers to food business ownership through experiential education and access to commercial kitchen facilities and other resources. The shared kitchen opened in 2008 to serve primarily women, people of color, people living in poverty, English language learners and immigrant entrepreneurs to provide them with opportunities that give them greater agency over their lives. The organization was embarking on a needed and ambitious expansion, potentially tripling its footprint to serve a growing number of current and aspiring food business owners in the Kalamazoo area. They must grow at a sustainable pace so that the kitchen continues to be the vital resource its members rely on for their livelihood and responds to the needs of the next generation of food business owners. New Venture Advisors advised Can-Do Kitchen on its relocation strategy, developed the facility plan and created a microlending program that will help the organization plan for programmatic growth in ways that meet the needs of entrepreneurs and at the same time is a smart business move for the organization. KALAMAZOO, MI N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 9 CEDAR RAPIDS COMMUNITY GARDEN EXPANSION PLAN The City of Cedar Rapids is undertaking an exciting community-driven planning process to create a vibrant network of community gardens in City parks. This comes in response to interest voiced by the community in expanding healthy food access efforts as the #1 community priority to support climate action locally. Leading by example, the City is committed to expanding community gardens to more City parks with a focus on walkability and access for residents who are under-resourced and under-represented. The process led by New Venture Advisors evaluated the suitability of City parks using a rubric based on best practices from similar city programs, and community surveys and events to select the parks for development. Community residents provided specific input on the features and amenities they desire for gardens in their neighborhood. The Cedar Rapids Community Garden Expansion Plan includes site maps for 8 new gardens, a “Garden Tool Kit” detailing the amenities package, and a management plan including an operating workbook for the City covering recruiting, staffing, partnerships and resources, and how these will be applied and adapted as the program rolls out and matures. The plan was completed in early 2023 and can be viewed on our website.CEDAR RAPIDS, IA N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 10 IRC MAKE PROJECTS MERGING AGRICULTURE, KITCHENS + EMPLOYMENT New Venture Advisors worked with International Rescue Committee, a leading refugee resettlement organization, to assess the feasibility of a wholesale food hub that would purchase crops produced by refugees in the agency’s Agripreneur training program and sell it to local institutions.The agency was committed to establishing this enterprise only if it could be financially self-sustaining and explored innovative approaches to achieving viability by partnering with a local food bank with storage and distribution capabilities. When the financial analysis projected break-even as the best-case scenario (and losses more likely), the team made the difficult “no go” decision.They pivoted to a new business concept—a processing facility and workforce development program that would source local inputs, employ and train refugees, and produce fresh cut and frozen produce for sale into schools across the region. Financial forecasts suggested this business concept could achieve breakeven, while simultaneously creating desirable jobs with long-term growth prospects for dozens of refugees within just a few years. The operation was launched in 2015 and today it operates as MAKE Projects which in 2024 alone supported 87 refugee and immigrant individuals through their job readiness programs. SAN DIEGO, CA 11N E W V E N T U RE A DV I S O R S DAMIAN’S CRAFT MEATS PROCESSING FACILITY Damian’s Craft Meats provides on-farm animal processing services for producers in southeast Michigan. Demand surged during the pandemic when other regional processors were forced to shut down, exposing the need for a radical restructuring of the meat processing industry. Regional-scale alternatives quickly gained support and investment, and the owners plan significant expansion. They began working with New Venture Advisors to evaluate the strengths and challenges in the market for locally-produced meat. Over 100 producers and meat buyers provided their perspectives through interviews, surveys, and focus groups. An operating model emphasizing humane handling, slaughter, and processing was developed to achieve the owners’ mission and goals. The facility is a custom-designed slaughterhouse and USDA-certified processing facility for local livestock producers. The model integrates animal holding, slaughter floor, processing / butchery, value-add and specialized storage spaces, loading docks, parking, offices, and room for expansion under a single operator. With these primary processes in mind, a facility was designed to reflect the owners’ commitment to humane handling, process transparency, and worker welfare and safety. The case study can be accessed on our website. ANN ARBOR, MI N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 12 EASTERN MARKET EXPANSION DETROIT, MI N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 13 Eastern Market has been a working food district for 130 years. The market campus is a network of sheds and flexible spaces that support retail and wholesale operations, programming, parking, and community events. Eastern Market Partnership, the managing nonprofit, has been planning with the City of Detroit for several years to expand the Market. New Venture Advisors has worked with Eastern Market in planning these expansions, beginning with a business plan for a frozen processing facility that enabled the Market to raise several million dollars to launch Michigan Farm to Freezer, now doing business as Michigan Frozen. New plans will relocate food processing, warehousing and distribution businesses to adjacent sites in food safety compliant facilities, opening space for retail and public events on the main campus. New Venture Advisors completed a feasibility study for the proposed expansion and designed the facilities to meet the needs of the diverse stakeholders who make up the Market ecosystem. The vision brings together operations that have never been combined anywhere in the U.S.: expansion of frozen and the addition of fresh cut processing, a public wholesale market with raised docks and cold storage for larger regional farmers, and regional logistics and distribution. FAITH IN PLACE MOBILE MARKET PROGRAM Faith in Place empowers people of diverse faiths and spiritualities to be leaders in advancing environmental and racial justice, providing resources to educate, connect, and advocate for healthier communities. The organization has a history of working with sustainable food systems throughout the state of Illinois, where the southernmost 17 counties are sparsely populated and have experienced the loss of food access over the past several years. Faith in Place saw the potential for a mobile market program using houses of worship to gather community information about food access since they often cross demographic boundaries and have a history of addressing food insecurity. Regional organizations Little Egypt Alliance of Farmers (LEAF) and Food Works are partnering to launch these mobile markets, with LEAF Food Hub as the primary food provider and Food Works as the market manager and host. New Venture Advisors created a workshop to build a model that supports the goals of the overall project and the individual organizations, and an assessment tool to evaluate each community’s needs and potential market value, form a local advisory committee, and create implementation and maintenance plans for each site. The program launched in June 2024. Read the case history on our website. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 14 KENT VALLEY FOOD ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER King County and its planning partners spearheaded a feasibility study for the Kent Valley Food Entrepreneurship Center to propel the growth of food businesses and the region’s food manufacturing industry. The multiuse facility will support small food businesses, provide production capacity for urban farmers and producers, and train job seekers and the workforce for local food businesses. The vision for the Center is to support the diverse cultural communities that make up southern King County. More than 20 project partners including refugee, farming, hunger relief and other advocacy and business groups formed the advisory committee overseeing the study. Many are likely to locate their operations at the Center creating a dynamic ecosystem of food production, service and community organizations. New Venture Advisors worked directly with the local business community and potential site planners to develop an operating model and design a multi-purpose facility that will bring together these partners and provide needed infrastructure to strengthen the local food system and empower residents to start new businesses. The final report is available on our website. This process informed the Seattle International Public Market, a new development that will provide retail access for food entrepreneurs. New Venture Advisors completed a feasibility study for the Port of Seattle, available here. N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 15 KENT, WA SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC MARKET The Port of Seattle and King County are exploring the potential development of an International Public Market in South King County. The market would be a central retail location where independent vendors can sell food and other products, often with ethnic and cultural relevance, in stalls, booths or shops, supporting entrepreneurship for growing businesses, and creating gathering spaces for locals and tourists alike. This facility has the potential to advance King County as a leading tourism destination while providing nearby communities with economic opportunities and access to culturally representative foods. The Port and County partnered with New Venture Advisors and a diverse advisory committee made up of 24 municipal, citizen, organizational, and entrepreneurial representatives to conduct a feasibility study to determine if the concept is the right fit for the community and region. The study demonstrated strong market and supplier demand for the programs and services an IPM could offer, and several viable approaches to the operating model and facility plan that can feasibly sustain operations over time. The feasibility study is available on our website and you can read more about the Port initiative here. 16N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S SEATTLE, WA MILL STREET MARKET N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 17 Barry Community Foundation partnered with New Venture Advisors in assessing the feasibility of a Community Food Center in Hastings, MI. The initiative grew out of a county-wide health and well-being effort and aimed to improve food access, support local agriculture, and drive regional development. New Venture Advisors facilitated a multi-year planning process with local leaders, identifying an Opportunity Zone site as the preferred location for this high-visibility amenity. The study recommended a year-round retail market and small-scale food hub, along with integrated wellness and childcare services. The project will anchor a mixed-use development and connect to local trails and other amenities. In 2024 the initiative transitioned from planning to implementation with a new executive director and governance board, and New Venture Advisors continuing to advise on facility and programming development and financing. Groundbreaking for The Mill Street Market is scheduled for 2025. HASTINGS, MI MUSKEGON COUNTY FOOD CLUB Access Health, a nonprofit in Muskegon County, aims to improve health outcomes by partnering with community organizations, local government agencies, business entities, healthcare providers, investors, and community members. In 2022 they began to facilitate conversations within the community to gain a deeper understanding of the local challenges with food insecurity in Muskegon County’s under-resourced communities. This led to the formation of the Muskegon County Food Club Workgroup to establish a member-based grocery store. Modeled after the Community Food Club of Grand Rapids, the proposed approach emphasizes dignity by allowing members to select their foods in a traditional grocery store setting while incentivizing nutritious food choices. New Venture Advisors is assisting the work group in determining how a food club fits the needs of Muskegon County and if a sustainable model can be developed. The project reached an important milestone with the completion of a needs assessment and operating model analysis. Initial findings indicate that Muskegon County is well suited to the food club model and two potential sites have been identified. New Venture Advisors is continuing with operational and financial modeling to create a strong business plan for the Muskegon County Food Club. Review the Needs Assessment presentation here. MUSKEGON, MI 18N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S A blue card with text and a blue background Description automatically generated with medium confidence ONEIDA NATION MEAT PROCESSING FACILITY The Oneida Nation is a federally recognized tribe of Oneida people, with a reservation located on 65,000 acres near Green Bay, Wisconsin. The tribe works to offer programs, services, and resources that enable the community to carry on with the strength and determination of its ancestors. The Nation engaged New Venture Advisors to evaluate the feasibility of an animal slaughter and processing facility to stabilize a significant asset of their food value chain. It will also develop autonomy and food sovereignty around these processes, create greater food security, and support skill development and job creation for Nation youth and community members related to meat processing and value-added meat production. The feasibility study documented a viable business case for a facility that can support these objectives and achieve sustainable operations within an initial five-year operational period. The Nation continued the development of the facility with New Venture Advisors in completing a business plan and refining facility design. The tribe’s community development review process is now underway to secure the funding for implementation planning, construction and working capital. ONEIDA, WI N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 19 TAZEWELL COUNTY RESOURCE CENTER Tazewell County Resource Center (TCRC) provides work opportunities and training for adults with disabilities in rural Tazewell County, Illinois. In 2012, the Illinois Department of Commerce Workforce Development Department engaged FamilyFarmed.org and New Venture Advisors to explore the possibility of creating a food processing center employing TCRC clients. The center would provide processing services for nearby farms that sought certified kitchen facilities to make value-added products to increase their farm income. The feasibility study determined that a stand-alone facility would not be financially sustainable, so we assisted TCRC with a lean startup plan to test the concept in-house by upfitting the 400ft2 lunchroom with commercial grade equipment. Today, Taste of TCRC provides contract manufacturing and catering services for local businesses, and markets its own line of products including dips, soup mixes, party pretzel mix and dog treats. TREMONT, IL N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 20 WICHITA HEALTHY CORNER STORE INITIATIVE The City of Wichita and Sedgwick County conducted a food system planning process led by New Venture Advisors from 2020-2021. It was a comprehensive approach to food system development that identified policy solutions through an inclusive process that engaged underrepresented populations and grounded recommendations in their context and based upon their feedback. The resulting Food System Master Plan recommended utilizing a variety of tools to increase access to nutritious food. The top-ranked action step was to partner with existing food businesses to improve access to fresh food in Wichita’s food desert neighborhoods. The City allocated American Rescue Plan Act funds to create a Healthy Corner Store Initiative for the City of Wichita. To support this initiative, New Venture Advisors partnered with The Food Trust, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization that has pioneered healthy corner store and “small store” programs throughout the country. Together, New Venture Advisors and The Food Trust designed a Healthy Corner Store Initiative Pilot Program, participated in the city’s RFP process to identify an implementing organization, and provided them with training and technical assistance during the pilot program. Click on the image to download the plan. WICHITA, KS 21N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S PROJECT MAP N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S 22 Project Type Stage in Value Chain Commodity Category Operating Model Entity Type Location Food System Assessment Food System Plan Feasibility Study Business Plan / Strategic Plan Facility Design & Development Farming & Production Aggregation & Distribution Processing & Value-Addition Grocery & Foodservice Emergency Food Distribution Produce Meat Dairy Grains Specialty Foods Business Incubator Brick & Mortar Virtual & Networked Value Chain Facilitator Food As Medicine Nonprofit For-profit Cooperative Public/private Rural Urban Peri-urban Emerging markets Projects span the value chain and across commodity types, operating models, location and scale, from a 400 square foot processing kitchen in rural Illinois to a 25-acre food campus on Hawai’i Island. Each project has been designed to suit the local landscape. While they vary considerably, they are similar in their focus on shortening supply chains, strengthening local food systems and economies, and providing community and environmental benefits. FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING PROJECTS Southwest Kansas Food System Assessment Kansas City, KS 2024 Assess local food environments to set strong policy foundation for diverse, high-need, 9-county regionWhatcom County Food System Plan Bellingham, WA 2023 County-wide food system plan for the Whatcom County Food System Committee Manchester Healthy Food Access Plan Manchester, NH 2023 Community-driven planning process for policies and programs that address food insecurityNorton County Food System Assessment and Plan Norton, KS 2022 Assessment to explore the feasibility of developing a food system plan for Norton CountyGeary County Food System Assessment and Plan Junction City, KS 2022 Food system plan to identify policies and programs to strengthen the local food systemRiley County Food System Assessment and Plan Manhattan, KS 2022 Ten-year food system plan for the City of Manhattan and Riley CountyCentral Texas Regional Food System Data Evaluation Austin, TX 2022 Data collection and analysis to establish baseline metrics to measure food system developmentsWichita Food System Master Plan Wichita, KS 2021 Developed a ten-year master food plan for the City of Wichita and Sedgewick CountyLinn County Food System Assessment Cedar Rapids, IA 2020 Comprehensive assessment focused on production, procurement, processing, and barriers to entryWyoming Food System Assessment Cheyenne, WY 2016 Statewide study for a food hub network across Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain regionBridgeport Community Food Assessment Bridgeport, CT 2015 Strategic plan to revitalize the downtown district through food enterprise developmentCasper Community Food Assessment Casper, WY 2015 Market study for a food system serving season extension and livestock farmersCrawford County Community Food Assessment Pittsburg, KS 2015 Conducted in partnership with KSU for one of the state’s poorest countiesFood Systems Assessment for Northern Virginia Washington, DC 2010 Regional food system analysis that led to the launch of Blue Ridge ProduceReady to Grow: Increasing Fruit & Vegetable Production in IL Springfield, IL 2010 Barrier assessment and action plan that led to launch of two farm-based food hubs 23N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S Milwaukee County Food System Assessment Milwaukee, WI 2025 County-wide food system assessment created in partnership with the Milwaukee Food CouncilBlue Cross of Idaho Foundation Community Health Academy Boise, ID 2025 Workshop for mayors on their role in food system development and influence on community healthBeginning Farmer and Rancher Program Evaluation Olathe, KS 2025 Evaluate the regional Beginning Farmer and Rancher Program at K-State Research & ExtensionFood as Medicine Initiative Landscape Analysis Olathe, KS 2025 Assessment of the field of research and practice in food as medicine for K-State OlatheKing County Local Food Initiative Renton, WA 2025 Develop an implementable Local Food Initiative, a plan that reflects community needs in King CountyJohnson County Farmers Market Growth Strategy Olathe, KS 2025 Action plan to build a resilient network of farmers markets within Johnson CountyWest Central Missouri Community Action Agency Appleton City, MO 2025 Evaluate the regional Beginning Farmer and Rancher Program operated by New GrowthNorthwest Indiana Community Food Access Plan Crown Point, IN 2025 Develop a plan to guide food access programs and policies in a 7-county regionIndiana StatewideFood Vision Indianapolis, IN 2025 Finalize a Food Vision to guide policies and programs that impact the Indiana food systemFood System Assessment and Plan for Northern Arizona Flagstaff, AZ 2025 Comprehensive regional food system assessment and food system plan for City of FlagstaffSan Luis Valley CommunityFood Action Plan Alamosa, CO 2025 Community food assessment and action plan for the 6-county San Luis Valley Local Foods CoalitionMaui County Food and Nutrition Security Plan Maui, HI 2025 A plan to improve nutrition security, climate and emergency resilience, and producer opportunitiesRogue Valley Food System Assessment and Action Plan Medford, OR 2025 Complete a two-year community planning process for the Rogue Valley Food System NetworkKent County Food System Planning Grand Rapids, MI 2025 Food system assessment, food policy assessment and food system plan for Kent County/Grand RapidsMuskegon County Food Policy Council Coaching Muskegon, MI 2024 Assist the Muskegon Food Alliance in forming a food policy council serving Muskegon CountyWichita Food and Farm Council Coaching Wichita, KS 2024 Technical assistance for City staff in creating a board to implement a recently adopted food system plan FOOD RETAIL AND FOOD ACCESS PROJECTS Plenty Doors Grocery Study Crow Agency, MT 2023 Feasibility study for a community food center and grocery store on the Crow ReservationFood Bank Council of Michigan Senior Food Access Lansing, MI 2023 Last-mile distribution model for delivering food boxes to seniors regardless of locationShawnee Grocery Retail Strategy Shawnee, OK 2022 Retail food access strategies for Blue Zones Project of Pottawatomie CountyCity of Wichita Healthy Food Access Assessment Wichita, KS 2021 Strategic analysis and recommendations to provide access to fresh groceries in LI/LA neighborhoodsGreat Plains Food Bank Mobile Market Fargo, ND 2020 Feasibility study for turning a mobile pantry program into a mobile market social enterpriseCentral Massachusetts Grocery Cooperative Worcester, MA 2019 Market study for a grocery cooperative offering predominantly locally-produced goodsKansas Statewide Grocery Distribution Strategy Topeka, KS 2018 Identification of innovative strategies for distribution to rural grocery storesBuilding Rural Grocery Store Viability through Food Hubs Kansas, Iowa, Michigan 2017 Feasibility analysis for adapting rural grocery stores into food hubsThe Food Trust Small Store Initiative Philadelphia, PA 2016 Supply chain strategies to bring healthy food to small stores in rural and urban areasSouth Madison Farmer’s Market Food Enterprise Madison, WI 2014 Business plan for a retail grocery and café extension of an outdoor farmers market 24N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S Growing Places and HEAL Winchendon Grocery Initiative Winchendon, MA 2025 Feasibility study, site analysis and business plan for a community grocery storeClinton Hill Community Action Food Security Initiatives Newark, NJ 2025 Business plan for a mutual aid grocery store and food co-op to restore neighborhood vibrancyFeeding America East Wisconsin Grocery Cash Card Milwaukee, WI 2025 Evaluate the viability of providing food bank visitors with cash cards to redeem at grocery storesNewark Alliance Newark Public Market Newark, NJ 2025 Develop a downtown market hub to promote inclusive economic growth and better healthMuskegon Food Club Feasibility Study Muskegon, MI 2025 Determine the viability of a dignity-based food bank that operates as a membership model grocery storeInternational Marketplace Feasibility Study Seattle, WA 2024 Develop an international public market serving regional food producers and entrepreneursDetroit People’s Food Co-Op Detroit, MI 2024 Business plan for a Black-led, community owned grocery store anchoring the Detroit Food CommonsWindy City Harvest Produce Prescription Program Chicago, IL 2024 Program evaluation and strategy for managing rapid growth of the VeggieRx program Faith in Place Mobile Market Strategy Chicago, IL 2023 Model for a mobile market using houses of worship as food access hubsWichita Healthy Corner Store Initiative Wichita, KS 2023 Plan for a healthy corner store initiative stemming from the recently adopted Food System Plan FOOD HUB PROJECTS Worcester Regional Food Hub Worcester, MA 2019 Market study, business plan and ongoing advisory for a kitchen incubator and aggregation hubCalifornia Food Hub Network Davis, CA 2017 Network strategy for a group of California food hubs convened by UC SAREP at UC DavisNorthwest Connecticut Food Hub Litchfield, CT 2017 Feasibility study and joint venture strategy for food hub and hydroponic farm collaboration FairAcre Traders New England 2015 Incubated business that drove sales for food hub network through large distributorsWestern New York Food Hub (Field & Fork/Eden Valley)Buffalo, NY 2015 Feasibility study and business plan for a food hub incubated within a farmer cooperativeAngelic Organics Learning Center Roots & Wings Food Hub Rockford, IL 2015 Feasibility study for food hub and farm serving residents in urban housing developmentsNew London Food Hub New London, CT 2015 Feasibility study for a food hub serving the mission of the United Way of Southeastern CTMichigan Food Hub Technology Platform Lansing, MI 2015 Assessment and plan for an IT system that facilitates trade for a network of MI food hubs Chesapeake Harvest Food Hub Easton, MD 2015 Business plan for integrated farm and food hub aggregating from hoop house producersFresh Access Food Hub St. Petersburg, FL 2015 Market study for the expansion of a community farmers market into a food hubGreater Kansas City Food Hub Kansas City, KS 2014 Opportunity identification and feasibility study for a network model food hubHOPE CollaborativeFood Hub Oakland, CA 2014 Feasibility study and business plan for food hub incubated within existing distributorSouthern Wisconsin Food Hub Madison, WI 2011 Feasibility study which led to the launch of Wisconsin Food Hub CooperativeBlue Ridge Produce Elkwood, VA 2011 Business plan for food hub and greenhouse on a 33-acre site of a former tropical plant facility 25N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S San Joaquin Valley Local Food Infrastructure Davis, CA 2025 Feasibility study for local food aggregation and small-scale processing facilities in a 5-county regionAlachua County Food Hub Feasibility Study Gainesville, FL 2025 Design a community-based food hub that connects consumers with local farmers and food makersNorton Correctional Facility Farm to Institution Initiative Norton, KS 2025 Feasibility study for Norton Regional Health Foundation to establish a prison farm and food hubVeggielution Food Hub San Jose, CA 2024 Feasibility study for a food hub serving diverse food entrepreneurs and farmers in the Santa Clara regionBushel & Peck Food Hub Charles Town, WV 2023 Feasibility study for expansion into local foods production and wholesaling by a rural grocery store GROW Windham Food Distribution Study Willimantic, CT 2023 Evaluation of food distribution scenarios among producers and distributors across eastern CTRG Foods Food Hub Feasibility Study Tulsa, OK 2023 Feasibility study for a cooperatively-owned warehouse for regional food access retailersMichigan Food Bank Collaboration Flint, MI 2023 Feasibility study and project model for a warehouse jointly operated by two Michigan food banksEastern Market Expansion Plan Detroit, MI 2023 Feasibility study for significantly expanded processing, warehousing and distribution capacityNorthern Michigan University Food Hub Feasibility Study Marquette, MI 2023 Feasibility assessment and design of an aggregation and processing center serving the Upper Peninsula McHenry County College Food Hub Crystal Lake, IL 2022 Feasibility study for an on-campus food hub and processing kitchen serving regional farmers God’s Pantry Food Warehouse Hazard, KY 2022 Feasibility and design of a rural food hub providing storage for food pantries and regional producersWarehouses4Good Food Warehouse Moorhead, MS 2022 Feasibility and design of a nonprofit warehouse serving rural farmers and food producersKane County Food Hub Geneva, IL 2019 Business plan for a food hub and processing center to improve food access and health equity FOOD PROCESSING PROJECTS Faith in Place Shared Kitchen Starter Guide Chicago, IL 2020 Self-assessment guide to enable houses of worship to convert foodservice assets into shared kitchens World Bank Group / IFCSME Support Services Lagos, Nigeria 2018 Strategic services for small- to medium-sized food enterprises to promote economic development LISC Phoenix Commercial Kitchen Strategy Phoenix, AZ 2018 Operating model refinement and capacity building for two nonprofit commercial kitchensThe HatcheryChicago Chicago, IL 2017 Market study for a 70,000 ft2 food business incubator and community development projectFrenchtown KitchenShare Food Business Incubator Tallahassee, FL 2017 Business plan for an online marketplace serving farms, food entrepreneurs and wholesalersCommonwealth Kitchen Boston, MA 2017 Business plan for a kitchen incubator and copacker serving minority and lower income entrepreneursProject Angel Heart Food Enterprise Denver, CO 2016 Business plan for a private venture of a nonprofit that offers medically-modified meals Eastern Market Frozen Processing Facility Detroit, MI 2016 Business plan for a facility that flash freezes local produce for institutional marketsHeadwater Food Hub Rochester, NY 2015 Market study for a food hub expansion into fresh cut and frozen processing servicesLandmarks Illinois Chicago Public School Redevelopment Chicago, IL 2015 Assessment of food-related reuse cases for 18 historically-significant closed CPS schoolsInternational Rescue Committee Project CHOP San Diego, CA 2015 Business plan for a food processing facility serving refugee farmersSustainFloyd Dairy and Value-Added Processing Center Floyd, VA 2013 Business plan for an artisanal dairy and value-added food processing centerFresh Takes Kitchen Denver, CO 2013 Incubated a healthy meal delivery service accessible to lower-income consumersWest Virginia University Meat Processing Enterprise Planning Morgantown, WV 2012 Opportunity assessment of meat processing capacity and action plan for developmentNeumann Family Services Processing Kitchen Chicago, IL 2011 Feasibility study for food processing center serving adults with disabilitiesTazewell County Resource Center Processing Kitchen Tremont, IL 2011 Feasibility study for small-batch processing center serving adults with disabilities 26N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S California Indian Museum & Cultural Center Incubator Santa Rosa, CA 2025 Feasibility study and facility design for a kitchen incubator serving traditional foods producersMountain Roots Food Project Community Kitchen Gunnison, CO 2025 Design a teaching kitchen for adults and children and processing facility for local food artisansFood Bank Council of Michigan Meal Production Assessment Lansing, MI 2025 Operating model for expanded production capacity of healthy home-delivered meals under MedicaidOneida County Dairy Processing Industry Assessment Rome, NY 2025 Evaluate the feasibility of a new dairy processing center serving local farms in the Mohawk ValleyJunction City Main Street Shared Use Kitchen Study Junction City, KS 2025 Feasibility study for a kitchen serving value-added food businesses and local farmers they source fromPhilabundance Community Food Justice & Entrepreneurial Plan Philadelphia, PA 2023 Community kitchen small food business plan and food strategies for Hartranft community Miko Meats Food Facility Hilo, HI 2022 Feasibility study for the adaptive re-use of a former USDA meat processing facilityCLiCK Kitchen Expansion Plan Windham, CT 2022 Feasibility study for the expansion of an incubator kitchen serving low-income and minority residentsOneida Nation Meat Processing Center Oneida, WI 2022 Feasibility study for a meatpacking and processing facility serving tribal and regional livestock farmersBusiness Impact NW Kitchen Incubator Seattle, WA 2022 Due diligence for a kitchen incubator to be acquired by a CDFI serving underbanked entrepreneursDamian’s Craft MeatsProcessing Facility Ann Arbor, MI 2021 Feasibility study and business plan for a small-scale slaughterhouse and meat processing facility Open Door Community House Culinary Incubator Columbus, GA 2021 Operating model and management coaching for new incubator serving lower-income participantsGood Food Collective Fruit for Good Durango, CO 2021 Business coaching for the launch of a consumer product through a community gleaning program Shagbark Seed & Mill Growth Strategy Athens, OH 2021 Business analysis of processing operations and strategies to support Ohio bean and grain farmersCan-Do Kitchen Kalamazoo, MI 2021 Expansion plan for a kitchen incubator and strategy for new microloan programEast End Food Institute Food Hub Southampton, NY 2021 Design for a value-added processing and small-scale food production space on eastern Long Island MULTIUSE FOOD CENTER PROJECTS The Food Mill Community Food Center Columbus, GA 2024 Operating plan integrating nine businesses centered on providing healthy and medically-tailored mealsDeKalb County Community Gardens Food Campus DeKalb, IL 2024 Feasibility study for a university-based Community Health Education and Food Center King County Food Hub Kent, WA 2023 Conceptual design for a multiuse food center serving low-income residents and entrepreneursAspen Region Food Facilities Feasibility and Design Basalt, CO 2023 Redevelop a grocery store and two historic buildings as regional food system infrastructureOneida Community Cannery Oneida, WI 2021 Conceptual design and business plan for Native foods processor and food business incubatorSpartanburg Community Food Center Spartanburg, SC 2021 Feasibility study for a community food center led by the Spartanburg Food Policy CoalitionOahu Fresh Food Hub Honolulu, HI 2021 Expansion plan for a multiuse food center experiencing dramatic pandemic-related growthShenandoah Valley Ag Enterprise Center Staunton, VA 2021 Feasibility study for a multiuse facility supporting farmers and food businesses in central VirginiaWood County Community Food Center Wisconsin Rapids, WI 2020 Feasibility study for a food center led by the County health department and three hunger organizationsCobleskill Regional Food and Agriculture Enterprise Center Cobleskill, NY 2016 Feasibility study for the redevelopment of a former mill into a multiuse food & ag center 27N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S Prince George’s County Ag & Food Security Innovation Center Largo, MD 2025 Feasibility study for a multiuse facility filling the gaps in the County’s food ecosystemEast Providence Small Business Incubator Feasibility Study East Providence, RI 2025 Redevelop a vacant school into a multiuse facility for food, arts, and blue economy incubationNorth Central Massachusetts Local Food Campus Winchendon, MA 2025 Plan for campus with aggregation, packaging, processing, retailing and food access programsAdelante Food Ecosphere Development Waukegan, IL 2025 Collective impact plan and facility design for food enterprises focused on food access, hunger reliefBarry County Community Food Center Hastings, MI 2025 Feasibility study for the restoration of a historical building into a multiuse food hall and food centerThe MillworksLocal Food Campus Bellingham, WA 2025 Business case for a mixed-use development including affordable housing and childcareTraders Hill Farm Agricultural Complex Hilliard, FL 2025 Comprehensive regional food access assessment to design a Community Sustainability CampusEvanston Grows Community Food Center Evanston, IL 2025 Design a food center serving Evanston communities that have little access to fresh foodRenew Moline Spiegel Building Redevelopment Moline, IL 2025 Feasibility study for the conversion of a historic building into a multiuse food center and food hallThe Food Basket Agricultural Innovation Park Hilo, HI 2024 Operating model and facility design for a food bank expansion into farming, production and retailing AGRICULTURAL AND OTHER PROJECTS New York Green Bank New York, NY 2019 Market due diligence for ag tech development efforts within the state of New YorkKōkua Kalihi Valley Health Services Roots Program Honolulu, HI 2019 Strategic plan for cultural and community-based food programs of a community health centerCornell University Eastern Broccoli Project Ithaca, NY 2019 Strategic plan toward trade acceptance of broccoli grown in the eastern United StatesCentral Appalachian Food Enterprise Corridor Abingdon, VA 2018 Business model and brand strategy for a portfolio of products grown and marketed across AppalachiaWestern New York Grain Hub Geneseo, NY 2017 Feasibility study and business plan for grain hub supplying feed mills, maltsers and distillersFar-Northern California Agricultural Cluster Strategy Redding, CA 2017 Analysis of potential transportation systems for wild rice and organic vegetable farming clustersFood Safety Audit Enterprise West Lafayette, IN 2016 Feasibility study for Purdue University for a new business providing auditing services for farms Freestate Farms Greenhouse Hume, VA 2015 Business plan for an integrated anaerobic digester/ commercial greenhouse operationMcConnell Foundation Value Chain Network Training Program Montreal, QC 2013 Business planning and operations training for food enterprise grant recipientsFarmedHere Salad Dressing Chicago, IL 2012 Business case for an indoor vertical farm to expand its salad dressing linePrairie Crossing Farm Business Development Center Planning Grayslake, IL 2011 Capacity modeling for on-farm aggregation and processing centerWellspring Growers Vertical Farm Chicago, IL 2009 Business plan for indoor hydroponic farm 28N E W V E N T U R E A D V I S O R S Kane County Soil Health Assessment Geneva, IL 2025 Examine the business case for the adoption of farming practices that improve soil health Fauquier Livestock ExchangeAbattoir Study Warrenton, VA 2025 Feasibility study and operator search for an abattoir at the county livestock auctionFoodshed Alliance LocalShare Gleaning Program Hope, NJ 2025 Evaluate funding landscape and create an impact measurement system for the gleaning programKane County Livestock Market Assessment Geneva, IL 2024 Agricultural market assessment for livestock products produced and sold in the local marketCommunity Garden Expansion Plan Cedar Rapids, IA 2023 Site plans and management toolkit for the development of community gardens in city parks Southeast Nebraska Development District Lincoln, NE 2022 Economic development handbook to spur food system investments in rural communitiesAppalachian Harvest Herb Hub Duffield, VA 2022 Business plan for a network of forest and medicinal herb farmers cultivating in-demand botanicals Project EATS Urban FarmGrowth Strategy New York, NY 2022 Strategic plan focused on technology adoption, sales & marketing and new product launchCultivate KC Strategic Plan Kansas City, MO 2021 Three-year strategic and expansion plan for urban ag and nutrition incentive programs Sustainable Food Center Visioning Project Austin, TX 2019 Strategic vision for the Austin food system and the central role of a leading value chain organizationMcHenry County Food System Vision Woodstock, IL 2019 Facilitate a vision for the local food system and advancement of regenerative agriculture practicesVermont Grain Industry Assessment Montpelier, VT 2019 Demand study assessing potential markets in the Northeast for Vermont-produced grain