Newark Alliance is a civic leadership organization dedicated to ongoing economic revitalization across the city of Newark. It is working to develop a collaborative food network to support the development of an equitable, healthy, and prosperous Newark food system.
The Opportunity
Newark Alliance partnered with several organizations to form this network, including Adenah Bayoh & Companies, Audible, City of Newark Office of Sustainability, Clinton Hill Community Action, Greater Newark Conservancy, Invest Newark, Ironbound Community Corporation, La Casa de Don Pedro, Newark Science & Sustainability, Inc., Rutgers University-Newark, RWJBarnabas Health, STEAM URBAN, and Urban Agriculture Cooperative. The initiative centered on a hub-and-spoke model with a central facility in the Central Ward that would anchor many functions needed for a thriving local food system with satellite locations across the city’s five wards to promote inclusive economic growth and quality job development. Newark Alliance identified an opportunity to connect this effort to a distressed property near the Halsey Street Corridor, a several-block area near the Rutgers University-Newark campus.
Partnering with New Venture Advisors
In late 2023, Newark Alliance engaged New Venture Advisors to conduct a feasibility study to identify the most strategic way to approach the development of a collaborative food network and define what the model could look like in terms of its components, facilities, programs, partners, and operating structure. They formed an Advisory Committee with representation from organizations supporting food access, economic development, and community-based initiatives throughout the city’s five wards.
The study started with a market analysis, which included surveys and interviews with Newark community members, regional farmers, small businesses, and local stakeholders, including community-based organizations, anchor institutions, nonprofits, local food wholesalers, and city government agencies. The market analysis demonstrated community interest in and support for the proposed Newark Food Network, particularly for food retail, shared kitchens, and community gathering spaces, as well as programs related to small business development and community education.
The next stage of the study assessed operational and financial viability. Based on findings from the market analysis and feedback from the Advisory Committee, New Venture Advisors developed a three-phase model to meet both short-term and long-term needs:
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- Phase 1: Develop a facility in the Central Ward to activate existing building assets and meet immediate food access and programming needs
- Phase 2: Build a collaborative ecosystem for the Newark Food Network through continued engagement across organizations representing all five wards of the city
- Phase 3: Develop a full-scale public market facility
The project team overlaid facility designs onto potential sites and developed operational and funding frameworks. A revenue model incorporated diverse rental spaces for both immediate and future facilities. The comprehensive financial model demonstrated the project’s long-term operational sustainability.
Moving Forward
The feasibility study identified a viable model for the phased development of the Newark Food Network. As a next step, the project team will work with local partners to secure sites for short- and long-term facilities, identify facility operators, and seek funding to continue the collaborative work of developing a local food ecosystem.
Photo Courtesy of Newark Alliance
