Community Food Centers
The evolution of food system planning has expanded from developing food hubs that aggregate local food and distribute it to local outlets, to building food processing capacity, shared kitchens, grocery stores, and many other types of businesses that form the hard infrastructure of regional food systems. Today, we’re seeing the combination of these enterprises into exciting new developments called Community Food Centers — or sometimes called local food campuses, food business districts, food & agricultural enterprise centers, etc.
Community Food Centers incorporate multiple types of food enterprises, each with a distinct, dedicated space, to enjoy enterprise-level benefits from naturally-occurring synergies and offer benefits to the community. New Venture Advisors has helped to design a wide range of food centers in terms of size, capacities and components which can include a food hub, shared kitchen, food incubator, value added processing, cafe, event space, and community programs (to name a few). We help clients shape their vision for a food center and design them in a way that meets their goals and the needs of stakeholders, whether they be farmers, food entrepreneurs or community members.
Learn more about Community Food Centers on our blog.
About Us
New Venture Advisors is a team of business consultants specializing in local food system planning and new enterprise development.
Community Food Center Projects
Learn how we have helped our clients develop Community Food Centers:
Agriculture, Food Security, and Innovation Center Feasibility Study
Prince George’s County, MD
New Venture Advisors is conducting a feasibility study for the Prince George’s County Agriculture and Food Security Innovative Center, a proposed hub to preserve agricultural heritage while expanding food access and economic opportunity. NVA is assessing operational, financial, and implementation considerations for a multi-function facility supporting aggregation, processing, business incubation, food recovery, and workforce training. (2026)
Seattle Public Market Development
Seattle, WA
Seattle’s White Center neighborhood is home to a growing vision for an international public market celebrating cultural foods and entrepreneurship. New Venture Advisors (NVA) worked with African Community Housing & Development (ACHD) to advance design and feasibility planning for the project. The market will include an indoor marketplace, shared kitchen, and community gathering spaces tailored to diverse local needs. Collaborating with ACHD’s design-development team, NVA developed test fits, equipment plans, and financial models to ensure the facility aligns with both operator goals and community priorities. (2026)
Evanston Grows
Evanston, IL
In Evanston, Illinois, a coalition of partners is working to bring a Community Food Center to life. New Venture Advisors helped Evanston Grows refine the concept and develop a roadmap for facility design, partnerships, and implementation. The proposed center will include shared aggregation and distribution space, a professional kitchen, and health and education areas serving historically underserved neighborhoods. The team also prepared a due diligence plan to guide funding identification and feasibility steps for launch. (2024)
Renew Moline Community Food Center
Moline, IL
Transforming a historic downtown building into a lively public market and food business hub, the City of Moline is reimagining its riverfront district. New Venture Advisors conducted a feasibility study, with Renew Moline, and refined the concept through extensive community feedback. The envisioned space includes a retail food hall, shared kitchen, incubator, community gathering areas, and offices to support entrepreneurs. The team developed a comprehensive redevelopment strategy, identified key partners and tenants, and structured the model to align with local goals for cultural and economic growth. (2024)
North Central Massachusetts Food Campus Feasibility Study
North Central Massachursetts, MA
For Local Food Works, New Venture Advisors led a feasibility study and business planning process to support the launch of a new food processing center in Gardner, MA. The facility aggregates and distributes products from more than 30 local farms with a focus on small farmers and supports the 27 communities of North Central Massachusetts. Through a multi-stakeholder regional assessment, NVA equipped partners with interview, survey, and focus group tools to strengthen connections with local communities. This collaborative approach aligned the center’s growth strategy with the needs of farmers, customers, and partner organizations. Building on this foundation, NVA is supporting business model, workflow, and process improvements to ensure the facility can effectively and sustainably support the regional supply chain. (2026)
Barry County Blue Zones Initiative: Community Food Center Feasibility Study
Hastings, MI
New Venture Advisors partnered with the Barry Community Foundation and B.Healthy Barry County, formerly Blue Zones Activate Barry County, to help realize the community’s vision for a Community Food Center that promotes health, nutrition, and local food access in Hastings, Michigan. NVA conducted a feasibility study to determine the ideal mix of programs, models, and locations for long-term success. The center is proposed to open in late 2026 as Mill Street Market is combining a year-round farm stop (grocery), kitchen incubator, and education spaces alongside daycare and community facilities. NVA also partnered with Argus Farm Stop to model the farm-stop grocery concept to ensure both sustainability and community impact. (2026)
International Public Market Feasibility Study
King County, WA
Envisioned as a dynamic hub for culturally diverse foods and experiences, an International Public Market in South King County could serve as both an economic and cultural landmark. New Venture Advisors led a feasibility study with the Port of Seattle and King County to evaluate the concept, engaging immigrant and refugee communities through multilingual research tools in seven languages. The team analyzed consumer spending and global case studies of successful markets. These findings helped shape a development model celebrating heritage while fostering entrepreneurship and tourism. (2024)
Whatcom Local Food Campus
Bellingham, WA
Whatcom Community Foundation continues to partner with New Venture Advisors to guide the development of the Kitchens@Millworks —a bold project uniting health, equity, and market access. Building on previous work with the Farm to Freezer program, the team developed an operational model, financial analysis, and partner strategy. NVA is evaluating expansion of farm-to-institution efforts and their potential relocation to the new campus. Advanced financial models support a multi-operator facility encompassing production, aggregation, retail, and community programs. (2026)
California Indian Traditional Food Incubator
Santa Rosa, CA
In Sonoma County, the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center is creating a kitchen incubator rooted in Indigenous foodways and entrepreneurship. New Venture Advisors guided the programming, design, and pre-construction phases of this SBA-funded initiative. The project will establish a dedicated space for American Indian and Alaska Native food producers to launch and grow their businesses. The team also adapted research tools to authentically reflect community voices and led the selection of a design partner to bring the concept to life. (2026)
Community Food & Gardens Center Feasibility Study
DeKalb County, IL
In Northern Illinois, Rooted For Good is developing a first-of-its-kind community hub that integrates food, health, and wellness on a multi-acre campus. New Venture Advisors supported multiple phases of research, engagement, and planning to refine the campus design, operations, and financial strategy. The site will include expanded farm operations, greenhouses, a garden retail center, kitchen, warehouse, and education spaces. The team also created dynamic financial models exploring traditional and innovative revenue streams to ensure long-term sustainability and alignment with Rooted For Good’s mission. (2024)
Traders Hill Farm Agricultural Complex
Hilliard, FL
In the border region of Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia, Traders Hill Farm envisioned a regional agricultural complex to strengthen the food economy and connect small producers. New Venture Advisors designed a multi-phase campus model integrating growing, processing, storage, distribution, and retail access within a coordinated network. The feasibility study evaluated market potential, financial viability, and phased development strategies to support long-term success. NVA also facilitated collaboration among food access, distribution, and food security organizations to explore models that serve both emergency response and traditional food supply systems. (2025)
The Food Mill Food Infrastructure and Ag Corridor
Columbus, GA
In Columbus, Georgia, The Food Mill and its partners are transforming a corridor into a vibrant ecosystem for food access and entrepreneurship. New Venture Advisors helped design the model for this next phase, building on earlier facility expansion work. The project features shared kitchens, gardens, mobile farmer markets, and retail spaces supported by a Healthy Food Financing Initiative grant. The team also conducted capacity assessments to align partner strengths and expand opportunities across neighborhoods. (2024)
Detroit Food Commons Operating Plan
Detroit, MI
A landmark project for Detroit’s North End neighborhood, the Detroit Food Commons embodies community ownership and revitalization. New Venture Advisors supported the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network and Develop Detroit in launching the $22 million, 31,000-square-foot facility featuring a co-op grocery, four incubator kitchens, office space, and a banquet hall. NVA developed an operating plan and detailed financial projections to ensure long-term sustainability and community alignment. NVA also built flexible models that balance subsidized access with market-rate pricing to promote equity and economic opportunity. (2024)
The Food Basket Community Food Center
Hilo, HI
New Venture Advisors partnered with The Food Basket, Hawai’i Island’s food bank, to design and plan a new multi-facility campus that will expand food access and strengthen regional food security. The proposed East Hawai’i campus will increase capacity to meet rising community needs while enhancing resilience, disaster preparedness, and educational programming. NVA developed detailed facility designs, financial models, and 3D renderings to support funding and stakeholder engagement. Collaborating with local partners, the team also led regional workshops to shape the campus vision—positioning The Food Basket to eliminate hunger and foster a more sustainable, community-centered food system across Hawai’i Island. (2023)
Food Bank Collaboration for Northern Michigan
Flint, MI
Efforts to improve food distribution across northern Michigan inspired a joint initiative between the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan and Feeding America West Michigan. New Venture Advisors evaluated the feasibility of a shared warehouse and resource center serving the Upper and northern Lower Peninsulas. Through collaborative design charrettes, the team shaped the facility’s vision and operational model while analyzing statewide supply routes. NVA’s work identified critical gaps and opportunities to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and expand access to nutritious food in rural regions. (2023)
Food System Planning for the Waukegan Food Ecosphere
Waukegan, IL
Adelante Center for Entrepreneurship operates multiple social enterprises creating wealth, living wage jobs, and food security in distressed communities. New Venture Advisors provided comprehensive business planning, financial modeling, and strategic coaching that shaped Adelante’s integrated food ecosystem, helping develop strategies for the organization’s Garfield Produce Company (hydroponic microgreens operation), Post Marketplace Cafe, Post Pantry food delivery program, and plans for a flexible commercial kitchen supporting both catering operations and community programming. (2025)
Eastern Market Processing and Distribution Expansion Study
Detroit, MI
As Detroit’s historic Eastern Market prepared for a major expansion, New Venture Advisors helped envision the next chapter of this 130-year-old food district. The firm conducted a feasibility study and designed two new food safety–compliant facilities to house processing, warehousing, and distribution businesses, freeing up the main campus for retail and community uses. The team developed detailed layouts for large-scale processing and market spaces to support regional farmers and entrepreneurs. NVA also built analytical tools to evaluate statewide logistics and distribution routes, ensuring the project strengthens Michigan’s entire food system network. (2022)
King County Innovation Hub Feasibility Study
Kent, WA
New Venture Advisors supported King County and the City of Kent in advancing local food system development through strategic planning, feasibility analysis, and community engagement. Building on the 2014 Local Food Initiative, NVA conducted a feasibility study for a local food hub and innovation space, refining the operating model, facility plan, site concept, and financial sustainability while aligning with regional urban transit development plans. The project also included engaging multilingual immigrant and refugee communities and analyzing the growth cycle of local food entrepreneurs to ensure the facility could support business incubation, acceleration, and long-term scaling. (2023) Download report here.
Warehouses4Good Mississippi Delta Food Warehouse
Moorhead, MS
With a USDA Rural Business Development Grant, New Venture Advisors helped Warehouses4Good to repurpose an existing South Delta building for a multi-use food warehouse venture. The facility program would include dry/cold storage, value-added processing, and offices for food-sector organizations. NVA’s commercial assessment and BIPOC-focused engagement co-created an operating model reflecting community priorities. (2022)
Oneida Community Cannery
Oneida, WI
Through a multi-year collaboration with the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, New Venture Advisors helped bring the Oneida Community Cannery through concept development —a commercial and community-use food production center designed to preserve traditional foodways and foster local entrepreneurship. Beginning with a feasibility study in 2018 and culminating in a detailed business plan in 2022, NVA guided the Nation through each stage of development. The process emphasized culturally responsive engagement rooted in storytelling, intergenerational dialogue, and local leadership. NVA also crafted an operating model that translated traditional recipes into scalable production systems, blending heritage and innovation in food systems planning. (2022)
God’s Pantry Food Warehouse
Lexington, KY
New Venture Advisors partnered with God’s Pantry Food Bank and Warehouses4Good to plan a fourth regional distribution center that expands food storage and distribution capacity across 50 counties in central and eastern Kentucky. Engagement with regional stakeholders informed an operating model and facility program built around user needs. NVA adapted outreach for Appalachian communities and surfaced key partnerships for community-supported development. (2022)
East End Food Hub Facility Plan
Riverhead, NY
Since 2015, New Venture Advisors has worked with East End Food to strengthen a resilient, connected regional food system. After an initial food hub feasibility study, NVA helped shape the East End Food Hub—centralizing aggregation, processing, and distribution. Partnering with architects, the team reviewed plans from an operator’s lens and explored funding strategies to ease long-term development and transitions from existing operations. (2021)
Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Enterprise Center Feasibility Study
Staunton, VA
The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission explored an Agricultural Enterprise Center to help Shenandoah Valley producers diversify, bridge market gaps, and reach new buyers through aggregation and value-added services. New Venture Advisors conducted a comprehensive feasibility study—including input from 100+ regional farmers, ranchers, food businesses, and buyers—to define the optimal operating model, size, location, and components. The resulting Shenandoah Specialty Meat and Produce Hub included produce aggregation, meat processing and aggregation, and a commercial kitchen. (2021) Read the report here.
Spartanburg Community Food Center Feasibility Study
Spartanburg, SC
Building on Spartanburg Food System Coalition’s 2020 food system plan, New Venture Advisors completed a preliminary assessment toward a Community Food Center. The process convened community workshops to identify program and operational partners grounded in local leadership. Equity-led decision-making ensured residents shaped the center’s functions, priorities, and lasting impact. (2021)
Wood County Community Food Center
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
New Venture Advisors assessed the feasibility of a Community Food Center in central Wisconsin, supporting a cross-sector coalition. The work focused on creating efficiencies across hunger and health organizations, expanding access to local foods, supporting farmers and entrepreneurs, reducing stigma, and strengthening workforce development—ultimately informing a sustainable business model that helped catalyze the formation of FOCUS of South Wood County. (2020)
