Food Hubs
Sixty-two percent of consumers are more likely to buy food and beverages described as local, and 57% seek out restaurants offering locally sourced products, according to Technomic. More than half of consumers say local foods taste better, and nearly as many agree local foods are higher in quality and less processed. Meeting this demand is challenging. Connecting small to medium sized growers with the buyers who are looking for local produce can be complex. Farmers and buyers grapple with everything from pricing strategy, distribution, food safety, seasonality, availability of supply, quality and consistency of product.
Food hubs have emerged to help address these challenges and connect farmers to markets seeking their products. Food hubs aggregate, distribute, and market source-identified food products from local and regional producers into wholesale, retail, and institutional buyers. No two hubs look the same. They can focus on any number of farm products – fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, specialty goods and/or value added products. They range from large warehouse facilities to online marketplaces to processing facilities to technical assistance providers.
A food hub is often launched because a farmer, buyer, nonprofit, community organization or planning group has a vision of strengthening the local supply chain in their region. We help these groups conduct studies to determine the optimal operating model for a food hub given their goals and regional context, assess the financial viability of these potential food hubs, and develop robust business plans to launch these enterprises.
About Us
New Venture Advisors is a team of business consultants specializing in local food system planning and new enterprise development.
Food Hub Projects
Benton Harbon Farmers Market Hub Feasibility Study
St. Joseph, MI
Rooted in a historic agricultural marketplace in Michigan’s Fruit Belt, the Benton Harbor Farmers Market Hub Feasibility Study is exploring how a year‑round, community‑focused farm hub could strengthen local food systems and connections. New Venture Advisors is supporting United Way of Southwest Michigan and its partners in developing a plan that could expand direct‑to‑consumer opportunities and new market channels for small and mid‑sized farms, while integrating food security programs and workforce development pathways. Through this process, NVA is helping to envision how a legacy site could become a dynamic regional farm hub. (2026)
Flagstaff Food Hub Feasibility Study
Flagstaff, AZ
The City of Flagstaff is taking bold steps toward implementing its Food Action Plan. New Venture Advisors is conducting a feasibility study for a food hub, commercial kitchen, and food recovery enterprise to strengthen regional production and distribution. The study assesses market demand, operations, and financial feasibility across interconnected food enterprises. This work represents a critical next step toward a more sustainable and equitable regional food system. (2026)
F3Local Aggregation, Small-Scale Processing, and Food Hub Feasibility Study
Fresno, CA
New Venture Advisors is partnering with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources to conduct a feasibility study of food aggregation, small-scale processing, and food hub development across California’s F3Local region. NVA is assessing existing assets, organizations, and infrastructure through extensive local engagement to identify equitable, viable approaches for strengthening regional food systems and expanding market opportunities for small farmers. (2026)
Alachua County Fresh Food Pathways Program
Gainesville, FL
In Florida, Alachua County’s Fresh Food Pathways initiative is laying the foundation for a regional food hub that strengthens local food systems and expands opportunities for area farms. New Venture Advisors led a comprehensive feasibility study and agricultural assessment aligning design with local production capacity and market demand. The team collaborated with community leaders to ensure inclusive engagement across diverse stakeholders. NVA is partnering with Alachua County to pilot a program that tests key concepts for a future aggregation and distribution network. (2026)
Food Network Project Feasibility Study
Newark, NJ
Newark Alliance is working to transform the city’s food system into an engine for inclusive growth. New Venture Advisors led a comprehensive feasibility study for a central food hub or network of hubs that supports economic opportunity, job creation, and community well-being. The process included workshops, charrettes, and listening sessions to ensure diverse community voices shaped the vision. NVA also developed a two-phase strategy and flexible public market concept to guide early-stage development. (2025)
Santa Clara County Community Food Hub Feasibility Study
San Jose, CA
In San José, Veggielution envisioned a regional food hub that would expand support for farmers and entrepreneurs while strengthening its park-based facilities. New Venture Advisors evaluated feasibility and created a framework for collaboration across the region. The process included inclusive, multilingual engagement to ensure diverse stakeholder representation. NVA also developed coaching guides and toolkits to empower local leaders to connect with multilingual farmers and residents in shaping a comprehensive city- and countywide plan. (2024)
Tulsa Cooperative Food Hub Feasibility Study
Tulsa, OK
New Venture Advisors partnered with a coalition of Tulsa-based organizations—including RG Foods, Food on the Move, Fresh Rx, Tulsa Farmers’ Market, and Oasis Fresh Market—to address regional supply chain challenges impacting small grocers and food outlets. NVA conducted a feasibility study to evaluate the development of a regional food hub and cooperative buying group. The team facilitated collaboration among partners to explore shared purchasing power, cooperative operating models, and distribution strategies. NVA also created financial models examining financing structures that would ensure a sustainable, community-driven hub for the Tulsa region. (2023)
Southern Illinois Mobile Market Feasibility Study
Chicago, IL
New Venture Advisors conducted a feasibility study for Faith in Place’s Southern Illinois Mobile Market initiative, which aims to expand healthy food access across 17 rural counties. NVA assessed community needs, partners, and service locations, and developed a plan and implementation toolkit to support a collaborative mobile market network that strengthens access while supporting local producers. (2024)
Roaring Fork Valley Regional Food Facilities Feasibility & Design
Basalt, CO
In Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley, the historic Emma Store Buildings became the focus of a regional strategy to enhance food infrastructure. New Venture Advisors partnered with Pitkin County, LIFT-UP, and the Aspen Community Foundation to explore how these sites—and others—could support food access, agriculture, entrepreneurship, and community gathering. The team structured its assessment around historic preservation, public space integration, and transportation connectivity. A multi-site model emerged, balancing diverse partner goals and aligning regional organizations around a shared vision for a resilient local food system. (2023)
Bushel & Peck Food Hub Feasibility Study
Charles Town, WV
With Jefferson G.A.P Coalition, New Venture Advisors evaluated the expansion of Bushel & Peck into a broader regional food hub with wholesale, institutional sales, and a commercial kitchen/community space. A community-led, multi-year assessment clarified infrastructure and resource priorities. Flexible business models and near-term strategies enable program growth while planning for longer-term facility investment. (2025)
Food Bank Council of Michigan Senior Food Access Pilot Program
Lansing, MI
Across Michigan, seniors in remote or transportation-limited areas face growing barriers to food access. To address this, New Venture Advisors worked with the Food Bank Council of Michigan to design and test a statewide home-delivery pilot with seven regional food banks. The project involved collaboration among five partner organizations to optimize logistics and innovate distribution solutions. NVA also created a simulation-based exercise to pressure-test the model and improve efficiency within the unified food bank system. (2023)
NMU Food Hub Feasibility Study
Marquette, MI
In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, limited food infrastructure has long challenged local producers and distributors. To address this, New Venture Advisors and the Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health evaluated the feasibility of a shared-use aggregation, distribution, and light processing facility. The expanded feasibility study assessed the economic viability of a regional network and central warehouse model. The team developed innovative operational and financial frameworks integrating volunteer, nonprofit, and for-profit components while accounting for the region’s geography and short growing seasons. (2022)
McHenry County College Food Hub
Crystal Lake, IL
The Center for Agrarian Learning (CAL) at McHenry County College offers a non-credit community education in farm viability, an Entrepreneurial Agriculture degree program, and operates a greenhouse and farm as part of its programming. CAL has a vision for adding a food hub to aggregate products grown on campus and from area farms to create a year-round sales channel for local producers looking to increase production or venture into wholesale markets. The program will be one of the few campus-based food hubs in the U.S., training the next generation of food system professionals with real-world experience from production to wholesale, and potentially retail. New Venture Advisors conducted a feasibility study to determine how this college-based food hub can serve small-to medium sized producers in the region. (2022)
Appalachian Harvest Herb Hub Business Plan
Duffield, VA
New Venture Advisors supported Appalachian Sustainable Development in strengthening the financial sustainability of the Appalachian Harvest Herb Hub, an initiative building a regional forest and medicinal herb economy in Central Appalachia. NVA developed a business plan and operating model for value-added processing and aggregation, reducing reliance on grant funding while supporting small producers through shared infrastructure and regional market growth. (2022)
East End Food Hub Facility Plan
Southampton, NY
Since 2015, New Venture Advisors has worked with East End Food Institute 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)
Oahu Food Hub Expansion Planning
Honolulu, HI
New Venture Advisors guided the design of a multi-use facility for Oahu Food Hub, that brings Oahu Fresh and Ke Nui Kitchen together under one roof. The plan balances shared kitchens, aggregation/distribution space, and offices to serve entrepreneurs and local producers. NVA developed operating model options, aligned facility design with future growth, researched tropical operating challenges, and brokered partnerships across the island’s ecosystem. (2021)
Worcester Regional Food Hub
Worcester, MA
Originally piloted in 2016 as a kitchen incubator and aggregation hub, the Worcester Regional Food Hub strengthens the regional economy by connecting producers and consumers, advancing workforce development, and supporting food business incubation. New Venture Advisors conducted a market assessment and developed a business plan to guide the hub’s expansion and long-term sustainability. This work helped position the Food Hub for its successful transition to a permanent home at Union Station in 2025. (2019)
Kane County Food Hub
Geneva, IL
Kane County Planning engaged New Venture Advisors to assist in the development of a food hub that serves Kane County residents as well as the greater Chicago foodshed. A feasibility study identified a multi-million dollar opportunity to aggregate from Kane County farmers and distribute to customers across the region. A unique business model ensured the hub’s products will reach Kane County low-income residents and institutions that serve these communities. An owner/operator was selected and the food hub piloted operations in 2018. New Venture Advisors developed a strategic plan and roadmap to guide the food hub’s first full year of operations. (2019) Read the report here.
Central Appalachian Food Enterprise Corridor
Abingdon, VA
Appalachian Sustainable Development and ACENet are two of the longest standing and most established food hubs in the U.S. These pioneering organizations recognize that between them is a corridor of farms and food businesses across VA, WV, KY and OH that may all benefit from coordinated marketing, operations, logistics and transportation services. Through funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission, the organizations have embarked on a joint planning effort to explore models that might enable them to operate more profitably in their rural settings. NVA assisted in this effort by highlighting examples of innovative, successful models that have been established worldwide in order to connect rural, dispersed agricultural producers to mainstream markets. (2018)
Northwest Kansas Food Hub
Bird City, KS
The Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation and Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, Inc. assessed the viability of a food hub to be located in Northwest Kansas. The project was instrumental in discerning whether a permanent food hub is a viable option for bringing more fresh produce to the Kansas market. The project team conducted this study on its own, using NVA’s Do-It-Yourself Feasibility Study Toolkit that features coaching from NVA through a 10-step work plan. (2018)
California Food Hub Network
Davis, CA
University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program is a statewide program committed to strengthening California’s agriculture by advancing knowledge of the science of sustainability, supporting farmers and ranchers working to develop more sustainable agricultural practices, and assisting communities in building strong and healthy regional food systems. UC SAREP convenes a collaborative learning group of California food hubs which NVA assisted in evaluating potential network models. (2017)
Wyoming Statewide Food Hub Network
Wyoming
New Venture Advisors worked with Bould Development and the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union to assess the strategy and feasibility of a network of food hubs across the state of Wyoming. The study evaluated potential hubs in six distinct clusters across the state, and recommended how the hubs would transact with each other. (2016)
Western New York Food Hub
Eden, NY
New Venture Advisors conducted a Feasibility Study with Field & Fork Network and in partnership with Cornell University Cooperative Extension. The study recommended the launch of a Western New York Food Hub. New Venture Advisors worked with the project team on an operator search, and then developed the food hub business plan alongside the chosen operator, Eden Valley Growers, a longstanding farmer-owned cooperative in Eden, NY. The hub launched in 2015. (2015)
Southern Wisconsin Food Hub Feasibility Study
Madison, Wi
New Venture Advisors worked with Dane County Planning and Development Department to assess the size and viability of a local food hub. New Venture Advisors completed the Southern Wisconsin Food Hub Feasibility Study in 2011, recommending that the county move forward in the development of a food hub, based on high levels of demand and supply identified. The business was launched in 2013 as the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative. (2011)
