Exploring Food Hubs as a Vehicle for Building Resilient Local Food Systems May 24, 2024 Northern Dialogues Conference Research Team Sarah-Patricia Breen, Selkirk College Lindsay Harris, UBCO & Kamloops Food Policy Council Damon Chouinard, Central Kootenay Food Policy Council Caitlin Quist, Selkirk College Project Overview Resilience & Alternative Food Network Project Provincial Community of Practice BC Food Hub Study Kamloops Case Study Other Regional Studies Kootenay Case Study • What roles do Food Hubs play within regional food systems? • How do region specific conditions impact the ability of Food Hubs to be sustainable? • What impact have major disturbances had? The BC Food Hub Community of Practice • What is a food hub? • “Shared-use food and beverage processing facilities that offer food and agriculture businesses access to commercial processing space, equipment, expertise and resources to support business development and growth." (BC Min of Ag & Food) • Provincially funded Food Hubs: 14 food hubs (9 operational, 4 in development, 1 closed) and 16 feasibility studies • BC Food Hub Community of Practice o Launched in February 2023 to support commercial food hub operators o Hosted by Min of Ag & Food and facilitated by Tapestry Collective Co-op o Open to Ministry-funded and Non-Ministry funded food hubs Kamloops Case Study Overview • Commercial kitchen • Warehouse/freezer space for • x hub in partnership with distribution Authentic Indigenous Seafood • Kweseltken Kitchen for mobile processing in partnership with CFDC of CIFN • Pop-up retail storefront and riverfront courtyard event space Work to date • 4 interviews conducted • Operated by KFPC which has an expansive vision to leverage food hub for resilient regional food system • Region impacted by wildfires/flooding • Fewer direct connection with producers than anticipated • Fewer businesses focused on shelfstable, processed food products than anticipated Creston Case Study Overview • Commissary Kitchen • Large scale processing equipment • Storage x • Freezer • Certifications pending(CFIA) Work to date • 12 interviews conducted • Early challenges with business sustainability • Revised focus and business planning • Large agriculture base to service o Adopted co-op model for larger processing equipment(juice press, freeze dryer, egg washer) • Shifted greater focus to commissary / business dev services o High turnover / cash flow o Innovation • Local ag impact from weather can have positive and negative impacts to hub COP Attendance by Geography COP Attendance Analysis Attendance reviewed by: • • • Geography Funding Ratio of participant types Geography: Contrast between: • North and South • Population density • Local Ag/food sector COP Attendance by Organization Type Funding: • Gov funded vs unfunded Participant Ratios • Actual hubs vs other groups • Influences on conversation and topics • Who is missing? COP Attendance and Engagement 49 41 Total hubs and organizations invited to participate in the COP Outer: Minimal attendance and engagement 15 10 COP YEAR ZERO Middle: Semi-regular attendance with passive participation Core: Regular attendance and active participation COP YEAR ONE Development Stage Relative to Level of Participation LAUNCH 7% IN DEVELOPMENT 7% 5% 7% INITIATION 41 total 13% Outer: Minimal attendance and 13% 10% 10% EARLY GROWTH GROWTH SUSTAINING OPERATIONAL: STAGE UNKNOWN NOT APPLICABLE UNKNOWN 37% 7% 40% 7% 22% 20% 7% 15 total Middle: Semi-regular attendance with passive 20% 13% engagement participation 26% 7% 5% 12% 5% 10 total Core: Regular attendance and active participation Relationships • In Year 1, we've been able to observe/track types of interactions within the COP meetings • COP meetings primarily indicate flows of information: o To the participants (from presenters) o Between the participants (in discussion) • Other types of relationships to explore in Year 2 of the study: o Are relationships evolving between Food Hubs outside COP meetings? o Have food hub operators followed up with someone they met at COP? o Have food hub operators strengthened previously existing relationships based on COP? o How can we better understand the relationships across the whole COP beyond the Kootenay & Kamloops case studies? Topics • Each COP meeting had a different topic. Topic selection was based on: o Engagement with food hub operators completed by Tapestry o Input from BC Min of Ag & Food • Underlying and reoccurring topics emerged from COP members – primarily related to financial sustainability and funding • Questions about topics to explore in Year 2: o Is there a difference in / lag time between what the group would like to discuss versus what is scheduled? o How much is the selection of topics determined by the COP participants vs. influence from outside the group? Member ratings of topic usefulness of COP meetings Member ratings of usefulness of COP overall Emerging Themes • Influences on Participation – Organizational values Organizational capacity • Tensions – Internal: values versus financials – External: funding priorities versus community needs • Geographic (in)Equity – Missing Northern British Columbia • COP as a Collaborative Space • What is a Food Hub? • Broad range of organizations • Evolving based on place and sub-sector • Future COP Direction • Vertical versus Horizontal approach Food Hub Influences & Tensions Internal to Hubs External to Hubs • • • • • • • • Organizational Values Financial sustainability Human capacity Place Scale • Regulation and legislation Funding Political pressures and expectations Collaboration and competition Critical Considerations for Remote and Northern Communities • Who are the users? • Focus on single or multiple sector? • Requirement for self sustainability? Transferability: Remote and Northen Examples Examples Ministry Funding Status Feasibility Start Up Sprout Kitchen, Quesnel Yes Yes One of the earliest funded hubs. Operational since 2022 but has struggled to become sustainable. Tea Creek Food Hub, Kitwanga Yes No Indigenous-led, community focused model. Other programs/services already operational. Food Hub/commercial kitchen still pending start-up funding. Hazelton Yes No Feasibility study did not result in a project Peace Region Yes No Feasibility study did not result in a project Thank you! For more information visit Contact Details: Sarah - sbreen@selkirk.ca Lindsay - lindsay@tapestryevaluation.com Damon - ed@ckfoodpolicy.ca