Down South Dinners is a proposed startup business that aims to make locally grown food more accessible and affordable for residents of urban Savannah, Georgia. The business plans to deliver farm boxes containing locally sourced produce and goods directly to customers on a daily basis. Over 10 weeks, the founders conducted research including interviews, created personas, analyzed pricing and costs, developed a brand and three-tier business model. Next steps include sourcing products, securing funding, further research and understanding legal structure requirements to launch the delivery service.

1. DOWN SOUTH DINNERS
Jamie Slater &
Steven Zimmerman
DOWN
SOUTH
DINNERS

2. The Brief
The objective of the class was
to learn from and utilize a Yale
School of Management case study
generated for Selco.
Decided to use what we learned
from Selco, and appropriate it to
a local social issue in Savannah,
Georgia.
Using the Selco model we
developed a start up service
industry business plan, and
developed a system in which
residents of urban Savannah will
gain access to affordable, locally
grown/harvested foods.

3. Initial Question
Improving local food production
and distribution models is key
How Can We for environmental sustainability,
community heath and a thriving,
local agricultural industry.
Incentivize Local How do we build a system of
Food Consumption
positive behavioral incentives that
encourage local, healthy eating?
& Production? We need to create better incen-
tives for smaller farms and sourc-
es of local food production at the
local level.
(text via OPEN IDEO)

4. Goals
Below is a list of business objectives. We will be discussing our design strategy
and thoughts how we plan on approaching each of these objectives.
1. To make locally grown food 4. To create a brand and identity
more accessible. for this company.
2. To make locally grown food 5. Obtain locally grown food from
more affordable. growers or create our own
supply chain.
3. To create a for profit business 6. Encourage local economic
model valuing social good over growth.
bottom line profit.

5. Initial Thoughts
One of our initial thoughts was
to create a stationery business
that works as a market where
consumers could simply walk in
and shop.
We quickly realized that having
a storefront business was not
necessarily a profitable model as
we were looking for.
Why can’t the business of
providing this food to a particular
market be profitable and have that
fund our social endeavor?
Storefront Business

6. Initial Thoughts
Instead of instating a storefront
business that has some false
identities we shifted to a business
that would deliver food to
communities on a daily basis.
Looking at existing of models
of delivery services we tried to
understand what we could learn
from these businesses and also
what we could improve.
The ice cream truck carries much
more then just sugary snacks, it
carries meaning.
Full Delivery Service

7. Interviews
After these interviews we were able to drill down into the issues that we were
facing and begin to address problems head on.
Patrice & Marlile: Nicoll Street Baptist Church
“People stay at the church long after the service is over.”
Various Church Members: St. John Baptist Church
“I cook for our family a delicious Sunday meal.”
Jennifer Singeisen: The Farm Box
“Why are you not trying to be a non-profit?”
Erin Fenley: SCAD Design for Sustainability Student
“I encouraged you to empower community members for
this service.”

8. Personas
From our primary research we were able to better understand our customer base
and the market that they exist in.
Patrice & Marlile Natalie Benjamin & Tina
Church Representatives Church Goer 3 Savannah Resident 3
Donovan Rebecca Patty
Church Goer 1 Savannah Resident 1 Savannah Resident 4
Martha Sandra
Church Goer 2 Savannah Resident 2

9. Case Study
The prices of contents at Kroger:
Oyster Mushrooms $5.49 per-lb
Red potatoes $2.99 2lb-bag
Arugula $1.45 per-lb
Apples $2.11 per-lb
Collards $3.00 bushel
Baby onions $4.19 per-lb
Fresh bread $3.00 loaf
Prices divided by amount in Farm Box:
Oyster Mushrooms 1/2 lb $2.75
Red potatoes 1 lb $1.50
Arugula 1 lb $1.45
Apples 1 lb $2.11
Collards 1 bs $3.00
Baby onions 1 lb $4.19
Fresh bread 1L $3.00
total 5–7 lbs $18.00
Cost of Farm Box $25.00
Net cost of Kroger produce $18.00
The Farm Box
Profit from Farm Box Sale $7.00

10. Case Study
Mari Gallagher
Research & Consulting Group
Strengthen & expand farmers
markets & community markets.
Improve street vendor offerings.
Consider mobile grocer options.
Food Deserts

11. SWOT Analysis
The completion of a SWOT analysis aided in us breaking down the strengths and
weaknesses of our business model. This analysis translates our thinking into a
quick visual representation of our ability to be successful.
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats

12. The Brand
Mood Board
The interests of Down South Dinners revolves around the health benefits of eating
fresh locally grown foods over fast foods that are high in fats, sugars and sodium.
But rather then framing this business around the health benefits we understood
that it was more important to create meaning around this service and food.
“Hand Picked For Your Plate”

13. The Model
In order for the business to not be overcome by the scope of this project we are proposing to work the progress of the business
into a three tier system. Also the space between each system allows the business to address the validity and feasibility of the
additions to system proposed by the second and third tier.

14. The Business
Down south dinners needs the community to survive on many levels. Not only does it look for them to support and advertise
their service but it also needs them to grow. The business needs to build trust from urban Savannah.

15. Costs
The second tier will bring
The cost of this startup business is roughly around $15,000 to get off the ground. additional costs for industrial
These cost include: cooking equipment. This addition
to our facilities is one of the largest
costs at roughly twenty thousand
SALARY (2) EMPLOYEES WAREHOUSE RENT dollars for the full kitchen and
45k per year 1k a month 12k per year packaging systems.
RAW MATERIALS STORAGE DEVICES
dependent on quantity 1k investment
VEHICLE PETROL KITCHEN EQUIPMENT
dependent on usage 20k investment

16. Next Steps
This project was a ten week course experiment, and while we feel we have begun
to solve many of the issues related to Down South Dinners, in order to get this
project off the ground there are several steps that would need to be taken.
Concrete and specific sourcing Venture capital to fund the initial
of product start-up cost
More extensive primary Better understanding of legal
ethnographic research structure surrounding the project
Research into possible non-for-
profit opportunities
visualsbysteve.com/downsouthdinners