Module one, Creating Possibilities explores the concept of food incubators and identifying them in youtregion and the appetite and demand for food incubation facilities. It also examines certain research tools needed to establish a food hub and methodologies to harness support. the module explores how you can identify suitable premises for your food hub and how to technically assess and SWOT each building.
Negotiation skills to acquire the building at preferential rates
Presented by Audifas Gaspar, William Mwakyami, Ibrahim Shabani, Gabriel Ndunguru, Christopher Mutungi and Adebayo Abass (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture) at the Africa RISING - NAFAKA Scaling Project End-of-project phase Review Meeting, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 3-4 July 2017
Dairy value chain actors and their roles and linkages in Arsi Highlands, Ethi...ILRI
Presented by Mesay Yami (EIAR Kulumsa Agricultural Research Centre) at the Africa-RISING Quick Feed Project Inception Workshop, Addis Ababa, 7-8 May 2012
Development has been a ‘push’ model – not ‘pull’
Processors have generally been “harvesters” not proactive in sourcing milk and sharing value
Skill and experience base of ‘technical service’ frequently not sufficient
Lack of access to capital
Lack of access to appropriate technology
Harnessing partnerships for integrated research the africa rising – esa proje...africa-rising
A reflective presentation by Africa RISING East and Southern Africa Chief Scientist Prof. Mateete Bekunda on the vital lesson learnt in the course of implementing the project over the past five years (2011 - 2015).
The primary partners in Tanzania: Summary of objectives, activities and reque...IITA Communications
Presentation during African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI)
Second Annual Review Meeting and Planning Workshop on 11 – 15 Dec. 2017 at Gold Crest Hotel, Mwanza, Tanzania.
Inadequate livestock farmers’ knowledge and skills is one of the limiting factors to the development of the industry. Knowledge and skills are important for quick adoption of appropriate technology, which has been developed and disseminated to livestock farmers.
WAREHOUSING IN INDIA AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE8902714972
Warehouses are an important part of any supply chain and logistics industry. The Indian warehousing sector is progressively getting redefined from the traditional concept of “Godowns” to modern day setups with automation. Warehousing refers to the activities involving storage of goods on a large-scale in a systematic and orderly manner and making them available conveniently when needed. In other words, warehousing means holding or preserving goods in huge quantities from the time of their purchase or production till their actual use or sale.
How, When and where agribusiness marketing management effective and efficient?Awais Sandhu
How, Where and when agribusiness marketing management business effective and efficient?
M. Awais Sandhu
Mba 3.5y
03007271202
University of Agriculture Faisalabad
Scope of Mission Organic Value Chain Development in NE Region (MOVCDNER) sche...Jeebit Singh
A presentation made to attract the rural youth especially in North East India for self employment through organic farming and allied activities under the Central Government Scheme named Mission Organic Value Chain Development in NE Region (MOVCDNER). Also includes the list of other related schemes and initiatives under Atma Nirbhar Bharat with respect to agri-horticultural sector
Presented by Audifas Gaspar, William Mwakyami, Ibrahim Shabani, Gabriel Ndunguru, Christopher Mutungi and Adebayo Abass (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture) at the Africa RISING - NAFAKA Scaling Project End-of-project phase Review Meeting, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 3-4 July 2017
Dairy value chain actors and their roles and linkages in Arsi Highlands, Ethi...ILRI
Presented by Mesay Yami (EIAR Kulumsa Agricultural Research Centre) at the Africa-RISING Quick Feed Project Inception Workshop, Addis Ababa, 7-8 May 2012
Development has been a ‘push’ model – not ‘pull’
Processors have generally been “harvesters” not proactive in sourcing milk and sharing value
Skill and experience base of ‘technical service’ frequently not sufficient
Lack of access to capital
Lack of access to appropriate technology
Harnessing partnerships for integrated research the africa rising – esa proje...africa-rising
A reflective presentation by Africa RISING East and Southern Africa Chief Scientist Prof. Mateete Bekunda on the vital lesson learnt in the course of implementing the project over the past five years (2011 - 2015).
The primary partners in Tanzania: Summary of objectives, activities and reque...IITA Communications
Presentation during African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI)
Second Annual Review Meeting and Planning Workshop on 11 – 15 Dec. 2017 at Gold Crest Hotel, Mwanza, Tanzania.
Inadequate livestock farmers’ knowledge and skills is one of the limiting factors to the development of the industry. Knowledge and skills are important for quick adoption of appropriate technology, which has been developed and disseminated to livestock farmers.
WAREHOUSING IN INDIA AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE8902714972
Warehouses are an important part of any supply chain and logistics industry. The Indian warehousing sector is progressively getting redefined from the traditional concept of “Godowns” to modern day setups with automation. Warehousing refers to the activities involving storage of goods on a large-scale in a systematic and orderly manner and making them available conveniently when needed. In other words, warehousing means holding or preserving goods in huge quantities from the time of their purchase or production till their actual use or sale.
How, When and where agribusiness marketing management effective and efficient?Awais Sandhu
How, Where and when agribusiness marketing management business effective and efficient?
M. Awais Sandhu
Mba 3.5y
03007271202
University of Agriculture Faisalabad
Scope of Mission Organic Value Chain Development in NE Region (MOVCDNER) sche...Jeebit Singh
A presentation made to attract the rural youth especially in North East India for self employment through organic farming and allied activities under the Central Government Scheme named Mission Organic Value Chain Development in NE Region (MOVCDNER). Also includes the list of other related schemes and initiatives under Atma Nirbhar Bharat with respect to agri-horticultural sector
alue added sustainable agriculture and agribusinesses; the opportunities to b...Francois Stepman
25 June 2019. Cairo, Egypt. Food Technology in Supporting Entrepreneurs of Food Manufacturing Sectors through the Lens of Egypt Vision 2030. Organised by the National Research Center (NRC) Cairo-Dokki
Presentation by Prof. Dr. Ahmed HUZAYYIN Cleantech Arabia and Chemonics Egypt
This module explores the current market situation for Street Food. It also touches on how you as an entrepreneur can use technology to maximise your business ideas, bench-marking and gives real life case studies of Street Food businesses in action.
Outcome Statement & Recommendations: Responsible Business Forum On Food and A...Global Initiatives
Feeding a global population of 9 billion by 2050 will require transformational changes to our farming and agricultural systems, already under pressure from climate change and water scarcity. Responsible Business Forum on Food and Agriculture is held in partnership with WWF Philippines on the 14 & 15 July 2014 at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati, Manila. The forum explores innovative and collaborative approaches to improving agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability across key commodity value chains.
Jan Maat is explaining how the European Foodbest consortium works and reacted to the outcome of the European Trilogue Negotiations in June 2013, in which a Food4Future KIC call was decided to be launched in 2016.
Farming Systems Research was introduced and further developed by researchers to deal with the perceived inadequacies of previous approaches. Despite the broad range of insights and approaches to inquiry developed under the umbrella of Farming Systems Research, it is clear that earlier approaches (e.g. disciplinary approaches, focus on transfer of technology within the agricultural extension system) still dominate. Farming Systems Research and Extension (FSR/E) is an approach to improving the lot of rural households which attempts to identify important farmer problems, assist to increase Use efficiency of solving these problems, and finally, assist to disseminate solutions to groups of farmers via extension It is used to describe arrange of activities with varied objectives and approaches, although these usually have been associated with agricultural research. This diversity has caused confusion over the role of FSR in agricultural development.
Identifying niches for women’s entrepreneurship in aquatic food chains: A me...WorldFish
This resource has been created
for civil society associations (such as fish processing and retail networks), development actors, private sector and research for development actors
for people and institutions who want to collaborate with current or potential women entrepreneurs and
the purpose is to equitably enhance women’s opportunities, involvement in and returns from markets by identifying business opportunities.
Row Covers & Kaolin Clay as Insect Barriers & Pest Control, a Massachusetts Gardening Guidebook & Manual for Starting a Multi-Farm Community Supported Agriculture Farm in any Country ~ World Peas Marketing Improvement Project, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources ~ For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Huerto Ecológico, Tecnologías Sostenibles, Agricultura Organica
http://scribd.com/doc/239850233
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110
International strategies and value of international strategiesmoqudasakram206
In this presentation you will know about what are international strategies and what is the value of international strategies.How companies gain competitive advantage by implementing international strategies.
The main focus of the webinar is to help inform UK participants of the needs of African partners in the area covered, and African partners of the capabilities of UK partners, to aid consortia building.
The webinar provides an overview of the Agri-Tech Catalyst funding programme, and then cover specific issues affecting Crop Production in Africa.
Agri-Tech Catalyst Funding Scheme:
Within Round 9 of the Agri-Tech Catalyst Competition, up to £5 million of funding will be available from the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) for early-stage feasibility studies, mid stage industrial research and late-stage experimental development. Projects must work on agri-tech and food chain innovations with partners in eligible African countries.
Up to £5 million of funding is available from the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). This is for projects working on agri-tech and food chain innovations with partners in eligible African countries. The aim of this competition is to increase the pace of innovation in the development of agricultural and food systems in Africa. Your project must result in more use of innovations by farmers and food systems organisations such as manufacturers, processors, retailers, distributors and wholesalers.
Find out more about this webinar: https://ktn-uk.co.uk/news/agri-tech-catalyst-funding-to-support-agricultural-and-food-systems-innovation-in-africa-round-9
Best Crypto Marketing Ideas to Lead Your Project to SuccessIntelisync
In this comprehensive slideshow presentation, we delve into the intricacies of crypto marketing, offering invaluable insights and strategies to propel your project to success in the dynamic cryptocurrency landscape. From understanding market trends to building a robust brand identity, engaging with influencers, and analyzing performance metrics, we cover all aspects essential for effective marketing in the crypto space.
Also Intelisync, our cutting-edge service designed to streamline and optimize your marketing efforts, leveraging data-driven insights and innovative strategies to drive growth and visibility for your project.
With a data-driven approach, transparent communication, and a commitment to excellence, InteliSync is your trusted partner for driving meaningful impact in the fast-paced world of Web3. Contact us today to learn more and embark on a journey to crypto marketing mastery!
Ready to elevate your Web3 project to new heights? Contact InteliSync now and unleash the full potential of your crypto venture!
What You're Going to Learn
- How These 4 Leaks Force You To Work Longer And Harder in order to grow your income… improve just one of these and the impact could be life changing.
- How to SHUT DOWN the revolving door of Income Stagnation… you know, where new sales come into your magazine while at the same time existing sponsors exit.
- How to transform your magazine business by fixing the 4 “DON’Ts”...
#1 LEADS Don’t Book
#2 PROSPECTS Don’t Show
#3 PROSPECTS Don’t Buy
#4 CLIENTS Don’t Stay
- How to identify which leak to fix first so you get the biggest bang for your income.
- Get actionable strategies you can use right away to improve your bookings, sales and retention.
Explore Sarasota Collection's exquisite and long-lasting dining table sets and chairs in Sarasota. Elevate your dining experience with our high-quality collection!
Office Furniture | Furniture Store in Sarasota, Florida | Sarasota Collection
Module 1 creating possibilities
1. This programme has been funded with support from the
European Commission
Click Here to Type
www.foodincubators.how
MODULE ONE
Creating Possibilities
for Food Incubation in your Region
2. By completing Module 1 (the first of 6 modules), learners
will learn how to
•Understand the context and role of incubators and food
•Review of the potential of the food sector in their region and
the appetite and demand for food incubation facilities
•Conduct a robust and credible feasibility analysis
•Use research tools to establish need
•Identify the ideal location and suitable premises
•How to technically assess and SWOT each building
"The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not
constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the
authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be
made of the information contained therein."
3. 1.1 What is a Food Incubator ?
Food incubators are shared-use commercial production units
or kitchens that culinary entrepreneurs can rent in order to
commercially produce food products. They come in many
guises (explored in detail in Module 2) but typically include:-
Core food processing/ production unit or units within an
enterprise centre infrastructure
Once a novelty, the interest in food incubators is coupled
with a trend of increased investment in the food industry.
Increasingly, success relies on operators going beyond just
providing shared space and offering a more diverse set of
resources for culinary entrepreneurs.
Some examples include..
4. • A food incubator
offering independent
food production units to
start up or growing
businesses
• a shared use incubator
kitchen where
established small
businesses can cut their
operating costs
• an accelerator training
programme for people
looking to change
careers by becoming a
foodpreneur
Most facilities include rental kitchens, dry
storage, refrigerated storage, and freezer
storage, as well as a variety of other
facilities.
5. • a combination of these
formats e.g. a shared use
community kitchen which
can be used for start-up
food enterprises and for
training provision for the
food and catering sector.
A shared use community
kitchen can be an
important component
within the overall offering
of a food incubator and
can provide valuable
rental income.
6. Added value services are typically provided through:-
•Business development - working food entrepreneurs “from
concept to commercialization”
•Market testing
•Product development
•Networking services
•Regulatory assistance
•Logistics and economies of scale
•Quality control
7. Incubators are an idea born sometime in the 1960s but became
popular during the ‘80s in the US as the government "looked
for new instruments to stimulate economic development and
job creation"
Across Europe, technology incubators are playing a vital role
in supporting new tech entrepreneurs to strive forward.
However, the emergence of food incubators, while lower
profile, are powerful drivers of local economies. As business
incubators developed to food grade standard, they save clients
the cost of building their own units or kitchens and lower the
barriers to entry for food businesses catalyzing the growth of
small business, jobs, and culture.
Through collaboration, execution, and mindfulness, we bring people together for commerce,
cooperation, and contribution to build the community we want to live in.
Shane Bonner, Newmarket Kitchen, Ireland
8. 1.2 Why are Food Incubators needed ?
•Clustering food businesses in a central multi-tenant
production hub can be a dynamic business development
process involving a strong community focus and input.
•A food incubation centre can not only provide affordable
production space, but also in developmental terms, help to
reduce the failure rate of early stage companies and speed
the growth of companies which have the potential to become
substantial generators of local employment and wealth.
•A food production infrastructure centre is distinguished by
it’s unique environment with the lower expense of a shared
business facility, and can incorporate on-site advice, support
and business assistance.
9. • Across all EU nations, speciality and artisan food products
are gaining market share and a new generation of savvy
food entrepreneurs are emerging.
• However, food businesses are among the riskiest forms of
enterprise not least because of the high levels of innovation
needed and the high capital set up costs. At the same time,
many people want to start a food business based on their
passion for food.
• Expanding interest in food incubators is not surprising
considering recent trends and the economic potential in
the culinary industry. In the US, between August 2013 and
March 2016 the number of kitchen incubators increased by
more than 50% to over 200 facilities.
10. • Interestingly food incubators tend to have a significant
percentage of female clients, ethnic/racial minorities,
and/or those coming from low-income backgrounds.
Research shows that established food incubators benefit
their host communities by:
• Creating the employment opportunities that accompany
successful small business start-up and growth strategies.
• Creating food products that celebrate what is unique and
best about a community – its local produce, ethnic
traditions and creative populace – while keeping a greater
percentage of food income circulating in the local
economy.
• Providing new markets for local agricultural products and
establishing rural-urban links.
11. 1.3 Challenges
•While there are clear benefits for entrepreneurs who want to
work in a food incubator, running one is a complex and often
daunting prospect. The main challenge is the fact that
incubators rise and fall based on the success of their member
entrepreneurs. In August 2013 Ecoconsult Solutions
conducted a survey among US food incubators. Their report
highlights that incubator fortunes are tied closely to the
success of their member entrepreneurs whose challenges
include a lack of business experience.
•Other challenges faced by incubators include issues related
to facility costs, design and scheduling, attraction of high-
quality entrepreneurs, and regulatory compliance issues.
12. Achieving viability stands out in the report …
Only 39 percent of US for-profit incubators report making a profit,
while 57 percent break even.
Non-profit incubators have an even more difficult time being self-
sustaining, with just 15 percent making money and a 31 percent
operating at a loss.
NOTE -Non-profit organisations often have multiple objectives (not always
economic) due to their wide stakeholder grouping
13. Some interesting findings from that report…
•The large majority (77%) of facilities have fewer than three
full-time staff members to run the facility’s operations and
programming.
•An overwhelming number (86%) are open for business
24/7 (however, only 18% are always staffed when open).
•The most common forms of contracting with users are
through a monthly lease (36%) or a membership agreement
(32%).
•Most incubators (67%) have fewer than 25 users, while 27%
have 25-50 users, and 6% have over 50 users. On average
61% of users are women, 28% are low-income, and 32% are
minorities.
14. 1.4 Who Uses Food Incubators?
Food incubator users span a wide spectrum of people who need to
use a commercial kitchen as their production (or training) output.
This includes:-
Artisan and start-up food businesses in need of their first
facility;
Home-based businesses that wish to scale up whilst
adhering to HSE regulation;
Farmer’s Market Traders;
Chefs or instructors in need of a facility to teach classes;
Businesses looking to grow or reach a new market.
Catering and Food Service Professionals- these businesses
include caterers, personal chefs, bakers, street vendors and
producers of artisan food items.
16. 1.5 First Step: Research, Feasibility, And Business Plan
Given the high cost of food infrastructure development,
extensive research, needs assessment and feasibility studies
are vital before embarking on such a complex venture.
It is important for incubators to be diligent in identifying
demand for their offering and even specific anchor users. This
research will ensure the they are able to design the space to
better meet their users’ needs – both from an equipment/flow
standpoint and from an access, pricing, and operations
perspective.
17. A food incubator often starts as a grass roots aspiration as‐
organisers believe there is a need for such a facility in their
region or community. The idea comes to the forefront
because a known group of potential users are interested.
There are three levels of feasibility assessment that should be
undertaken:
i) Market study: Who will use the incubator? For what?
ii) Operation feasibility: Who will manage the facility? What
structure is needed for long term viability?‐
iii) Economic feasibility: Can the facility be self sustaining‐
/profit generating in a reasonable amount of time? Will it
generate adequate cash flow?
18. The feasibility assessment is essential to guide the promoter
on the format of the incubator, the potential and marketing
considerations.
Why ?
•The feasibility assessment should provide the knowledge,
conviction and specific operational insights into the viability of a
project, in terms of market, technical and other perspectives.
•It should allow the project concept to be tested in a practical
marketplace setting without major resource commitments.
•It will provide the blueprint for developing the concept into a
business plan and subsequent start-up.
•The feasibility assessment document acts as a reference for
support agencies, grant aiding authorities, potential partners,
business associates and lending institutions, as a basis for
generating interest and commitment for the proposed incubator.
19.
20. A decision tree is a graph that
uses a branching method to
illustrate every possible
outcome of a decision.
Download our template (word
document) so you can complete
your own.
See page 60.
21. The best survey results are achieved when the promoters create a
targeted research listing. Brainstorm a list of stakeholders
without screening, including everyone who has an interest in
food and supporting the food sector. Where possible, identify
individuals. Use the following list to help you brainstorm:
-Food entrepreneurs
-Local food markets
-Government (e.g. public authorities, and local policymakers)
-Food networks and marketing groups
‐ Cooking/catering associations and restaurants
‐ Business and SME funding support bodies
-Community organisations and NGOs involved in food
-Chambers of Commerce
‐ Opinion leaders and media
-Farm representative bodies
-HEIs and VET with an involvement in food
-Property owners and investors
-Regulators and food safety authorities
-Environment (e.g. advocates and NGOs)
22. Your Contact Their relevance to your food
incubator research
The perspective they offer Research Action
e.g. Food Business
Network
Potential source of growing food
businesses who
may need increased food production
space
Technical requirements of their food
business – space, fit out specification,
price expectations, terms and conditions
Conduct workspace needs
survey
(see Module 1 questionnaire)
Hold a focus group
e.g. Council
Economic
As supporters of food businesses and
perhaps as
What supports/facilities are available from One to one meeting
Development
Personnel
property owners local government , e.g.
underutilised building or
development site, financial supports or
interested as an
equity partner
23. Before making contact, do some groundwork to understand their
relevance, the perspective they offer, and their relationship to the
issue of food incubators.
NOTE OF CAUTION !
Be aware that while some of your potential tenant respondents
may very interested and enthusiastic, they may not transpire to
be your ultimate tenants. There can be a long lead in time from
conducting research to the opening of the incubator and they
may have made alternative arrangements.
24. Calling new & growing food companies - are you interested
food production facilities in <INSERT REGION>?
Business
Name ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................
Your
Name ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................
Current Business
Address ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................
Correspondence Address if
different ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................
............................................
Telephone .......................................................................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
Email .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................
In what year was your food business established? If you are at set up,
when do you hope to be in production?
About Your Product
Please indicate the manufacturing category which best describes your
business and list your key product lines.
25. To maximise Response Rates, a good introduction is vital
•Explain who is conducting the survey
•Appeal to ego (their opinion is invaluable to you)
•Give forewarning/advance notice of the research
•Include respond by dates
•Emphasise confidentiality
•Incentivise responses
•Explain how the data will be used
•Sets expectations for the time requirement
•Expresses gratitude for the respondents’ time and insights
26. FREE ONLINE RESEARCH TOOLS
Survey Monkey Basic www.surveymonkey.com
Cost: Free. Enhanced plans with additional services circa €200 per annum.
What It Is: An online survey and opinion poll service.
How to Use It: You can create surveys free of charge for your own
audience. For a fee, you also can get feedback from your target audience
via SurveyMonkey's own samples.
Survey Gizmo https://www.surveygizmo.com/free-survey-software/
Unlimited surveys, questions, and responses. Over 25 question types!
Download your data to a CSV or generate a graphical report.
Stay free as long as you like and upgrade and downgrade.
Google Forms https://www.google.com/forms/about/
Easy-to-create surveys and forms for everyone
Create custom forms for surveys and questionnaires at no cost. Gather
everything in a spreadsheet and analyse data directly in Google Sheets
.
27. Maximise Online Survey Success
• Time commitment
A best practice is to keep your online survey to 5 minutes or less.
According to SurveyGizmo:
“Survey Length – Research has shown that surveys should take 5 minutes or less
to complete. Although 6 – 10 minutes is acceptable, longer than 11 minutes
will likely result in significant abandonment rates.
• Use Skip Logic
• Include an Open-Ended Question at the End
This allows room for comments on topics you didn’t ask, clarification of
answers, and other detail e.g.is there anyone else in your network that
could contribute to this research and from whom we could learn
• Include a Thank You Page
Thank the respondent for their time, confirm that you’ve received their
responses successfully, and provide a phone number or email address
for them to contact you.
28. Don’t forget to test your survey!
A key part of the planning process is testing your survey. Find
some people to take your survey without any coaching from you,
and then gather their feedback. Ask them about their general
impression. You should also ask some specific questions:
1.Was the survey engaging?
2.How long did it take you to complete?
3. Was the question flow logical?
4.Were there any confusing questions?
5.Were there any areas of frustration?
When you test the survey with several people, DO look at the data
that comes back. Get this raw data into your spreadsheet or data
analysis program and start the process of analyzing your data. If
there are any issues with data structure, improper question type or
scale types, they will likely present themselves here and you can fix
them before you launch the real deal.
29. One on One Interviews and Focus Groups‐ ‐
It is advisable to follow up the questionnaire responses with one‐
on one interviews or focus groups with the most promising‐
responses across a cross section including new and expanding
food entrepreneurs (potential tenants/users), business
development representatives and statutory parties (people with
expertise). This could also be achieved through group discussions.
Invite people for the contribution (value) that they can offer in the
focus group.
•Do they have the information and expertise on the issue that
could be helpful to objectives of the focus group?
•How much influence do they have, e.g. companies, funders,
potential tenants etc.
30. Best practice:
•Prepare a set of semi-structured, probing questions in
advance that build on the scope of the online questionnaire
but seek deeper responses
•Ensure the interviewer has good interpersonal and
listening skills and is careful not to demonstrate their own
interviewer bias.
31. Use social media, blogging, online forums, and any other
community spaces you can find (online or off) to conduct your
research. E.g.
LinkedIn Groups are great way to build credibility and make
new connections that can ultimately help grow your business
Facebook groups e.g.
•For example, there are 550 members of the US based
Network of Incubator & Commissary Kitchens.
•The Food Hub is a closed Facebook group of over 1200 UK
based food and drink entrepreneurs who share, network, ask
questions and find collaborators.
Market Research Online Communities (MROC)
33. Study Visits, an essential research component
The personal exchange of experience and information that is yielded
from a study visit is extremely valuable and gives life to desk research.
Given the US is so advanced in food incubators a study visit would be
desirable but perhaps not possible, some examples of visits:-
•Every year, The Food Hub, Ireland hosts at least 20 study visits from
Ireland and throughout Europe.
•Dutch FITR partner Business Development Friesland led a study visit
to Copenhagen’s CPH Food Space
•In researching the set up of Newmarket Kitchen, Ireland, Shane
Bonner visited food incubators in Washington.
Make sure to organise study visits professionally so that everyone
receives maximum benefits from it. Personal connections and
networks made will be useful for future co-operations.
34. Best Practice Incubator Research
In addition to study visits, conduct desk research and telephone
consultations to build up strong profiles of food incubators in
your area and further afield.
Questions to ask existing food incubators
•What is its purpose? Profit generating or altruistic
•By whom is this organised?
•What did it cost and how were those funds raised ?
•What are existing facilities? (format and scale of production
(high risk, low risk), shared kitchen space facilities and
equipment provided, storage, added resources e.g. shared
distribution, networking, mentoring).
•To what extent are the facilities available?
35. Questions to ask existing food incubators (continued)
•Current usage and trends
•Target clients and marketing tactics
•Pricing Models
•Management structure and staffing
•What are challenges/ limitations?
•Any development plans?
36. Our FITR project partners in Ireland and Northern Ireland,
UK undertook such research.
Presenting this Information
Presenting this information in a Mapping format is a
powerful methodology. Mapping gives a very visual
oversight of supply and creates a strong geographic gap
analysis.
Beyond infrastructure, the mapping exercise can be extended
to include higher level institutions with food programmes
and colleges with test kitchen facilities.
Ireland mapping https://goo.gl/MxTrlG
Northern Ireland UK mapping http://bit.ly/2drJ8Q0
37.
38.
39. TOOLS TO ASSIST MAPPING
Google Maps is a free Web-based service that provides detailed
information about geographical regions and sites around the
world. Key editing features currently available in Google Maps
include:
Add a place
Edit info about a place
Share more details about a place
Moderate edits
40.
41. The next phase of research that needs to be conducted is a macro
analysis of your region’s potential for a food incubator. You need to
research and capture information about:
•Food industry profile to include food production and food
consumption
•Food infrastructure availability and deficits
•Entrepreneurial climate, start-up and self employment culture and
entrepreneurship in food sector
•Potential barriers in food sector
•Identify policies and programmes that underpin the national and
regional food sector
You will find this information by researching government, academic
and industry research and market reports in which you will find
information about current policies and support initiatives in relation to
food and entrepreneurship. The purpose of such secondary research
sources is to develop a telling market overview of the environment in
which a food incubator could be developed.
42. Writing Up your Research Findings
For some, this is the hardest part! Now that you have
informative and insightful research findings, it is important to
present your efforts/body of work in an accessible way. Your
aim is to provide your reader with an in-depth view of the
potential of establishing a food incubator. It is important to keep
the findings report detailed but succinct, informative yet
interesting, and concise but critical.
Your report should
– Give context to the motivation behind the research project, the
scope of the research and the methodology used. Explain why
the research was done, what was found, what the findings mean,
and what needs to happen now
– Use research findings to develop conclusions and develop an
argument about your findings
43. Writing Up your Research Findings
Questions your report should address
– What was the research problem/need/opportunity?
– Why is researching the potential of food incubators important?
– How did you investigate the research problem?
– What are your findings?
– What do these findings tell you?
– How does the project fit into the context of other research?
– What do you conclude?
– What are the next steps/calls to action?
Do not be daunted. Writing is an iterative process. You do not
have to start at the beginning!
44. Presenting and Sharing your Research Findings
Presenting your research and the conclusions drawn from it is
an important method of disseminating your findings and
getting key stakeholders to subscribe and commit to your
vision.
•Prepare and share an executive summary of your findings
and share with all those on your research listing.
•Visualise your data : Present graphs or charts with important
numbers and findings. Try infographics! While there are free
templates (Canva and Venngage ), it may be a wise
investment to commission a designer to present your key
findings in an infographic.
45. Example of an Infographic
While not research focused, the principles of this incubator infographic
example apply. Mess Hall is a US food incubator with four shared
kitchens. Founder Al Goldberg provides a snapshot of their 2016
performance through numbers.
46. Example of an Infographic
http://www.newmarketkitchen.com
/blog/february-16th-2017
47. Presenting and Sharing your Research Findings
•Workshop –host a workshop and share your findings with
all interested parties. Share this presentation widely online.
•Speaking Opportunities – seek opportunities to share your
findings at food networking conferences and events
•Use technology to share your information and stimulate
interest
Ideas include (click on links for suggested tools)
• sharing a blog post,
• host a webinar
• host a Facebook Live event
50. 1.6 Choosing your Incubator Facility
Like the many different formats of food incubator (see more in
Module 2), you may have different options in terms of
identifying your facility:-
•A new build on a greenfield site
•Retrofitting an existing food facility
Renting, leasing or purchase options are also in the mix. Your
circumstances will determine your choices. For cost reasons,
retrofitting an existing food facility rather than building a new
one often seems to be the better option. However, existing
facilities are not always available, and if they are, they are not
necessarily less expensive to retrofit than to build from scratch.
51.
52. The starting point – a feasibility study of less than €4,000 in 2003 from Leitrim
County Enterprise Board.
Developing the business model – value added services from the outset – not just
food unit rental.
Drumshanbo County Council secured a 99
year lease on the empty factory and secured
€1.8 million to realise a 26,000 sq. ft. of
tenant production
facility.
Opened in 2006 with financial backing from
- Community borrowings and
fundraising
- Enterprise Ireland CEC programme
- Arigna LEADER & Clár
- International Fund for Ireland
- Programme for Peace & Reconciliation
Making it Happen
Lots of funding plaques in situ !
53. The Recipe
•Over a decade of hard work
and commitment by
community volunteers unused
to such risk and scale but
brave souls !
• Complete renovation of
existing premises - would it
have been easier (and cheaper)
to work on a greenfield site ?
•Compelling business plan that
attracted funding from key
funding sources (none of
which are available today)
2014 Ulster Bank Business Achievers Award
in the Social Enterprise category – great PR.
54. • Multi tenant 26,000 sq. ft. production facility widely
cited as a best practice example of a community led food
production enterprise and education hub.
• Project was in survival mode until 2014 when it really
took off. Currently, 66 jobs on site across 8 companies.
This is expected to grow to 81 in 2017. 4 companies
currently developing export markets.
• Its business model has been used as a template for the
development of food hubs throughout Ireland. They have
assisted 25 groups interested in our business model- free
of charge.
• Not just production, they are a training centre for food
& culinary skills
• Time share production kitchen – accelerating start ups
.
What has The Food Hub achieved?
58. The Sell …
•Fully equipped production unit
•Ideal for start ups - pay by the hour
•No commitment, just bring
ingredients
Over 250 users since 2006 –travel
up to 60km to access the facility
Community Time Share Kitchen
Their experience
•€15 per hour was too expensive as the
recession hit
•Food start ups needed a lot more
nurturing than just space only
•Curtailed use as it also serves as a
training kitchen which was successful
from the outset
59. 1.7 Assessing the Target Area’s Infrastructure
The target area for the food incubator needs to be thoroughly
assessed to determine if the location has all the necessary
components for success including:-
•a demand base of emerging and growing food entrepreneurs,
•welcoming and predisposed funding bodies,
•access to university research expertise,
•infrastructure and zoning/planning considerations
•transportation and access opportunities
•access to labour force
•level of interest within the local community e.g. Chamber of
Commerce
Write up an insightful and robust area profile which will
compliment and build on your earlier research. This will feed into
your business plan.
60. 1.8 Assessing Potential Location Options
A very useful tool in assessing potential location options/sites
is to use a Decision Tree. Decision trees are predictive models
that have widespread use in operations research to perform
decision-making in a logical way.
They provides a visual representation of risks, rewards, and
value of each decision and help to gain a balanced perspective
of the pros and cons of each possible course of action and
identify the best approach to reach the intended outcome.
It is basically a tree-like flow chart that lists out each possible
outcome of a decision, and helps to choose between several
courses of action.
61. Evaluate Potential Options
You can create a Decision
Tree in MS Word or there
are services such as
https://essytree.com/ and
http://zingtree.com/
The starting key question is
– are you building a food
incubator or retrofitting an
existing premises ?
Different approaches are
required as we now
investigate ….
62. Evaluate Retrofitting an Existing Premises
You may have a building available to you or you may need to search or a
building. We review the considerations of both …
A call out in your target area to illicit submissions of interest from
potential host facilities can be very effective. It could be community
owned or under underutilised commercial facilities. A kitchen in a
university or community building may provide a phase 1 location with
minimal modifications. Likewise, existing food producers or property
developers may have unused space at a fraction of the cost of
constructing a new building.
Be mindful that:-
Existing facilities might not always be well-suited for the proposed uses. The
motivation of the host facility will vary greatly depending on whether the
incubator is organised by non-profit organisations, for-profit companies,
universities, or state or regional governments or agencies.
Need to search for a premises ?
63. Roscommon, Ireland
conducted an interesting call
for Expressions of Interest for
a host community/private
operator to put forward
properties for consideration
as a food incubator.
Led by a funding body
www.rosleaderpartnership.ie,
a key part of the ‘attraction’ of
the offering was the potential
for grant aid.
Need to search for premises ?
Example …
EXERCISE 7 Download
expression of interest form
64. Evaluate a New Build Site
When assessing a site to build a new food incubator, you need to
consider the following:-
Land availability and zoning
When choosing a location, zoning requirements will play a role in
the selection process. Zoning is the enactment to regulate land use
to conform to municipality development laws in that area. Areas
are typically zoned for residential, commercial, industrial, or other
uses.
Zoning laws are found in every region in the EU, affecting land use,
propose property use, building heights, density, setbacks, and
other considerations.
A meeting with the municipality planners will clarify what can and
cannot be achieve for the proposed location.
65. Infrastructure
Once zoning has been established, the type of infrastructure needs to
be assessed. The site should provide the opportunity for the initial
build PLUS room for growth, should an increase in demand make
this necessary.
The design of the physical space must take into consideration the
research findings – what type of production will respond to the
needs that you have established?
What is the mix of mixed climate production space including
subdivision for coolers and freezers, office space, warehousing and
dry storage, shared staff facilities, selling and showcasing facilities
that is required ? To what scale ?
Design principles should be based on the unique attributes of the
area and utilise as much green energy technologies as possible.
66. WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE?
A prototypical food incubator site of 10,000 sq ft allows for a modest
scale to commence operations and still make a considerable impact.
Cost this as a Allow for
•A mix of unit sizes from starter units of 600 sq ft to growth units of
3,000 sq. ft. Do not finalise the configuration until your enquiries
have translated into tenants!
• If you are developing a shared production kitchen, allow at least
600 sq. ft. for same
•A modular internal fit out is absolutely essential so that tenants can
utilise subdivided compartments to provide for their specific
requirements.
•Office space should be available for tenants to use for
administrative functions as well as other needs related to employees
e.g. canteen, bathrooms. Do not use expensive food production fit
out for this!
67. The units should be designed as suitable for a mix of low and
high risk production processes should tenants change over time.
It is important that the incubators should provide an instructive
The Physical Attributes of Unit Design
The following technical specifications must be observed to
ensure compliance with the latest and anticipated food safety
production legislative requirements.
•General height from floor to ceiling is 3 metres.
•Only stainless or PVC piping used in production area.
•Air Changes 10 per hour in production area.
•Positive air flow and ventilation in changing areas and toilets.
•Changing area must not be directly linked to toilets. Must have
corridor.
68. The Physical Attributes of Unit Design (continued)
•Each unit must have a separate power and water supply which
are metered.
•Separate changing areas for raw and cooked sections.
•Both product exit and entrance doors should be covered with a
canopy to avoid contamination from birds.
•Floor finish can be smooth with a grey or red powder
incorporated at finish float stage as a minimum. Depending on
the process, an acryl finish is most resilient particularly if acids
are used in the production process.
•The fall in the floor must not be less than 1 in 40. One should
include as many drains as possible to allow for convenient sub
dividing of the unit afterwards. The pipes under the floor should
be clay pipes that can carry boiling water. All external pipes for
ground works can be waven.
69. The Physical Attributes of Unit Design (continued)
•All floor gullets should contain grease traps and it is
essential to have a large (1000 litre) interceptor grease trap on
the main sewer pipe between the last inlet and the treatment
plant.
•The size of the treatment plant will be dictated by the BOD
(Bacterial Oxygen Demand) and volume of waste.
•The outflow from toilets etc will be connected to a separate
Sewer pipe which connects directly to the treatment plant.
•A separate store area needs to be provided on site for bin
waste.
•Layout of food units must have a clear product flow, i.e, raw
material in one door to raw material store to processing to
cooking (Raw and cooking/packaging must be separated
with an air lock) packaging to finished goods store with a
separate exit if possible.
70. • Ideally, the building should include paved areas for
receiving and despatch, outside storage, parking for
vehicles, ramps, and covered dock space.
DESIGN AND TECHNICAL TEAM
The most important development consideration (and one that
can be the cause of very expensive mistakes) is the
composition of your design and technical team.
• Please, please, please ensure your engineering team is
familiar with and has previous experience in the design of
food production facilities.
• Bring on board a food technologist at the design stage to
ensure work flow considerations and plumbing and
drainage design will suit both low risk and high risk
production processes.
71.
72. What Are Food Incubators and Do They Create
Viable Businesses? How the tech-inspired model translates
to kitchens by Tove Danovich, 2016
https://www.eater.com/2016/2/26/11110808/food-
incubator-accelerator-small-business