The document discusses setting up a commercial kitchen incubator to support small, local food producers. It provides examples of value-added products producers could make using the incubator, such as baked goods, jams, pickled vegetables, and frozen meals. It also discusses packaging, marketing strategies, and challenges small producers may face in selling their products year-round.

1. Youngstown when laid out included farms Much value added happened on these farms or at nearby processors, creameries, meat packers, Long distance hauling and move to megafarms put an end to much of this vibrant local production

2. The odds of success of an individual farmer could be considerably enhanced if current misconceptions concerning the imminent demise of small farmers were replaced with the new realities of small farm opportunities.

4. Shared Use Commercial Kitchen Incubator: Survey Research for Planning and Development Jim Converse PhD Regional ReDevelopment Lake to River Food Hub, Northside Farmers’ Market Manager and Common Wealth, Inc. October 29, 2011

5. “ Users come to a kitchen incubator for many reasons: affordable space for their work, licensed facility, peer support startup business assistance and farmers/producers to work with. When we started the incubator, we held meetings and distributed a survey (copies available).

6. product line / item number Bakery 3 cookies 1 pasta 1 catering 1 take out prepared meals 1 special meal prep 1 condiments 3 dry mixes 2

7. fruits berries pack freeze 2 cool, store short term 1 Sauces 6 bbq (1) note planning, pricing) salsa (2) tomatoes - freeze- save 2 staple grains, beans etc 1 storage

8. Farm to consumer value chains At each point in the value chain value is added to the product Approximate amounts are listed We focus on value added by performing some operations on the product. It may simply mean washing and re-packing for distribution

10. Every neighborhood in every city could have its own farm with orchards and greenhouses and a public market. These could become the new town squares, balancing the hardscape of buildings and pavement with fertile soil, lush plantings, and fresh foods.

11. Some products require minimal processing Hoop house greens can be washed and sold directly So can a variety of other fresh vegetables

13. If there is excess production, WHAT Do you have a strategy? Try to sell more? Give it to food bank? Maybe freeze it for later in the year – making sauces etc.

18. Maybe your tomatoes are too valuable for sauce May be quiche or similar higher value product? Or salsa? Especially if somebody also has tomatillos. Part of the business planning is costing out alternatives and assessing market demand

21. … when you move to a year round market: You need things to sell Season extension may do some of it Value added products will be the mainstay Free range chickens and eggs can help There is always baking home based businesses need space as they grow, also cost issues of ingredients

22. NEO GREEN FOOD COOP Grower survey Name _______________________ Farm Name ____________________ Address ______________________Post Office _____________Zip ______ Phone ___________________E-mail_______________________________ Main products you grow/produce_(3 max) ________________ ___________________ __________________________ About What % of your farm income comes from Fruits ____ Vegetables____ Meat____ Fish____ Dairy____ Eggs____ Value added ____ (ie. maple syrup, jellies, cheese etc).

23. components of a marketing plan 5 P’s to analyze Product Packaging Place Promotion Pricing (we added Patience – know how to wait)

26. Products - Value Added Cheese , yoghurt Cider apple butter apple sauce Maple Syrup granola Dried flowers soap wine Tomato sauce salsa lasagna Frozen soups Some may require licensed kitchen Cottage foods list available

27. Packaging display how to do show it off? Physical package - Various sizes – pint quart – if peaches or apples half peck. May want to do basket of zukes or tomatoes if you have a lot Mixed basket – maybe salsa mix – tomatoes, peppers, onions Labeling – may want to make a label with logo/name/design Sustainably grown

28. Rather than passively buy whatever is on the shelf, it’s up to us — to producers, farmers and others — to confront the challenge, seize the opportunity, create the agriculture system, food and human society that we want. We all live in our foodshed.

29. What next? Decide what you want to make and sell Think about how hard you want to work – how much you want to plant and care for or buy from others. Think about how you will sell - with three or four others who each do a few things to make nice mix? Or a variety of things yourself to see what works Diversification within limits usually pays