Food Connects

THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO INNOVATE IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN TO INCREASE INSTITUTIONAL, LOCAL FOOD PURCHASING IN FOOD CONNECTS TRI STATE CENTRAL NEW ENGLAND SERVICE AREA. IN 2021, FOOD CONNECTS RECOGNIZED THE NEED TO FOCUS ON INSTITUTIONAL SALES CHANNELS FOR OUR SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE NEW ENGLAND PRODUCERS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE. BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, CREATING AND PRINTING MARKETING MATERIALS CUSTOMIZED AND CO BRANDED TO OUR CUSTOMERS SPECS, WITH THE GOAL TO SUPPORT CUSTOMERS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO TELL THEIR LOCAL FOOD SOURCING STORY, DEVELOPING A INSTITUTIONALLY TARGETED PRODUCT CATALOG (PRINT AND DIGITAL) TO IMPROVE CONVERSION RATE WITH PROSPECTIVE INSTITUTIONAL CUSTOMERS, ESPECIALLY MAJOR INSTITUTIONS, DISTRIBUTION OF ANNUAL HARVEST OF THE MONTH CALENDARS, POSTERS, AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, COLLABORATING WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS TO SUPPORT STATES IN DEVELOPING AND IMPROVING LOCAL PURCHASING INCENTIVE PROGRAMS FOR K 12 SCHOOLS, AND EXECUTING COMPREHENSIVE SALES PUSH ACROSS THE CURRENT SERVICE AREA TO ONBOARD INSTITUTIONAL ACCOUNTS WHOSE FOOD SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOOD CONNECTS WILL BE PREPARED TO MEET AS OF FALL 2022.FOOD CONNECTS WILL ALSO ONBOARD AND SERVE NEW INSTITUTIONAL CUSTOMERS ON NEW, TO BE LAUNCHED DELIVERY ROUTES TO UNDERSERVED AREAS ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN VT, CENTRAL, AND EASTERN MA, WITH A FOCUS ON MAJOR ACCOUNTS, SELL PRODUCTS FROM NEWLY ONBOARDED SUPPLIERS TO CURRENT CUSTOMERS, SCOUT AND ONBOARD NEW REGIONAL SUPPLIERS WITH PRODUCT OFFERINGS THAT FILL IMPORTANT GAPS IN INSTITUTIONS LOCAL FOOD SOURCING PROGRAMS, DEVELOP FORWARD CONTRACTING MODEL FOR SUPPLY, TO ALIGN THE NEEDS AND CONSTRAINTS OF PROSPECTIVE MAJOR INSTITUTIONAL CUSTOMERS WITH REGIONAL SUPPLY, BUILD AND EXECUTE A FORMAL, FORWARD CONTRACTED, FULL SCHOOL YEAR HARVEST OF THE MONTH LOCAL FOODS SOURCING PROGRAM FOR SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, AND WORK WITH CURRENT MAJOR SUPPLIERS TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER TAILOR PRODUCT OFFERINGS TO THE INSTITUTIONAL FOODSERVICE MARKET. OUTCOMES FOR THIS PROJECT INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO INCREASING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PRODUCTS THAT MAY HAVE SUCCESS IN REACHING SCHOOL CUSTOMERS BASED ON SPECIFICATIONS FOR KEY STAPLES BY 25, DEVELOPING A PRODUCT LIST TO SHARE WITH 30 KEY SCHOOL CUSTOMERS TO GAUGE INTEREST, COLLECTING FEEDBACK AND BEGIN PLANNING FOR PURCHASE AND DELIVERY, AND INCREASING REGIONAL FOOD SALES TO INSTITUTIONS FROM 300,000 IN 2021 TO 1 MILLION BY 2025.ENSURING STAKEHOLDERS GAIN TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ACCESSING REGIONAL FOODS AND INCREASING THE NUMBER OF MARKET ACCESS POINTS THAT ESTABLISH AND INCREASE ENGAGEMENT WITH REGIONAL PRODUCERS.BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE PRODUCERS THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND, AS WELL AS MANY VULNERABLE PEOPLE RELYING ON INSTITUTIONS FOR MEALS, INCLUDING K 12 SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS. WE CURRENTLY WORK WITH OVER 100 REGIONAL FOOD PRODUCERS AND AIM TO WORK WITH MORE DURING THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT.THIS PROJECT SPECIFICALLY BENEFITS FARMERS SERVING LOCAL MARKETS BY LEVERAGING EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS TO INCREASE DEMAND FOR REGIONALLY PRODUCED FOODS AT INSTITUTIONS, INCREASING SALES CAPACITY TO NEW MARKETS, AND BY CREATING NEW SUPPLY CHAINS TO BETTER SERVE THE INSTITUTIONAL MARKET THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND.

FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

COMMUNITY FACILITIES - ECONOMIC IMPACT INITIATIVE GRANTS

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

COMMUNITY FACILITY GRANTS

THIS GRANT SUPPORTS THE COSTS INCURRED TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO RESPOND TO THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19), WHICH MAY INCLUDE WORKPLACE SAFETY, MARKET PIVOTS, RETROFITTING FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, WORKER HOUSING, AND MEDICAL EXPENSES. IT PROVIDES NEEDED RELIEF TO THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS FOR THEIR COSTS INCURRED BETWEEN JANUARY 27, 2020, THE DATE UPON WHICH THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE (HHS) UNDER SECTION 319 OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT, AND DECEMBER 31, 2021. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE EMPLOYEES OF THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS.

FOOD CONNECTS, INC FY 23 CONGRESSIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECT