SAOS - Local Food Distribution and Food Hubs Workshops

Aimed at small companies which may be located in rural areas where they don't have a lot of choice in terms of couriers/distributors/wholesalers and who may have been thinking about setting up their own local hub/network.  The workshops will  explain the different models which operate in the UK, their pros and cons and what people would need to think about if they wanted to develop something themselves.

Issues and Solutions

The Workshops

A common problem for smaller food producers is efficient distribution, especially where the producer is trying to diversify their marketplace and shorten food supply chains.  The problem is particularly evident in remote rural areas where customers may be distant or dispersed, and third party distribution services are limited.

One of the potential solutions is working through a ‘food hub’.  Hubs are part of the physical infrastructure for distribution, where orders from multiple producers can be consolidated to offer customers a single delivery and invoice.  This can be combined with marketing services, or simply act as the delivery mechanism.

Hubs have taken several forms, in a number of projects across the UK.  They range from large operations focused on supply to multiple retailers, to modest sub-regional enterprises focused on direct deliveries to households.  Whilst some of these are working well, others have failed.  Models vary from private enterprise to collaborative systems and producer-owned businesses. 

The workshops planned for early November aim to explore the range of solutions across the UK, and allow participants time to consider what may be appropriate in their region.

The workshops would include:

• a presentation on hub models, with an analysis of how they were established, how they run, issues found, and viability
• a discussion on factors to consider in thinking about setting up a hub
• notes on associated marketing and business development issues (but keeping focused on hub solutions rather than an A-Z of food and farming problems!)
• ideas for what might be appropriate locally and a chance to scope local issues and opportunities
• agreeing what needs to happens next, and who can or should be involved.

If you would like to attend, please send an email to:
Rona.sutherland@saos.co.uk indicating at which location you wish to attend.  Or telephone Rona on 01360 850763 / 07855 790749

NB:  We need a minimum of 8 at each location, otherwise we will consolidate dates and locations, although the events will still run that week.