New Regional Food Hubs Support Programme open

Applications are open for a new Regional Food Hubs Support Programme run by Better Food Traders, targeting supply chain hubs in their start up phase or looking to scale up operations. Apply by Friday 22 November for a chance to take part in the programme, kicking off early 2025.

This exciting new programme aims to grow regional Food Hubs*, which are critical for creating the local, agroecological food system we want to see. The importance of infrastructure such as food hubs, has recently been recognised in the Local Food Plan aiming for sector growth, led by Sustain and LWA. This new support programme is filling a crucial gap in sector-specific support to help ensure their success.

To deliver this vital next step to help Regional Food Hubs and grow routes to market for agroecological produce, Better Food Traders have teamed up with Sustain, the Soil Association and Growing Communities to run a 12-month programme of sector-specific training, peer-learning and bespoke business advice for Regional Food Hub staff. The programme is funded by Farming the Future from January to December 2025.

Access simple form and apply by 22 November

Who can apply?

Hubs in the start-up phase (recently started trading or with an ambition to commence trading in 2025).
More established hubs looking to scale-up their business and operations.
Hubs that are currently only operating as B2C but are looking to build in an element of B2B/B2G trading will also be considered.

Further programme info is available via Better Food Traders.

If you missed the Programme Launch and Info Session, you can access the session presentation and Q&A.

The programme will include:

Monthly online peer-learning sessions (1.5-2hrs)
10-12 online webinars, with the syllabus co-created by participants (1.5-2hrs)
1:1 bespoke business support session with Julie Brown, Director of Growing Communities
Participants matched as ‘Accountability Partners’, to build connections and peer support across the cohort.

Building knowledge for the sector

To capture learning and to identify factors that determine success, webinar and peer learning session will be attended by an ‘observer’ who has a role relevant to food hubs at the policy, research or programme level. The observers will build a Lessons Learned document to capture broader observations and learnings, helping to inform the Sustainable Food Places programme and further thinking on policy, funding and practical support. If you are interested in becoming an observer email the Sustain team.

Apply now

If you run a Regional Food Hub, apply to join the programme by filling in the application form. And if you know an eligible enterprise in your area, please pass this on to the relevant people. If you have any questions, please contact the Programme lead.

* For the purposes of this programme we define a Regional Food Hub as: ‘An organisation providing physical and digital infrastructure to enable locally-produced food to be sold to other businesses and/or public bodies’.

Published 5 Nov 2024

Vera Zakharov

Campaign Coordinator
Sustainable Food Places
Sustain

Vera is the Sustainable Food Places Local Action Coordinator, linking up local activity across the network to help drive national-level policy change. She oversees the programme’s Good Food Movement work, helping food partnerships connect with grassroots communities and support resident-led action. She also leads on the Veg Cities campaign and the annual Sustainable Food Places Day of Celebration and Action.

She has previously coordinated the Sugar Smart campaign. Prior to joining Sustain, she ran local food waste action initiatives, including Brighton & Hove’s Love Food Hate Waste campaign and Surplus Food Network, as well as Feedback’s Sussex Gleaning Network.