Setting up a Foodhub

The municipality of Groningen is the main initiator of the Interreg-project Reframe. The goals of the project are to recover and set-up regional food chains in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. These regional food chains add to a sustainable future and sustainable economy by developing employment. In the context of the Reframe project, the municipality of Groningen will work on a network of interrelated foodhubs in and surrounding the city.

The regional foodchains add to more independent and powerful cities and a sustainable and viable countryside. Short food supply chains demand new forms of co-operating, new connections and support, and specialization and innovation within the food sector. The municipality and its partners want to realize and recover these foodchains together with other regions in Europe. By giving updates and exchanging knowledge in the development of these so-called living labs, the co-operating countries give aid and strengthen the development of the regional foodchains. At the first meeting, the partners from Sweden presented their Foodhub Network and the municipality of Groningen believed in the potential of such a network. Based on this, the exploration of local opportunities and a strategy for realization was born.

Regional Foodhubs are gathering-points for the products of regional food spread throughout the countryside. From these hubs, the products are transported to the city of Groningen where another foodhub is set-up and from which the food is distributed to consumers. Essential to the success of these hubs is a certain amount of standardization, without compromising the quality of the products. The results are recognizable products that can be distributed efficiently.

We see that the following elements form the base for a network:

Sites in the region, where food can be gathered and distributed to the city or other locations.
Site in the city of Groningen where food can be dropped of by distributers and can be picked up or distributed by other customers.
Transport, that should be connected to existing traffic as much as possible.
A quality mark.
Standardization of transport and distribution
Sales strategy

The following steps towards realization of a regional foodnetwork are desired:

Explore the potential in the supply of regional food products
Research quality demands and prices within the food chain
Explore which elements are needed for a food network.
Research several business cases that expose the composition of a food chain for specific products
Find partners and find ways to co-operate
Convince supply and demand parties to engage in a regional food network.
Implement the network in steps
Realize an urban food hub with visibility value

We are currently working on the research aspect and are exploring the possibilities in Groningen. In a couple of days we will give an update of our progress concerning the research.

Getting local food in the supermarkets

26 January 2021

As a response to the Corona-crisis, the major food stores in Sweden (Coop, ICA, Bergendahls, Axfood and Lidl) expressed their will to help the small local producers. This by creating more space for lo…

Local producers on national tv in Belgium

20 January 2021

Due to the corona pandemic, the annual B2B Smaakmarkt in Belgium could not take place last September. Therefore the University of Applied Sciences VIVES offered the food producers who participated in …

New business opportunities in saline agriculture

03 December 2020

The coastal regions are less fit for the main seed variants used and farming practices in general. Coastal regions are often considered marginal in relation to food production and vulnerable in terms …

REKO-ring

25 November 2020

Several ways of selling local food for example local markets, food exhibitions and food events have during Covid-19 been locked down. In Sweden a new digital way to promote and sell local food starte…

'Bio kann jeder' - an online workshop to use more ecological and regional products in canteens of kindergartens and schools

17 November 2020

On 10 November 2020, as part of the EU-funded REFRAME project and in cooperation with U. plus, an agency for environmentalcommunication, the district of Wesermarsch organised an online workshop for ki…

REFRAME

Setting up a Foodhub

Getting local food in the supermarkets

Local producers on national tv in Belgium

New business opportunities in saline agriculture

REKO-ring

'Bio kann jeder' - an online workshop to use more ecological and regional products in canteens of kindergartens and schools

Food Agreement Westerkwartier

REFRAME exchange of knowledge with FOOD CORRIDORS

Brochure on nutritional and environmental education

More local products in governmental company restaurants

Virtual study trips on smart sensor technology in Europe