by Conor Butkus | May 6, 2016
We’d love to discuss your local procurement successes, challenges, and gaps. Local Orbit’s data, supply chain consulting and supplier management services for college and university foodservice operators can help you simplify and expand your local procurement program.
Schedule a meeting with Stacy Kannawin from Local Orbit while at NACUFS. If you’d like to connect, please click here to email Stacy Kannawin.
About the NACUFS National Conference:
The 2016 National Conference Committee has developed a program of general session speakers to inspire, motivate, and provide you with information that you can put to use in your operations…Our Super Sessions will include a program by the Culinary Institute of America on Menus of Change and another by Disney about the magic of concept creation and guest services. We’ll be offering four “nuts and bolts” tracks of interest sessions to help you focus your personal conference scheduling: culinary and nutrition; training and human resources; operations, administration, and planning; and sales, marketing, and communication. The theme in our conference cuisine has been developed to highlight local, fresh, and healthy ingredients in a creative and delicious way. Learn more.
by Conor Butkus | May 5, 2016
by Conor Butkus | May 4, 2016
by Conor Butkus | Apr 22, 2016
It’s been a couple weeks since the Local Orbit team returned from the National Food Hub Conference, and there’s a lot to share about the event. The conference provided a great opportunity to connect with customers and hear from business leaders about the challenges and opportunities in the industry.
One of the consistent themes we heard concerned creating a connected local food system. From the USDA and Surdna Foundation’s announcement of funding for value-chain coordinators to casual conversations about the challenges of connecting to regional partners, there was a lot of talk about networks. While the challenges of a networked food system are significant, the opportunities represent an opportunity for growth. One of Local Orbit’s core goals is the creation of a networked food system.
We have had many conversations with our customers about creating trading networks. Recently, we spoke to Headwater Food Hub in New York about connecting to customers further south that could supply leafy greens during the winter. We’re excited about these relationships, as they represent the next phase in the emerging local food economy. It has the potential to drive collaboration and extend value throughout the supply chain. But a network has many permutations, from casual communities of practice to regional business partnerships.
How can we leverage both to grow the local food supply chain?
Events like the National Food Hub Conference – a production of the National Good Food Network – are a great example of the important work a network can do to connect industry leaders and stakeholders. The event brings together hundreds of people. Emerging industries need networks like this to grow, and there are food hub and local food networks across the US that do this on a regional scale.
These communities can provide significant benefit to emerging supply chains, connecting like-minded stakeholders while providing learning opportunities. They’re an important part of rebuilding the local food system. But building these types of networks aren’t the end goal – they provide context and help identify points of collaboration. Ultimately, this should lead to tangible business partnerships for the individuals and businesses that work in local food supply chains.
And these networked business opportunities are emerging as the local food economy scales. Creating trading and logistics connections will become increasingly necessary so hubs can access diversified supply and meet the growing demand from buyers. Providing tools and processes so businesses can easily trade together is an essential first step. Solving the challenging issue of logistics and transportation is probably the biggest hurdle, but some regional networks have already started to tackle this. We can learn a lot from them. It’s exciting for us to see the beginnings of these business partnerships, many which are supported by our services.
How can we expand this to better address market needs? Local Orbit’s vision for a connected local food system leverages region-wide partnerships to increase purchasing of local food, while using data to inform future plans.
In our next post about the networked food system, you’ll learn how a food bank network and the Colorado Food Hub Network work with regional partners to diversify their products while providing tools and resources that strengthen the supply chain.
by Conor Butkus | Apr 14, 2016
We are excited to announce that Local Orbit has been selected as one of the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch. The award represents an important recognition for Local Orbit’s growth and signals the increasing importance of new food economy businesses. The contest includes remarkable second-stage companies that have 6 to 99 full-time-equivalent employees, generating $750,000 to $50 million in annual revenue or working capital from investors or grants. Winners were selected by Michigan-based judges from the banking, economic development, entrepreneurship development, and venture capital communities.
Local Orbit is the supply chain management platform for the new food economy, enabling institutional foodservice operators to efficiently purchase from local farmers and food producers, while maintaining complete supply chain transparency – and meeting customer demand for local and sustainable food.
“Being selected as one of Michigan’s 50 Companies to Watch is great for our business,” said Local Orbit Founder and CEO Erika Block. “It’s recognition for the hard work of our team. It sends a message to Local Orbit’s customers that our continued growth will enhance our ability to help them grow their local and sustainable food supply chains. And it’s a sign that the new food economy is coming into its own, as businesses move to the next stage in their evolution.”
Local Orbit has also been recognized as one of 50 companies – both established organizations and rising startups – shaping industries via innovative technology for Techweek Detroit 2016. The Innovators recognized in Detroit this year range from well established industry pillars, including GM, Henry Ford Health System, and Quicken Loans, to new additions, including Local Orbit.
Local Orbit is proud to work in Michigan and support customers across the US and Canada.
