In this day and age, if you frequent a grocery store, you might not know the story behind your food. Or maybe you don't care to ask, however, if you did you might be turned off because of the road it traveled and/or how the corporatization of farming has effects on your local community and your family's health. Food Connect Brisbane touches on all of these problems and aims to create accessible socially responsible food.
"Our delicious seasonal produce comes from local farmers living within a five hour radius of Brisbane who are paid a fair price for their hard work and who are encouraged to farm using the most sustainable methods possible," Food Connect Brisbane outlines on their website. "Our subscribers know where their food comes from and are invited to see for themselves on regular farm tours."
Clearly, the narrative behind your food can be as important as the substance itself. And not simply in a romantic manner, but in that, the story allows you to know how your food got to your table -- who cultivated it and how; what farmers got paid; and how many miles it had to travel. Founded in 2004 by Robert Pekin, Food Connect Brisbane was premised on the creation of a big venture of community shared agriculture in Australia. And since its inception, the idea has grown and is meanwhile being replicated in Adelaide, Bellingen, Coffs Coast, Melbourne, Sydney and Wollongong.
Even though not every positive impact is measurable, Food Connect Brisbane is able to track some of their change creation, for instance, their social return on investment. According to a 2011 Social Ventures Australia survey, approximately $16.83 of social value is created out of simply $1 invested in Food Connect Brisbane itself. The real outcomes are identified per stakeholder category and include increased sense of community, more people consuming healthy food, local farming support and an overall sense of optimism.
With a passion for everything local, seasonal and scrumptious, Food Connect Brisbane brings the life back into your groceries.
Contact Information:
Food Connect Brisbane Website
Food Connect Brisbane on Twitter
Food Connect Brisbane on Facebook
Community Produce Narratives
Food Connect Brisbane Invites You to Know More About Your Meal
Trend Themes
1. Sustainable Agriculture - The trend of sustainable agriculture is growing more and more popular as consumers become increasingly interested in the story behind their food and seek out socially responsible options such as those offered by Food Connect Brisbane.
2. Community Supported Agriculture - Food Connect Brisbane's model of community supported agriculture provides a scalable blueprint for other cities or regions looking to create community-driven, socially responsible food networks.
3. Transparency in Food Supply Chains - As consumers become more aware of the negative impacts of the corporatization of farming on local communities and their health, there is a growing demand for greater transparency in food supply chains, creating opportunities for businesses that prioritize sustainability and social responsibility.
Industry Implications
1. Agriculture - The Agriculture industry can identify opportunities for innovation by adopting sustainable farming methods and creating more transparency in food supply chains, as demonstrated by the success of Food Connect Brisbane.
2. Food Distribution - Food distribution companies can benefit from incorporating community supported agriculture models that prioritize the sourcing of locally grown produce and create socially responsible supply chains.
3. Social Entrepreneurship - Social entrepreneurship is a growing industry that can be inspired by the success of Food Connect Brisbane's community-driven, socially responsible business model and their ability to create measurable social value with a small investment.