Social Enterprise AgriFood Marketing Strategy Development

The following scope is being requested to integrate into the organization's business planning and long-term strategy prior to growing the produce. The organization is open to modifying its business plan, such as crops to be grown, based on suggestions that are made in the report. Marketing strategy development: Develop a new marketing strategy for a new social enterprise that intends to sell fresh grown produce from Northern Ontario that has been grown in a greenhouse or vertical farm. Marketing Mix strategy: Provide insight and recommend sustainable strategies related to the Marketing Mix (Product, Place, Price and Promotion). Conduct external analysis (including customer, competitor, market and environment) as well as marketing mix performance. Develop an integrated online/offline communication strategy.

Social Enterprise AgriFood Market Analysis

Northern Ontario is a particularly difficult region to quantify the agrifood industry because there is a lack of public data sources between Winnipeg, MB and Ottawa, ON. As a result, AgriTech North has collected datasets from major city centers from public data publishers, and has obtained reports from private agencies that provide Canada-wide market analysis. The challenge being proposed is establishing statistical methods to predict the agrifood market in Northern Ontario utilizing public data sources (and provided private data sources), with an expressed lack of data within the region the market is being quantified. The resulting analyses and visualizations need to be sound to pass through the adjudication processes of public funding agencies and private banking institutions.

Social Enterprise AgriFood Software Development

AgriTech North, in collaboration with The 807 Food Co-op (non-profit), is seeking to customize the Open Food Network (OFN) open-source software to meet the needs of a new food box subscription program that is difficult to achieve with current OFN functionality. This food box program is aimed at providing locally produced foods throughout Northern Ontario. The Open Food Network is a global network of people and organizations working together to build a new food system. Together, we develop open and shared resources, knowledge and software to support a better food system. OFN believes a sustainable and resilient food system needs to reconnect producers and consumers. OFN aims to empower people and communities and give them the tools and knowledge to develop the food systems they need for their community. The OFN flagship project is an open source software platform that makes it easy to create innovative, independent, community food enterprises. The software can be used by farmers setting up their own online stores, but it’s designed to help farmers collaborate and sell together, to create thriving, viable enterprises. People have used the power of this feature to create food collectives, manage food hubs, to take their farmers’ market online with pre-purchases to give stallholders more secure sales, and more. The OFN community has decades of experience in running innovative food enterprises with social and ecological aims. We know that good food can transform our planet and our society. OFN also knows that making values-driven food enterprise work takes commitment, perseverance, partnerships and support. The OFN community want to help you to make values-driven food enterprises thrive!

Social Enterprise AgriFood New Human Resources Materials

As a new business, AgriTech North is seeking assistance with generating human resources materials to onboard, retain , and keep staff safe. We need a firm understanding of our obligations and commitments to our staff, and what materials we need to provide to ensure they are ready for work with us. We also need to know what workplace notice postings need to be made available, and begin drafting specific training documents, Standard Operating Procedures, and safety documents that must be stored in print on-site. We have prior ACCES Employment Human Resources contributions to build upon. As the organization grows, a permanent human resources position will eventually become available.