Explore Our Services
We work at the intersection of regional food systems, institutional procurement, and supply chain strategy: helping farms and food hubs reach institutional markets, helping institutions build supply chains that reflect their values, and helping funders and public agencies understand where investment creates lasting impact.
About Our Work
SupplyChange is a national food systems and supply chain consultancy founded on the belief that the food system can be more equitable, more resilient, and more connected to the people and places that grow our food, and that strategic, practical expertise is what bridges the gap between that vision and the procurement systems that govern how food actually moves.
We are method-based and tool-driven. We bring proven frameworks and proprietary diagnostic instruments developed over a decade of applied practice across thirteen states, and we adapt them to the specific conditions of each region, buyer context, and food system we enter.
Our team includes practitioners with deep backgrounds in organizing, advocacy, farming, foodservice operations, farm-to-institution work, local government, and private-sector procurement—people who understand both the operational realities of growing and aggregating food and the institutional dynamics that determine whether it ever gets bought.
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Regional food hubs and small and midsized producers are consistently locked out of institutional markets, not because of a lack of will on either side, but because of structural barriers: consolidated distributor contracts, foodservice management company rebate systems, food safety compliance requirements, and the administrative complexity of moving local food through supply chains designed for scale.
Meanwhile, institutions committed to sustainable and equitable sourcing often lack the internal expertise to translate those commitments into operational procurement change.
We sit in the middle of that gap. We understand both sides: the realities of running a food hub or small farm business, and the procurement dynamics of hospitals, universities, school districts, and corporate dining programs. That dual fluency is what makes our work move.
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We take a value chain coordination approach: mapping the full chain from producer to plate, identifying the specific friction points that block regional sourcing, and designing targeted interventions that work within—rather than around—existing supply chain infrastructure.
Four principles guide every engagement:
Diagnosis before prescription
We assess readiness, market fit, and structural barriers before recommending a path forward.
Soft infrastructure first
Sales relationships, trust, and operational alignment must precede investment in hard infrastructure. We build both, in sequence.
Tools that travel
Our frameworks and instruments are designed to be transferable to other regions, buyer types, and food system contexts.
Equity-centered
BIPOC/woman/LGBTQ+ producer ownership, farmworker conditions, and food access are woven into how we assess readiness, design pilots, and measure success.
Food Hub Assessment + Technical Assistance
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We help food hubs and farm-based aggregators understand where they stand, what is in their way, and how to build toward durable institutional sales relationships. Our work spans readiness assessments, technical assistance planning, hub-to-buyer matching, market landscape analysis, and feasibility studies around programming and expansion. Our proprietary Food Hub Readiness Assessment evaluates hubs across six domains:
organizational profile and equity ownership
operational readiness
sales strategy and financial model
buyer relationships and market experience
values and environmental practices
self-assessed confidence
The instrument produces a scored readiness profile that identifies gaps, surfaces strengths, and informs a tailored technical assistance plan. The assessment was prototyped in collaboration with Fresh Approach and the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), where it was used to evaluate four early-stage food hubs across California. Since then, we have adapted it for a range of contexts—most recently to match food hubs to supportive housing meal providers in Santa Clara County—and will continue to deploy further iterations across the country as the tool evolves.
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We conducted a comprehensive market analysis to support Fresno BIPOC Produce's potential expansion from its Central Valley base into the Bay Area and Los Angeles markets. Deliverables included a full demand institution map and spreadsheet across seven buyer segments, buyer interview methodology and completed interviews with Alameda County Community Food Bank, Fresh Approach, and Farm2People, and actionable recommendations on market prioritization and expansion sequencing. Our findings were integrated into a broader feasibility study for the hub's long-term design and growth.
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We provided six months of intensive technical assistance to ByWay Foods, a fresh-cut produce processor affiliated with Working Landscapes that sources from BIPOC farmers in rural North Carolina. Our engagement spanned sales strategy development, a full demand map and prospect spreadsheet across five institutional segments, segment-specific marketing one-pagers and farmer profile materials, a CRM pipeline buildout with standard operating procedures and training, a pricing calculator and product specifications, logistics vendor research, and outreach to more than 50 institutions including initial vendor approval conversations. We concluded the engagement with a detailed roadmap for ByWay's next phase of growth.
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We provided financial modeling and analysis for Veggielution, a nonprofit urban farm and community food hub in San Jose, CA. Deliverables included detailed profit and loss statements for their farm stand operation and a financial model for both a proposed wholesale produce box program and a Food as Medicine box program opportunity, giving the organization a clearer picture of unit economics and program viability.
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We provided wide-ranging operational and sales support to 4P Foods as the hub expanded into North Carolina and Maryland. Work included marketing materials development, market positioning and catalog analysis, and relationship-building support with institutional buyers, distributors, and supply chain partners across new geographies.
Our Process
Plan with Purpose
Together, we outline a path forward that’s realistic, strategic, and tailored to your specific needs.
Collaborate Openly
You’re part of the process. We keep communication open and decisions shared—no black boxes or surprises.
Plan with Purpose
Every project is different. We stay flexible and responsive to make sure the process fits your flow—not the other way around.
Plan with Purpose
When we deliver, it’s not just a finished product—it’s a solution you can trust, backed by real care and effort.
Past Project
The Atlas Project
A bold reimagining of a timeless brand.
Let’s Work TogetherIf you're interested in working with us, complete the form with a few details about your project. We'll review your message and get back to you within 48 hours.