1. Lynne Mullin George Mullin Preston Mangum Rachel Safren
Problem Overview:
Hunger is not just a problem in developing nations. In the US, as recent as 2014, 48.1 million Americans lived in food
insecure households. More than any other demographic, women and children are impacted by the devastating and
far-reaching effects of food insecurity, not the least of which are decreased physical and mental health, lower academic
achievement and diminished economic productivity. Food insecurity is a result of limited access to healthy food and limited
resources to purchase and prepare healthy meals. Women and children facing food insecurity turn to what is easily
available and cheap, packaged and highly processed foods. With increasing rates of childhood obesity and chronic
diseases, our collective attention to the unhealthy habits of American households, including our limited capacity for cooking is
long overdue. Food insecurity and the unintended consequences must be addressed with viable solutions for a more
balanced and better future for women and children on the path to a vibrant and productive life.
Solution Overview:
The shattering impact of food insecurity and poor nutrition, especially in women and children, is a multi-faceted problem and
requires a multi-faceted solution. Women and children deserve equal access to healthy food choices and vibrant health that is
rooted in balanced nutrition, access to safe spaces, and supportive community engagement. Our business model provides an
innovative confluence of these aspects of vibrant health. By connecting with food distributors and brokers, we will recover,
purchase and store fresh, frozen and dry food items that would normally be wasted, and provide it to food insecure
families, nonprofits and the surrounding community at a significant discount. A commercial kitchen will enable us to sponsor
local chefs for cooking classes that will engage the community in creating and preparing healthy meals because we believe
that good nutrition and cooking skills are paramount to an empowered, vibrant life. The commercial kitchen will also generate
a second revenue stream when it’s rented out to caterers, food trucks and small batch producers.
Opportunity Overview:
The mounting attention to childhood obesity has created a critical mass for change in the way we think about, grow, source
and prepare food. This has given rise to a collective consciousness that is calling for and supporting innovative solutions in
communities across the country such as the Farm to Fork movement, Huntington’s Kitchen, Community Supported Agriculture
(CSA’s) and California’s Healthy Eating, Active Lifestyle (HEAL) program. We believe this is evidence that the timing is right for
Charlotte’s Food Hub.
The food industry is notorious for waste - 30 to 40% of the food supply in the US is wasted, equaling more than 20 pounds
of food per person per month. Our model capitalizes on this enormous opportunity in the food industry by creating strategic
partnerships with food distributors and manufacturers whose products do not meet appearance standards, may be overstocks
or near expiration and purchasing them at distressed prices allowing us to offer quality products at very affordable prices.
Market Size:
In Charlotte and the surrounding communities there have been 60 determined food deserts. Locating our business in a food
desert allows for access by that community as well as surrounding communities. Customer population will also include small
nonprofits and service providers who are mission driven to provide sustenance to the people they serve. Nonprofits have
limited resources and look for ways to stretch their budgets. In 2014, 78% of North Carolina nonprofits experienced an
increase in demand for services but 60% were unable to meet the demands. We think we can tap into North Carolina’s 38.5
billion dollar nonprofit sector by offering food products at a discounted rate.
Commercial kitchen space will be rented out to small batch producers, caterers and food trucks. While cooking classes
are widely available in higher end retail outlets and community colleges they are neither accessible nor affordable for many
community members. We believe our competitive pricing will enable us to penetrate an untapped market for educational and
engaging cooking classes.
Team Description:
Our team includes a seasoned entrepreneur who founded and ran a similar business for ten years, an urban designer and
healthcare consultant, a management consultant and veteran educator and a student of entrepreneurship. We have already
begun reaching out to Charlotte community members and organizations that could contribute and benefit from our business
model and have identified a neighborhood that needs access to healthier food options and an engaging community resource.
Charlotte
FOOD HUB
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