FS6 Newsletter - March 2020

This month's newsletter includes a letter from our CEO about the COVID-19 pandemic, a summary of the FS6 COVID landscape analysis, and updates from our portfolio and community. 

Food & Ag Industry Support
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Hello friends,
 
We are thinking about all of you as we hold space for uncertainty; in spite of everything that is happening, we remain optimistic about the future. We are an incredibly strong and deeply connected community, and each one of you is a crucial part of our growing FS6 family.
 
At FS6, we are doing what we always do - responding to the needs of founders, farmers, and entrepreneurs who have not stopped for a moment of stillness, nor to take a breath. Please take one on their behalf.

Over the past two weeks, our team has spoken with scores of folks across the industry who are working tirelessly to support the food system. Massive mobilization efforts are underway to ensure that our food system is resourced, that resiliency proliferates, and that our communities can prosper in health.

We know that the road ahead will continue to present challenges; however, as an industry that is uniquely equipped to work within the complexity of biological systems, we can find confidence in our capacity to iterate and adapt as we continue to support those on the front lines feeding and supporting us through this.
 
We hope this communication provides you with an actionable way to orient and engage with the food system in this time of need. There are many ways to help right now - together we can strengthen the connections that bind us as a community and do our part to sustain the land. In this newsletter, you will read more about the work of our entrepreneurs and the myriad ways that you can join us now in building a vibrant, sustainable, and just food system for all.  
 
If there is anything we can do to support or connect you - be it mentorship, resource aggregation, or just a sounding board to talk to - please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Please be kind to one another and yourself.
 
With love,
Caesaré and the FS6 Team

Supporting Small-to-Midsized Agriculture and Localized Food Distribution
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If you are a farmer, rancher, grocer, processor, etc., and you have specific needs and hurdles that you feel like need to be addressed, please email us at fs6@foodsystem6.org and/or add to our “haves/needs” document here.

Summary:

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing a variety of challenges emerge for the farmers, ranchers, processors, and producers that are working across US agriculture to keep our country fed. As “shelter-in-place” mandates stir up consumer worries and instigate stockpiling across the country, small-mid sized farmers and ranchers are coming face-to-face with a variety of challenges across inventory, infrastructure, and cash flow. Overall, there is a lot of pressure on the supply chain at this time - and more on the horizon. It is our goal at FS6 to aggregate information and to identify the gaps in support; we need to work together to realign resources in support of those that are working to feed the American population and to help those that are focused on raising food locally, sustainably, and humanely to weather to challenging times ahead.

We need to work together to realign resources in support of those that are working to feed the American population and to help those that are focused on raising food locally, sustainably, and humanely to weather to challenging times ahead.

In summary of the details expanded upon in our Landscape Analysis, FS6 has identified the following core areas as opportunities for support, as we try to mobilize resources to the frontlines of this crisis:

1) Mismatched supply/demand + Inventory support:
The most immediate need is for network support to connect farmers and ranchers who are losing sales to restaurant closures, with those that are short on inventory for grocery and DTC. This also means support in redirecting and mobilizing food workers into the areas that are strained for labor.

→ Needs support from: Upstream industry leaders, supply chain management, processors, distributors, industry organizations with visibility into supply/demand gaps, eCommerce experts, technology platforms that aggregate on-farm availability, Human Resources departments

2) Cash flow:
The need for cash-flow into the industry is crucial right now. This includes increasing cash flow for advanced processing, capital for processors, and financial support for the farmers and ranchers who are risking taking on debt as we head into a recession. If you are a vendor who has the capacity to renegotiate your contract terms so that farmers and ranchers get paid upon delivery, this is a great way to infuse cash into the industry right now. If you are an investor or grantor, think about providing funding support to keep payments moving and on time.

→ Needs support from: Lenders, investors, grantors, downstream operators, food vendors

3) Infrastructure:
The infrastructure needs are twofold. First and foremost, we need to be finding support to keep processing facilities open so that the supply chain stays active and functional. What this means will vary from plant-to-plant but it could look like:

• increasing cold chain storage infrastructure for those that are dealing with an influx of demand,
• aggregating existing supply to the places where there is capacity,
• logistics support for moving product to and from processing facilities,
• and/or providing capital for those needing to either expand capacity or just stay open through an uncertain supply and demand cycle.

For those in the position to distribute funds, many processors will need grants.

Second, there are infrastructure needs associated with the Direct to Consumer (DTC) platforms and delivery pipelines that need to be built quickly to meet the needs of the current situation. This can take many forms, depending on the needs of each farmer but it includes:  

• implementing technology solutions that can support the rapid increase in demand,
• supporting the marketing infrastructure to inform consumers about the expanded purchasing options,
• and bolstering delivery infrastructure to get product from door-to-door.​

→ Needs support from: Logistics companies, those with connections to or resources for supporting logistics, cold chain storage, also need to move live animals from farms to processors, finished goods from processors to customers. Also, investors, grantors, web developers with e-commerce expertise, industry experts/mentors with experience in e-commerce. 

You can read the rest of our Landscape Analysis here. Please note that, given the evolving nature of this crisis, the document will be updated as things change. If you have something you would like to add, please email us at fs6@foodsystem6.org and/or add it to our “haves/needs” document here.

Read the Full Analysis

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FS6 & PORTFOLIO UPDATES

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→ The Center for Good Food Purchasing is Hiring for two positions. Good Food Purchasing Program Analyst and Data and Research Intern

→ The Chef Ann Foundation has gathered coronavirus resources for school food operators, as well as federal guidance and links to emergency grants and toolkits.
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→ Firebrand Artisan Breads (C5) is offering pick-up services for bread, sandwiches, coffee, and pastries for Oakland residents looking support local impact-oriented businesses.

→ Full Cycle Bioplastics was accepted into the Fashion for Good Accelerator

→ Renewal Mill selected as one of three companies to join Barilla's + Kitchentown's Good Food Makers program

→ Soñar! was named as one of the Natural Products Expo West 2020 NEXTY Awards finalists in New Mission-Based Product category. Renewal Mill Upcycled Baking Flour is NEXTY Finalist in the "Best New Special Diet" category.

Articles:

• SVI Women Profile: Caesaré Assad, CEO for Food System 6
  
• Surplus Veggies and High-Tech Farm Cooperatives: FS6 Accelerator Announces New Cohort
  
• Valley Verde comes up with a ‘rad’-ical eating challenge
  
• Pilot Light Announces Inaugural Citizen Food Conference With Award-Winning Chef Speakers
  
• Proagrica brings Flurosat into the fold
  
• Trends at the 2020 Winter Fancy Food Show
  
• FSSD Selected for Grant That Helps Schools Implement Healthier Meals
  
• All About a Truly Unique Coffee Tasting That Took Place in Our Test Kitchen
  
• Whole Kids Foundation to Provide 153 New Salad Bars to Schools Across U.S. with More Than $500,000 in Grants
  
• Equitable Food Initiative champions Farmworker Awareness Week
  

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NEWS & EVENTS FROM THE ECOSYSTEM

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→ The deadline is approaching to apply for the Elemental Excelerator’s cohort 9. Applications close March 26th.

→ Apply for a Better Selves Fellowship by April 1st.

→ Future Food-Tech San Francisco 2020 has been postponed.
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Articles:

• The Coronavirus Crisis Checklist for Startup CEOs
  
• Small Farms Also Struggle as Restaurants Shut Down Due to Coronavirus
  
• With class cancelled due to coronavirus, public schools are inventing meal-delivery operations on the fly
  
• An Employer’s Guide to Navigating the Coronavirus
  
• Coronavirus: The Black Swan of 2020 (Sequoia Capital)
  
• New trade group seeking to mainstream upcycling
  
• Upcycled Food Association Takes Flight