True Cost of American FoodInvesting in Sustainable Agriculture

April 16th, 2016

Engage community

Systemsapproach

Building on community assets

MANDELA MARKETPLACE APPROACH

COMMUNITY

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

a worker-owned, full-service retail grocery store that fosters economic empowerment & builds community health.

MANDELA FOODS COOPERATIVE

Supports local, under-resourced farmers by establishing an alternative distribution network that passes on wholesale prices to community businesses.

MANDELA FOODS DISTRIBUTION

ZELLA’S SOULFUL KITCHEN

FOOD ACCESS

Increases access points for healthy food by delivering produce to corner stores, making produce readily available in the places that community members frequent the most.

HEALTHY RETAIL

COMMUNITY PRODUCE STANDSWeekly produce stands at area senior centers, residential facilities, health centers, and schools. Residents are able to purchase fresh

produce & basic staples at affordable prices in a convenient, friendly, and helpful atmosphere.

NUTRTION EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT

FINANCE

Kiva Zip / FarmLink Harvest to Market / Ladder-Up Financing Leveraged HFFI funds to create loan/loss reserves: $75,000 $200,000+

Increased access to financing for community entrepreneurs, farmers, corner store owners, grocers increasing access to healthy food in disinvested, under-served communities.

LADDER UP FINANCING

Purchase Order Advance

Pricing –> Purchase Order –> Advance –> Loan Fee –>Product Pick Up –> Product Sales –> Loan Repayment –> Re-Up

HARVEST TO MARKET

LOCAL SYSTEMS

| LOCAL | SUSTAINABLE |COMMUNITY OWNED |

TAKE-AWAYS Low-income communities are often left out of the ‘sustainability’

conversation

Disinvested communities can capitalize from market gaps not being filled by the traditional market

Food economy as a catalyst

Current capital systems are not accessible

Creating sustainable community development, requires community ownership. .

Ownership is asset building – financial and political voice.

THANK YOU!

www.mandelamarektplace.orgMariela Cedeño | mariela@mandelamarketplace.org

@mandelamarket

https://www.facebook.com/mandelamarketplace

Mariela Cedeño | mariela@mandelamarketplace.org

www.mandelamarketplace.org