Startup Model — Connecting Food Producers to Consumers through Networks

The Model: A platform for farmers to sell their produce directly to customers. A local network of customers and producers is formed called a Food Assembly. Customers in that assembly can access online what producers are offering and can make purchases online itself. Once a week, an Assembly takes place in a local venue where the customer can go and pick up the produce. Every Assembly has a host who puts the group together and organizes these weekly meets.

Startup Doing It: LaRuche Qui Dit Oui (French startup)

What I Like:

Core Idea — Connecting farmers to customers is a great concept. Farmers get better margins on their products. Customers get to order fresh produce, directly from the farms.

Good Execution Model — Selling products through networks is great. Logistics & supply chain challenges will not be faced in this model.

Scalable — The startup model is open and scalable. Anyone having a local network and a venue to organize weekly meetups can apply to be a host.

My Concerns:

Better Incentives for Hosts — I feel hosts need to be incentivized a bit more, as they are the ones driving the startup. A host needs to market the Assembly in the local area. Also the venue and the weekly meet have to be organized by the host. A host can decide to organize meets separately from Food Assembly to get higher margins from farmers. A suggestion is that since hosts are growth drivers, giving them some equity in the startup can be looked at. This way their interests become aligned with the startup’s interest.