Food System Economic Partnership

Food distribution businesses add value and provide a key service for suppliers and procurers of food products. Distributors provide the infrastructure and knowledge of how to dependably and safely delivery a variety of food products. They also play an important role in working with local farmers to make the high quality and fresh locally grown and produced foods available to the general public.

Preliminary Vision

• Increased value for customers by creating new information rich, memorable and enticing food products.
• Have gained trust and patronage from customers by supplying uniquely differentiated and high quality products direct from the region’s farms and food producers.

Current Activities

• The Sysco Corporation is hosting a field trip for FSEP participants in September of 2005.
• FSEP is working with a local farmer/entrepreneur to develop the business plan and facility for a food distribution hub serving local institutions.

Who's Involved

To date the following groups all have representatives on the FSEP leadership team: *

• Sysco Corporation (in partnership with the Henry Ford)

*Participating county and local government officials from Jackson, Lenawee, Monroe, Washtenaw and Wayne also play an important role in representing and supporting the interests of local food distributors.

How You Can Get Involved

Contact Jennifer Fike to:

• Join the Partnership
• Participate in Forums
• Contribute Funding
• Contribute with In-kind Services

Once Involved You Can

• Help raise awareness
• Help recruit other distributors
• Share success stories