Abstract

The local food system in Western North Carolina (WNC) has developed greatly in scope and visibility since the early 1990’s. Local food producers face many challenges. Poor infrastructure in the food system limits small producers from accessing wider markets than the tailgate market. Limited access to financial and physical capital underlies these barriers to entry. This research investigates food hubs as a response to sustaining the expansion of the local food system. It develops the narrative of food hubs through surveys and interviews of hubs located in the thirty-four county region defined as WNC. Transaction cost theory is applied to the data to investigate how successful hubs can be as a leverage point for reach to new market opportunities. Food hubs reduce the cost to sell and buy local foods by reducing costs to identify trading partners and negotiate contracts. The data illustrate current challenges and future opportunities of food hubs. Hubs are limited by financial resources and in some cases consumer demand. The organizational model a food hub follows greatly affects its impact, sustainability and how well it serves producers. As the definition of what food hubs do continues to evolve future research should investigate the realities of producers who work with hubs. Local stakeholders, including producers, hubs and community members, may find these implications useful as they navigate building a sustainable local food system.

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