RI FOOD HUB

We’re putting down roots in Providence’s Valley neighborhood!

Plans for the future home of Farm Fresh Rhode Island are underway! On a recently purchased 3.2 acre site in the Valley neighborhood of Providence, we are developing the Rhode Island Food Hub. The Hub will provide aggregation and distribution of locally grown food and produce, production facilities, opportunities for nutrition education and job training, and retail markets for both the individual consumer and wholesaler.

Critical infrastructure for our local and regional food system

Recognizing that food and agriculture continue to be one of the few growth sectors in Rhode Island and that small businesses are the backbone of the Rhode Island economy, the Rhode Island Food Hub will create an environment that stimulates job creation and small business success. Together with a cluster of food and farm-related businesses, Farm Fresh Rhode Island will work to strengthen the local and regional food system.

A cluster of food and farm related businesses

Our Development Team

Farm Fresh Rhode Island

Working day to day to advance the Rhode Island Food Hub is a capable and experienced team led by real estate & community developer Lucie Searle and Farm Fresh Co-Executive Directors, Sheri Griffin and Jesse Rye. Farm Fresh RI Board Co-Chair Maureen Pothier meets with the team on a weekly basis and serves as liaison between the Board and the development team.

All Farm Fresh RI staff will be giving input on our planning process, but members of the leadership team that will be contributing to specific aspects of the development of the hub include, Finance Director Paula Gill, Harvest Kitchen Director Jen Stott, Community Access Program Director Thea Upham, Food System Enterprise Program Director Sarah Bernstein, Operations Director David Johnson, Development Associate Quatia Osorio and Communications Director Rebecca Seggel.

Professional Consultants

Other professionals on the team include Architects, Durkee Brown Viveiros Werenfels; Environmental Engineers, ESM; Structural Engineer, Yoder + Tidwell; and Geotech Engineers, LGCI. Financial consulting is by Barbara Sokoloff Associates.