Lexington, KY. Central Kentucky growers, particularly those with smaller operations or family farms, sometimes struggle to find an outlet for their produce at the peak of freshness. Food-based entrepreneursstriving to grow their business often struggle to find a consistent, high-quality supply of locally sourced fruits, vegetables and herbs in the larger quantities they need. And once value-added products are ready to hit grocery store shelves, producers may need guidance in getting them into retail outlets where consumers can find and buy them.
With 16-years of experience helping entrepreneurs launch and grow food-based businesses from state-of-the-art kitchen incubators at Chef Space in West Louisville and Mustard Seed Hill in Millersburg, nonprofit Community Ventures is putting an award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’sLocal Food Promotion Program (LFPP) to work to solve this supply and demand problem by bridging the gap between farmers, producers and the Greater Louisville retail market. The streamlined farm-to-shelf pipeline will ultimately secure long-term growth for Kentucky agriculture as a whole.
“This USDA LFPP award allows us to elevate our kitchen incubator into a vital link between Kentucky’s rural heartland and the Louisville market,” explained Victoria Benson, President of Mustard Seed Hill. “We aren’t just providing a commercial kitchen; we are cultivating a sophisticated food channel. By pairing our local farmers with value-added producers, we’re ensuring that the ‘field-to-shelf’ journey is seamless, professional, and ultimately sustainable for the entrepreneurs growing their brands within our walls.”
This funding cycle, USDA announced more than $26.8 million in Local Agriculture Market Program awards nationally, with Community Ventures being the only Kentucky organization to receive an award.
Through the years, Community Ventures has refined a successful economic development model for food-based entrepreneurs by integrating technical assistance and entrepreneurial support with the revitalization of the communities where their kitchen incubators are located.
A key focus of this project is expanding access to locally made food and value-added products (goods that have been transformed or enhanced beyond their raw ingredients to increase market value) through grocery stores, supermarkets, convenience stores and restaurants—particularly in neighborhoods like West Louisville, where approximately 39,000 residents have limited access to affordable, healthy food.
For this project, Community Ventures will utilize coordinated partnerships with local economic development agencies, the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, and The Kroger Company to identifyneeds and existing gaps in the regional supply chain and work to establish close relationships between value-added producers and farmers who can offer a consistent, bountiful supply of needed ingredients. In addition, it will provide expert guidance to farmers, assisting them to qualify and apply for funding such as USDA Value-Added Producer Grants, support long‑term purchasing relationships and helping new food entrepreneurs build and scale market‑ready businesses.
Over the three‑year project period, Community Ventures expects to work with 300 food entrepreneurs, help 100 businesses to develop solid business plans and financial forecasts and assist at least 45 food businesses to secure formal sourcing agreements with local farmers, increasing sales and profitability while anchoring production and economic opportunity in Kentucky.
“This funding helps us achieve economic wins across the board,” said Tom Murro, President of Chef Space, Community Ventures’ West Louisville kitchen incubator and food business accelerator. “Producers gain reliable access to Kentucky‑grown ingredients, farmers gain dependable buyers, and West Louisville families gain better access to healthy food close to home.”
About Community Ventures
Community Ventures is a Kentucky‑based nonprofit focused on entrepreneurship, housing, and community revitalization. Through integrated programs and partnerships, the organization supports small businesses, strengthens local economies, and drives sustained growth across the Commonwealth.