The path to opening a grocery store in a food desert is not easy. While our healthy food financing featured many voices, the thread throughout was the high-stakes journey of Dreaming Out Loud's realization of their Marion Barry Avenue Market

Experience their story start to finish: from battling financial roadblocks to securing crucial funding to the joyful moments of community building and the triumphant opening.

This is a unique opportunity to listen to the full story of their struggle and success. It proves that with focused, collaborative work, a dedicated organization can transform a community. Hear the story of how one organization won the fight for food access.

In this sixth and final episode of Batch & Scale, we're bridging the food divide by investing in equitable access. We are thrilled to close the series on healthy food financing with three guests rooted in real-world solutions. 

• Why women have historically been central to these models

• What makes a food system resilient

• Short, transparent supply chains as the key to sustainability

• Worker-powered co-operatives

• Organizing local initiatives directly impacts access to healthy food

All six episodes, along with show notes, resources, and links are available now. Thank you for joining us on this journey to explore the financial recipe for a healthier future!

In this fifth episode of Batch & Scale, we're giving you the recipe to serve up change: The Future of healthy food financing – seeding the system and harvesting the capital. We’re talking about the simple fact  that for every exciting new food trend on the market, there's a complex financial framework that determines whether it can thrive. We explore the systemic shifts needed to unlock capital for the next wave of healthy food entrepreneurs.

[00:03:13]  Segment 1: We’ll start with a conversation with a pioneering institution that is dedicated to increasing food access. Our first guests, Alison Powers and Catherine Frazier from Capitol Impact Partners, part of the Momentus Capital family of organizations. 

• How using innovative models fuels the growth of good food

• Connect with Capital Impact Partners: ⁠https://www.capitalimpact.org/

[00:38:26]  Segment 2: We will then turn to a project long-time listeners will be familiar with: the Marion Barry Avenue Market from Dreaming Out Loud. Founder and Executive Director Christoper Bradshaw explores the complex capital stack that brought this store to life, showing how a blend of financing addressed the unique challenges of building a full-service grocery store in an underserved community.

•  This is a case study on the power of alternative financing to turn a vision for food access into a reality

• Connect with Dreaming Out Loud: ⁠https://dreamingoutloud.org/⁠

[00:46:47]  Segment 3: Finally, we’ll dive into a fascinating story right in the same Anacostia community: The Fresh Food Factory Market. We'll speak with owner Amanda Stephenson to learn how she created both health equity and economic opportunity. 

• The unique blend of financing that led her to purchase a building for her business

• How a mission-driven business secures capital and handles debt 

• Connect with The Fresh Food Factory Market: https://thefreshfoodfactory.com/

⁠Follow our show so you never miss a new episode about healthy food financing!

In this fourth episode of Batch & Scale, we're jumping right into the trends that are remaking our plates: The Future of Food: Trends and Innovations. We’re talking about the huge financial bets being placed on food trends and how food finance is innovating.

• [00:02:07] Segment 1: Our first guest is Caroline Howe, Director of Food Policy at the DC Office of Planning. The Food Policy Division conducts research, engages with residents, and collaborates with other DC agencies to create a more just, healthy, and sustainable food system. We discuss:

• How city initiatives and financial planning are responding to the wave of new food trends

• The role of public policy in guiding food innovation toward equitable outcomes and better access

• Strategies for integrating sustainable practices into a growing urban food system

• [00:26:36] Segment 2: We continue to follow Dreaming Out Loud's project to open a new grocery store in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington DC. Christian Riddick, Dreaming Out Loud’s Program Manager, gives us more insight and updates on the project:

• How the grocery store will show the potential for healthy food trends to drive equitable outcomes

• How the grocery store will transform their organization and the community

• [00:33:16] Segment 3: We speak with Jessica Sidman, food editor at Washingtonian magazine, one of the leading sources for restaurant reviews, dining news, and food culture coverage for the Washington DC metropolitan area. We discuss:

• The impact of shifting consumer preferences on the future of food retail

• The financial and logistical challenges for restaurants and retailers adapting to these new trends

Follow our show so you never miss a new episode about healthy food financing!

In this third episode of Batch & Scale, we are focusing on a vital link that connects local farms, food and employment to our communities: food hubs. We'll explore how food hubs are changing the landscape of food distribution, making it easier for small and mid-sized farmers to thrive while providing communities with access to their own local bounty.

[00:02:02]  Segment 1: Our first guest is Alex Moore, Chief Development Officer of DC Central Kitchen, non-profit social enterprise that combats hunger and poverty in Washington DC. We discuss:

• Getting healthy food from local farmers on the shelves at corner stores, while employing city residents who face significant barriers to be part of the community solution

• Connect with DC Central Kitchen: https://dccentralkitchen.org/

  
  

[00:23:06]  Segment 2: We're talking to Caron Gremont, the Director of Food System Resiliency & Innovation at FRESHFARM, a nonprofit organization building a more sustainable and equitable food system in the Mid-Atlantic region through farmers markets and food access programs. We discuss:

• Ways food hubs can support farmers

• Food access and education through farmers markets

• Connect with FRESHFARM: https://www.freshfarm.org/

[00:44:10]  Segment 3: We continue to follow Dreaming Out Loud's grocery store project by visiting their urban farm. Their Farm Manager, Autumn Herbert, tells us how the new grocery store will serve as a central hub to connect the farm to consumers:

• How the grocery store will help them scale and streamline their activities in one space

• How local food sourcing and collaboration can contribute to greater food access and economic empowerment within underserved communities

• Connect with the Dreaming Out Loud: https://dreamingoutloud.org/

  
  

Follow our show so you never miss a new episode about healthy food financing!

In this second episode of Batch & Scale, we're following the journey of food entrepreneurship and celebrating the innovators and passionate people who are shaping the future of healthy food. We'll uncover what it takes to build a successful food business in today's market.

[00:02:25]  Segment 1: Our first guest is Amir Mostafavi, the visionary behind South Block, a company that has revolutionized healthy smoothies. He'll share his personal story, branding secrets, and the challenges he faced along the way. We discuss:

• How to turn a simple idea into a great brand.

• The importance of community and vision in building a business.

• Overcoming early challenges and scaling operations.

• Connect with South Block: https://www.southblock.com/

[00:19:16]  Segment 2: We're talking to Eric Lin and Jose Vargas from the Latino Economic Development Center, an organization that coaches food startups to launch and grow. They'll give us the inside scoop on the financial realities of this industry. We discuss:

• The significant financial hurdles for food entrepreneurs.

• Securing funding, from initial investment to long-term profitability.

• Strategies for scaling a food business for sustainable success.

• Connect with Latino Economic Development Center: https://www.ledcmetro.org/
  

[00:42:58]  Segment 3: We continue to follow Dreaming Out Loud's inspiring story unfolding in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, DC, where they are building a grocery store in a food desert. We check in on their accelerator program that accelerates the next generation of food retail stars:

• How food entrepreneurship can be a force for positive change.

• The power of vision and determination in a community-led project.

• The mission to address food access challenges and create new economic opportunities.

• Connect with the Dreaming Out Loud: https://dreamingoutloud.org/

Follow the Batch and Scale podcast so you never miss a new episode about healthy food financing!

In this episode, we’re bringing you unique perspectives on the evolving landscape of food retail, including the alternative distribution models, a rising grocery store in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington DC, and a food technology platform for a new way to access healthy food. 

[00:02:12]  Segment 1: Our first guest is Mia Hoskins of the Greens and Beans Co-op, providing the behind-the-scenes look at the logistics of getting healthy food to market. We discuss:

• The logistics and challenges of the supply chain

• How the changing retail landscape impacts business

• The financial aspects of starting and f running a co-op

• The co-op's mission to improve food access

• Connect with Greens and Beans Co-op: https://ward2coop.com/

[00:14:41]  Segment 2: In this segment, we go on the ground in Anacostia to explore the community-led effort to build a new grocery store. Christopher Bradshaw, the Executive Director of Dreaming Out Loud discusses:

• Food access challenges in Anacostia and how the community mobilized to  address them.

• How this local solution to a food desert connects to broader challenges in food distribution.

• The hopes and aspirations and the new economic opportunities this store will create.

• Connect with Dreaming Out Loud: https://dreamingoutloud.org/

[00:21:28]  Segment 3: We explore the innovative ways technology is changing food retail with Sam Hale, the Founder of Nurish'd, a food technology platform. We discuss:

• The evolving landscape of food retail, particularly the online aspect.

• The role of technology in changing consumer behavior and access to food.

• The challenges and opportunities specific to the tech grocery space.

• Personalization and future trends

• Connect with Nurish’d: https://www.nurishd.io/

Follow our show so you never miss a new episode about healthy food financing!

Hello! I'm Katy Chang and you're listening to the trailer for my new podcast, Batch & Scale: The Healthy Food Financing Podcast.

In this 6-part series, we’re exploring the people and organizations working in our food ecosystem by investigating the innovative partnerships, cutting-edge technology, and passionate leaders who are creating more equitable food systems.

Funding for this series was made possible by the Healthy Food Financing Initiative Partnership funded through USDA and in partnership with Capital Impact Partners. I also thank the Government of the District of Columbia for their support of the Nourish DC program. 

New episodes launch every Tuesday beginning on September 16. Be sure to subscribe now so you don’t miss an episode!