It’s 2030, imagine if…

In a landmark moment for the regenerative food system, Food Connect Shed (FCS) has signed a long term agreement with Accor Group, setting a new ‘steward collaborative’ standard for food supply. From January 1 2028, Accor’s 340 hotels will source 50% of their fresh food ingredients from FCS ‘farmer cohort’ hubs, with a pre-agreed true cost pricing structure in place, ensuring farmers’ long-term crop management and associated rise in on farm biodiversity and soil health. Accor is assured a resilient supply of goods, Scope 3 carbon reduction and a point of differentiation for the rising responsible tourism sector. The partnership reflects increasing investment in mutually beneficial ‘ecosystems of infrastructure’ businesses and the wider global trend of ‘careholder’ dividends.

Summary of solution

The Food Connect Shed has become a leading demonstration for community owned place-based regenerative development at the forefront of climate smart and resilient infrastructure design. Their vision is for all Australians to have access to healthy, fresh, ecologically-grown food that is fair to growers, makers and eaters.

It builds the physical infrastructure that supports regional food resilience and security, develops the capacity for enterprises and community to regenerate local economies, and provides frameworks for regions to have ownership and agency in designing solutions. By doing this, it has critically strengthened the resilience of the country’s food system, activated regional economies, created inclusive governance and shared custodianship of common infrastructure and created a community space hosting live and virtual workshops, conferences and educational activities.

Why is this solution innovative

This project aims to develop a roadmap for regional food sheds and initiate an investment fund to co-contribute to the asset. It seeks to create a highly distributed network of thousands of small to medium-sized food enterprises working in collaboration with hundreds of food sheds around the country.