As we reflect on the past year, we’re filled with gratitude for our clients, projects, partners, and friends. Below, we share some highlights from 2025—projects, reports, and engagements completed in 2025, some of which have been under way for several years. Below those summaries, we look ahead to the next year and share some projects already in the works or that we expect to complete in 2026.

SUSTAINABLE, EQUITABLE & LOCAL FOOD SOURCING PROGRAM
County of San Diego | CA

After 3.5 years, we concluded our work with the County of San Diego and the Center for Good Food Purchasing, to launch the Sustainable, Equitable, and Local Food Sourcing (SEL) Program. We provided technical assistance, guiding County food services to implement a purchasing framework based on six core values, including local sourcing, equity, nutrition, and elevated labor standards. The County is now better positioned to drive positive food system change through public purchasing.

KENTUCKY AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT FUND EVALUATION
Kentucky Agricultural Development Board | KY

From 2015 to 2022, the KY Agricultural Development Fund (KADF) invested over $300 million in the state’s agriculture sector. With partner Mass Economics, KK&P analyzed internal Fund data and publicly available data on agricultural trends, conducted interviews, deployed surveys, analyzed peer regions, and collaborated with the client to develop implementable recommendations to shape the Fund’s future priorities and processes.

FACILITATION & PURCHASING STRATEGY FOR THE ROUNDTABLE
The Roundtable | New York, NY

2025 marked our seventh year facilitating and coordinating the work of The Roundtable, the only citywide alliance of frontline emergency food providers in New York City. The Roundtable continues to deepen and expand its work in advocacy, strategic purchasing, and mutual support. In 2025, Roundtable member organizations saved over half a million dollars through bulk food purchases coordinated by KK&P.

NIAGARA FALLS CITY MARKET BUSINESS PLAN & DESIGN CONCEPTS
Empire State Development | Niagara Falls, NY

KK&P supported frequent collaborator Market Ventures to develop the Niagara Falls City Market Business Plan and Design Concept report. We helped situate the market within a broader food system context, providing quantitative analysis of the regional agricultural economy and engaging key stakeholders. The client, Empire State Development, is now moving to the next phase, seeking architectural and engineering services for the market’s renovation.

ADVANCING FOOD FINANCE
NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business | New York, NY

KK&P worked with the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business to transform earlier research and recommendations into an action plan and roadmap. We facilitated an iterative process informed by investors, finance leaders, and food system practitioners to address the critical need for patient, flexible capital for mission-driven food enterprises. Our final report is here: Advancing Food Finance to Increase Access to Healthy, Affordable Food: A Roadmap for Implementation.

FOODTRAILS
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education | MA
Rhode Island Department of Education | RI

Several years of research, iterative design, and partnership have culminated in FoodTrails, a platform that automates tracking and reporting on local food purchases for K-12 school districts. FoodTrails aggregates, cleans, and analyzes data to give school food service operators both bird’s eye and in-the-weeds views to where their food comes from. Districts in RI and MA are onboarding to the platform to inform food buying strategies and compliance.

STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND
Farm Fresh Rhode Island | Providence, RI

After 20 years of impressive impact and growth, Farm Fresh Rhode Island engaged KK&P to facilitate their first strategic planning process. We facilitated mission-and-vision workshops, led an extensive outreach process, fielded a community survey, and then synthesized findings into a plan that will guide the organization’s system change priorities, organizational operations, and partnerships over the next 5 years. We’re also currently leading the recruiting process for their next Executive Director.

CARNATION FARMS IMPACT REPORT
Carnation Farms | Carnation, WA

Carnation Farms is a historically significant agricultural asset of Washington State’s Snoqualmie Valley. A year after recruiting their first Director of Regenerative Agriculture, we worked with Carnation Farms to produce their first Impact Report. The report synthesizes quantitative and qualitative data to form a picture of regenerative practices related to crops, livestock, farmer livelihoods, culinary practices, and efforts towards building a community hub.

RECRUITING FOR URBAN VILLAGES
Urban Villages | Seattle, WA & Denver, CO

We completed two placements this year with Urban Villages—a people-centered development group based in Denver—for their Seattle Railspur project. Railspur is a mixed-use development in Pioneer Square that includes a boutique hotel, acclaimed restaurants, residential units, offices, and shared workspaces. We led the recruiting process for a Property Manager and a Co-Working Community Manager, completing both this fall.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2026

We go into 2026 looking forward to many exciting projects, including these. Stay tuned to our newsletter to hear updates about completed projects, new recruiting searches, and interviews with clients and collaborators.

• Recruiting: We will soon complete additional placements with Farm Fresh Rhode Island (Executive Director), Los Tacos No. 1 (Director of Culinary Operations), and Urban Villages (Senior Asset Manager and Senior Manager of Finance).
• Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center: In January, we will complete 1.5 years of research, concept development, and planning with the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center towards development of a training and R&D center for the value-added dairy sector.
• Rochester Community Food System Plan: In early 2026, we will release the Rochester Community Food System Plan, an ambitious food system assessment and planning effort that KK&P has led since 2023.
• GreenWorks: This year, we developed an action plan for Greenworks, a partnership of trade associations, nonprofits, and universities in Kentucky focused on a holistic approach to workforce development in green industries. We’ll continue supporting those partners through 2026 in the implementation of their ambitious plan.
• KY Farm Launch: KK&P will continue its evaluation of Kentucky Farm Launch, a beginning farmer and rancher development program. The program just wrapped its first 9-month program cohort in late October. 
• Eating with the Ecosystem: We’ll be working with Eating with the Ecosystem through 2026 to provide program evaluation and strategic planning in support of their place-based approach to sustaining and enjoying New England seafood.

Stay tuned for updates on these projects and more! Sign up for our newsletter here and follow us on LinkedIn here.