Late last year, Karen Karp & Partners was retained by the Memphis-based AgLaunch to develop an innovation strategy to grow the regional agriculture system of the Mid-South Delta Region. Consisting of 98 counties in Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee, the Mid-South Delta is home to remarkable assets that support a multi-billion-dollar agriculture and food economy....

At KK&P, more and more we are being called upon for our “thought leadership” – from one-off events to more complex design and facilitation to comprehensive agriculture and food sector strategic plans. Sometimes it’s the reason a client selects our firm over an equally experienced competitor. The term has become so commonplace, and I’ve accepted...

Over the past 6 years, Karen Karp & Partners has worked closely with the Rhode Island Food Policy Council (RIFPC) as they have grown and strengthened the state’s food system. First commissioned in 2011, KK&P detailed the then-current capacity of Rhode Island’s food system, identified priorities for the RIFPC and other stakeholders working to increase...

Every year, the NYC Food Policy Center at Hunter College releases its annual class of New York City’s 40 under 40, an impressive roster of people working to transform the food system. We were excited to see many names familiar to KK&P here, and are proud to highlight a few of them. Our specific congratulations...

“Gastronomy Facing Sustainability: How new recipes should help to reduce food waste & loss and drive our food habits towards sustainability & health.” We are pleased to announce the 5th “Eating City Summer Campus”, inviting 28 participants aged 22-32, working & studying around food sustainability: Chefs, Food Procurement Officers, Farmers & Fisherman, and Foodies from...

In early 2016 KK&P was retained by Hands on Hartford (HOH) to create a best-use plan for its kitchen, cafe, and community space in their new Center for Community. Hands on Hartford – a non-profit that supports Hartford residents with a range of programs in the areas of food, housing, and economic security – had...

Last week, I attended the 40th Annual National Food Policy Conference, organized by the Consumer Federation of America, in Washington DC. The conference was a great convening of people working in government, academia, philanthropy, for-profit, and nonprofit entities related to food. Keynotes and panels addressed wide ranging issues, including state and local policy, big data...

KK&Ps anticipated project in Oneonta, NY, the Susquehanna Regional Craft Food & Beverage Hub, has just unveiled floor plans for its proposed space. The future regional food hub is intended as a flagship location for education and entrepreneurship, with the first floor housing a shared commercial kitchen and local food producers, the second floor committed to...

The New York Hall of Science (NYSCI), located in Queens, NY, has engaged Karen Karp & Partners to identify, recruit and select a new foodservice operator for its dining operations. NYSCI is a hands-on, educational experience that fosters science-based curiosity and creativity. Founded at the 1964-65 World’s Fair, NYSCI has evolved into New York’s center...

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has awarded Value Added and Regional Food System Grants to nine projects throughout the state. Rainbow Packing Inc. of Escanaba, the region’s only USDA-inspected slaughter and processing facility, was awarded $100,000, which will go towards expanding their facility to keep pace with meat processing needs in the...

An exploratory interview with Shayna Cohen, Sr. Consultant at KK&P, has been integrated into the curriculum for a graduate level planning course titled “Planning Practice & History” at Cornell University. The interview and resulting paper focus on Shayna and KK&Ps work to develop a wholesale farmer’s market in New York City featuring growers from NY...

Agriculture and food entrepreneurship have great potential to drive placemaking and create destinations for tourists and local residents, whether in small towns or major urban centers. By developing bespoke concepts and responsive strategies to reconnect a place to its food and agricultural economies, we help communities capitalize on the potential of their regional assets and...