Unlike traditional corporate marketing, value chains address the customers’ desire to promote social improvement. Food value chains are an innovative business model that relies on a collaborative and transparent partnership among agricultural producers, manufacturers, buyers, and other related supply chain participants. Typically, they focus on support for the local economy, preservation and viability of farmland; animal welfare; a community’s access to fresh food; and environmental stewardship.

Urban food hubs are an important subset of a food value chain. Many small farmers lack access to retail, institutional, and commercial foodservice markets. By aggregating distribution and marketing channels, food hubs provide these producers an entry into markets that will provide income and opportunities for scaling up their production. Below is a list of links that provide toolkits, pdfs and other links to marketing and distribution resources.