Entrepreneurship Students Pitch a New Business Proposal to the Bay Area Food Bank and The Department of Agriculture
Recently the Bay Area Food Bank evaluated a business proposal developed by students in the Social Entrepreneurship course, taught by Jennifer Edwards. The proposal provides a plan to create a student led business that is a farm to market initiative and a not-for-profit educational program. The proposed name of the initiative is "Coastal Organics."
Students have proposed that Costal Organics will create distribution networks to help local farmers get their locally grown product into local grocery and specialty stores. The for-profit company will also create and maintain a retail outlet, as well as a training facility for the non-profit division of the organization. The non-profit division of Coastal Organics is proposing to implement/maintain garden plots in our local residential communities and other areas in the region to cultivate and educate citizens on growing fruits and vegetables and tips for living a healthy lifestyle.
Leaders of the Bay Area Food Bank were positively impressed with the proposal and indicated the non-profit is investigating how the Food Bank can partner with Costal Organics. The students are in the planning phase of this project. Additionally, the Department of Agriculture has also expressed an interest in partnering with Coastal Organics. Stay tuned for more on this ongoing business development project that will continue in the spring semester, with plans to start business operations in May 2016.