Farm Hub
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Main Goal
To develop a technological solution that enhances access to nutritious food for food insecure individuals, with a particular focus on those residing in food desert regions, thereby promoting healthier lifestyles and addressing food inequality.
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Contributions
Business Design and IoT Class Client based Project
The team used Trello to divide and allocate tasks and conducted User Research, Environmental Analysis, User Study, Ideation, Conceptualization, Prototyping, User Testing
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Problem Statement
As a resident of a food desert area
When I want to buy healthy food options for my household
I want access to a grocery store within a reasonable distance from my home
So I can maintain a nutritious and healthy diet
But due to the lack of grocery stores in my area, I am forced to rely on unhealthy and processed food options, which can negatively impact my health and well-being.
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Challenges
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Getting insights on problems faced by farmers and their process from harvesting, warehousing to the end consumer
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Streamlining the supply chain address accessibility and affordability
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Understanding how supply chain systems are designed and then integrating them with technology
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Impact
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Affordable Pricing
By partnering with local farmers and food banks, we can source fresh and healthy food at a lower cost and offer them at affordable prices to SNAP beneficiaries. This makes it easier for them to access nutritious food without breaking the bank.
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Convenient Delivery
By offering community delivery, we reduce the cost and the stress involved in acquiring nutritious food, especially for residents in food desert areas. Also, the option for doorstep delivery offers convenience.
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Recipe Suggestions and Meal Planning
We can provide recipe suggestions that are easy to make and require minimal effort and have upfront pricing, making it more likely that SNAP beneficiaries will choose to prepare nutritious meals rather than opting for fast food or other unhealthy options.
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Community Outreach
We can work with community organizations and government agencies to raise awareness about the importance of a healthy diet and promote our solution as a way to improve access to nutritious food.
01/The Approach
1
Research
Environmental Analysis
User Interviews
Field Visits
2
Define
Personas
Scenarios
Use Cases
3
4
5
Ideate
Prototype
Test
Crazy 8's
Storyboarding
IoT Mapping
Stakeholder Mapping
Wireframing
Moodboards
Prototyping
Concept Validation
User Testing
02/What is the Problem Space?
According to USDA, over 200,000 Indiana residents live in food deserts and this number is set to increase as more people order online and the number of grocery stores reduce.
With limited access to fresh, nutritious food, negatively impacts health
Other issues they face:
- Lack of choice
- Inconvenience
- Higher cost of food
03/Background
Problem
Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, [social], and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
Food insecurity is therefore the lack of it.
Barriers
Asset: Financial challenges.
Ability: Physical challenges or geographic factors e.g. disability, lack of means of transportation, etc.
Attitude: Information barriers or negative attitudes that prevent people from accessing healthy foods e.g lack of education
Effects
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Malnutrition (over & under)
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Health problems
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Economic consequences
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Mental health issues
04/Factors Affecting Food Insecurity
Household Income
Household Composition
Race/Ethnicity
Area of Residence
Census Region
05/Understanding the Users and the Market
To approach the problem, we followed a thorough analysis of the domain, and user interviews, followed by some secondary research. We team conducted 12 interviews with current or former SNAP participants, shaping insightful personas. These interviews illuminate crucial user dynamics, guiding our strategies to forge meaningful connections.
What are the Key issues?
1. Limited Access
11%
of the population in Indiana were food insecure.
22%
of Indianapolis, people are living in food deserts
2. Nutrition
34%
obesity rates as, Indiana State ranks 10th in Adult Obesity Rates
21%
adults consume the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables
Understanding the Key Trends - Low Income
People in food deserts
Health Eating Index
What are the Market Forces?
Two distinct user groups ( based on responses )
Contemporary
Contemporary users are much more likely to pay a premium for fresh food and are therefore the primary focus for making the product profitable
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mostly younger
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more well-off
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online shoppers
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urban dwellers
Conventional
Conventional users require assistive technology and discounts and subsidies to convert them into loyal customers
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older
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low-income households
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primary rural
There is a general decrease in the willingness to pay a premium for fresh food.
What is the total Addressable Market?
What are the Industry Forces and how can they be tackled?
High Consumer Bargaining Power
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Nutritional education
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Build a strong power
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Exceptional Customer Service
High Supplier Bargaining Power
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Foster strong relationships
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Diversify suppliers
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Exceptional Customer Service
Threat of new entry
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Partnerships with
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Food banks
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Community organisations
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Who are the Competitors?
Direct Competitors
Indirect Competitors
Subscription-based grocery delivery services
CON: Subscription payments are not SNAP-eligible and SNAP beneficiaries have limited purchasing power.
Online food ordering services
Community-supported agriculture
Food pantries and organizations
CON: may not always offer fresh, healthy food options and rely on donations and goodwill.
Substitute Competitors
Traditional Grocery Stores
CON: Offers a variety of food options but is not in close proximity to residents in food deserts
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Future Competitors
Potential future competitors could include larger grocery chains and online retailers who may expand their delivery services and startups with similar solutions targeting food deserts in other regions.
Additionally, technological advancements and shifts in consumer behavior could also introduce new competitors or disrupt the market in unforeseen ways.
06/Defining the Target Audience
What did we do to reach out to the Users?
Interviews with domain experts
- Bethany Watson: Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Gleaners
- Emily Martin: Marketing and Communications Manager, Second Helpings
12 interviews were conducted of participants who either were or are currently in SNAP* through Marie Wiese: Co-Ordinator, Circles Indy
Curating User Personas
Identifying Key Stakeholders
07/Thinking of Solutions
The rapid Crazy 8's
Which solutions can be Implemented?
1. Repurposing existing space for agricultural use and integrating it into the Social Kitchen Meal Prep system for subsequent distribution through Food Banks and Pantries.
2. Community-Centric Food Delivery Platform
Customers can conveniently place orders on the platform, which will then be delivered through local community centers.
3. Software-driven Platform Solution
Using IoT sensors for crop data, while offering farmers a user-friendly dashboard. We sell predictive yield and market demand models to e-commerce firms, earning revenue through data sales and subscriptions, with potential SNAP user discounts through online food delivery partnerships.
08/The Solution
Introducing
Farm-fresh produce at your convenience
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FarmHub is a mobile app for ordering fresh produce directly from farmers weekly.
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Orders are placed by a certain date and picked up at a central location in the community.
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The delivery fee is low because it is shared among community members.
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Easy and simple recipes are provided to customers for making meals with fresh produce.
How does the IOT based ecosystem work
The nearest community pickup location based on your pincode
The top categories for easy access of basic stuff needed
Clearly shows the items eligible for SNAP benefits
Users can add items to favourites so they do not need to spend time finding them again
Community Pickup Centre
The orders can be picked up from the nearest central community location on the next delivery date.
Cook from your Cart
Recipe suggestions based on the items you frequently order to cook your own meals.
Key aspects of the BMC(Business Model Canvas)
Desirability
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Offering a user-friendly platform for accessing healthy, affordable, and locally sourced food options.
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Facilitating SNAP benefits integration and discounts for eligible users.
Feasibility
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Partnering with local farmers to ensure a consistent supply of fresh produce.
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Utilizing pre-existing facilities owned by food organizations for tasks like inspection, storage facilities & delivery network.
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Collaborating with food fulfillment centers and delivery companies.
Viability
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Profit sharing with food organizations.
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Technology infrastructure cost.
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Revenue from business model & delivery.
Revenue Model
Delivery fees, with higher fees for individuals who want door step delivery
Transaction Fee for Farmers
Commission from Sales
Subscription fee for customers who want premium services
SWOT Analysis
09/What did the users say?
Feedback are based on a group interview with 6 participants who either were or are currently enrolled in SNAP*
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Possible New Features
A feature that will help users plan their week by the recipes they would like to make for the week with an upfront cost of their weekly spending.
Personalisation
Larger granularity in the options when purchasing products like type, size, and weight.
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Find recipes by ingredients
The ability to add and edit their own recipes based on preference and portion size.
10/What can be done in the future?
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Partnering with food banks
Connecting food banks with excess food from farmers to prevent food from going to waste
We can help food bank like Gleaner's achieve its goal of providing access to nutritious food by utilizing their existing fulfillment centers.
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Government funds and foundations
Utilizing platforms for providing subsidized rates to food-insecure individuals using other programs like
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The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
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The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
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Partnerships with other organizations
Partnering with community centers, schools, and healthcare facilities can help identify individuals and families experiencing food insecurity as these are places where people in need seek support.