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PROJECT PURPOSEOUR PROJECT TITLED COLLABORATION FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH: ADVANCING THE ORGANIC GLUTEN-FREE GRAIN VALUE CHAIN WILL INCREASE PROCESSING AND CONSUMPTION OF ORGANIC, GLUTEN-FREE, HIGH-PROTEIN OATS AND ROTATIONAL CROP MILLET IN MONTANA AND THE SURROUNDING GROWING REGION BY CREATING A COLLABORATIVE INTEGRATED VALUE CHAIN (CVIC). OUR GOALS ARE TO 1) EXPAND ORGANIC PROCESSING CAPACITY AT MONTANA GLUTEN FREE (MGF) TO ALLEVIATE A REGIONAL GRAIN PROCESSING BOTTLENECK THAT FORCES FARMERS TO SELL PREMIUM CROPS FOR BIRD AND ANIMAL FEED AT 50 OF FULL VALUE, 2) DEVELOP MORE PRODUCTS FROM ORGANIC SPECIALTY GRAINS FOR PEOPLE WITH MEDICALLY RESTRICTED DIETS DUE TO ALLERGIES OR GLUTEN INTOLERANCE (85M CONSUMERS), TOXIN AND PESTICIDE CONCERNS, OR DIABETES (57M) OR TO INCREASE DIETARY PLANT PROTEIN (125M), 3) INCREASE SPECIAL-DIET CONSUMER PULL (DEMAND) OF ORGANIC GRAINS BY EXPANDING PRODUCT TRIAL, ADDING SALES CHANNELS, BUILDING CONSUMER TRUST IN ORGANIC FOOD, 4) BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT BY DECREASING TRANSPORTATION MILES AND PROMOTION OF HULLESS OATS, WHICH PRODUCE 50 LESS CARBON EMISSIONS, AND DROUGHT-TOLERANT MILLET, WHICH USES 1 3RD LESS WATER THAN OTHER GRAINS. ACTIVITIES-INCREASE ORGANIC FINISHED GOODS CAPACITY BY INTEGRATING OPERATIONS AT MGF WITH FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT FOR BAG FILLING AND IMPROVED PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY. UPGRADE FOOD SAFETY CERTIFICATION LEVEL. -ESTABLISH A MILLET VALUE CHAIN BY PURCHASING AND INSTALLING EQUIPMENT TO DEHULL MILLET AT MGF AND SETTING UP PROCUREMENT CONTRACTS WITH REGIONAL FARMERS. -DEVELOP 3-5 NEW ORGANIC SPECIALTY GRAIN PRODUCTS IN COLLABORATION WITH SNACKTIVIST, TARGETING MARKETS SUCH AS FOOD SERVICE ACCOUNTS AND BIG BOX STORES, AND BUILD B2B INGREDIENT SALES. -IMPLEMENT MARKETING STRATEGIES LED BY A SPECIALIZED MARKETING DIRECTOR TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND ADOPTION OF ORGANIC SPECIALTY GRAINS AMONG SPECIAL-DIET AND NON-TOXIC LIVING CONSUMERS. -COLLABORATE WITH TECHNOLOGY PARTNER FOOD VIIISION TO ENHANCE ZEGOS PURITY TRANSPARENCY SYSTEM, MAKING PRODUCT INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE AND EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF INFORMATION TO INCLUDE LINKS TO FARMERS. DELIVERABLES AND OUTCOMES -INCREASE MGFS ORGANIC PRODUCTION CAPACITY BY 770 AND SALES 550 -ESTABLISH A SUSTAINABLE PROSO MILLET VALUE CHAIN WITH AT LEAST 10 FARMERS-INTRODUCE UP TO 5 NEW ORGANIC SPECIALTY GRAIN PRODUCTS-EXPAND INTO TWO NEW HIGH-VELOCITY MARKET CHANNELS-INCREASED CONSUMER AWARENESS AND CONSUMPTION OF ORGANIC SPECIALTY GRAINS AMONG SPECIAL DIET AND NON-TOXIC LIVING CONSUMERS-IMPROVED PURITY TRANSPARENCY SYSTEM TO BUILD CONSUMER TRUST IN ORGANIC FOOD. BENEFICIARIES10-20 PRODUCERS: PREMIUM PRICES AND CROP DIVERSIFICATION, INCLUDING HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS FROM ECONOMICALLY AT-RISK REGIONSMGF: INCREASED ORGANIC PROCESSING CAPACITY, SALES OF ORGANIC SPECIALTY GRAINS, AND COPACKING SERVICES, ENSURING ITS VIABILITY AS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE ORGANIC GRAINS VALUE CHAINCONSUMERS: MORE PRODUCTS SAFE FOR MEDICALLY RESTRICTED DIETS MADE FROM DOMESTIC, ORGANIC, HIGH-PROTEIN, GLUTEN-FREE GRAINS AND AVAILABLE AT MORE RETAIL AND INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS SMALL BRANDS: ACCESS TO US ORGANIC SPECIALTY GRAINS AND COPACKINGPARTNER AND COLLABORATOR ACTIVITIESZEGO: PROJECT DIRECTOR, INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION, COMPLIANCE, FINANCE, MARKET DEVELOPMENT, AND REPORTINGMGF: CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, PROCUREMENT EXPERIENCE, RELATIONSHIPS WITH REGIONAL PRODUCERS, AND FACILITY OPERATIONAL EXPERTISEOPEXEC CONSULTING: PROJECT OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT SNACKTIVIST: VALUE CHAIN COORDINATION, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING, PRODUCER RELATIONSHIPS, SALES, AND IMPROVING OUR PURITY VERIFICATION SYSTEM WITH FOOD VIIISIONSPOKIN, NOURISHED, HIGHER RING, OTHER KEY MARKETING INFLUENCERS: EXECUTE MARKETING ACTIVITIES TO RAISE AWARENESS OF ORGANIC SPECIALTY GRAINS AMONG TARGETED CONSUMERSFOOD VIIISION: IMPROVE ZEGOS PURITY TRANSPARENCY SYSTEM TO BUILD
$3.0m 3/13/24