Take Advantage of One-to-Many Messaging:

Now, just like your regular email inbox, you can send a single message to multiple contacts with just the click of a button.

From a new message click Add Recipients or, if you know exactly who should be on the list, just start typing their name in the ‘To:’ box.

From your contact list, select the contacts you want to message and click ‘Add to Message’ to continue editing your email.

Sellers: Use this feature along with FoodHub’s Hot Sheet builder to quickly communicate product availability to your connections! What’s a Hot Sheet? Watch this video to learn more.

Create POs/Invoices:

We’ve created an easy-to-use template for POs and Invoices straight from the Message Center. To get started, click ‘Compose PO/Invoice’ from your Message Center.  Your new message will be auto-filled with your contact info. All you have to do is fill out the product information and you’re in business.

Build Your Contact List with Ease:

Found a great connection while conducting a search? Send them a message or add them to your contact list right from your search results.

Take Control of Your Inbox:

We’ve tried to create a conscientious business-to-business community on FoodHub. However, if a pesky spammer gets through our walls and into your inbox, now you can choose to block their messages. Simply open their message and click ‘Block this Member’ located to the right of their username.

Blocked a connection by mistake? Visit your ‘blocked’ list by clicking on ‘View Members you’ve blocked’ from your Message Center dashboard.

Now, we know that change can take some getting used to so, to help you get started, here are the top five must-use features of FoodHub’s new search function:

1. Search right from your dashboard.
It’s big, it’s green, it’s beautiful – it’s the product search box at the top of the page right when you log in. Just type and go or select one of your saved searches to find new producers.

2. The new search speaks human.
New in-line search modifications put the important stuff right up front: Who you want to work with, what they’re selling and where they’re located. What’s more, when you scroll down to view your results the search modification bar follows you. Need to change something? Just click the arrow – a drop down let’s you change your search quickly and easily.

3. Find good bits at first blush.
Distributors, minimum orders amounts, capacity information and delivery ranges are all included in each Members’ listing. (Hint, hint sellers: Get this stuff in your profile so buyers don’t pass you by!)

4. Believe in love at first search.
Found your perfect match? Let them know they’re the one for you right away. Hover over their listing in your search results, click ‘Send Message’, and type up a note right from your search results to start connecting.

5. You know what you like and now search does too.
When you change your search parameters you’re telling us all kinds of things. And now search listens: Any time you change a preference to sort by distance it stays that way until you change it. For sellers, search shows you buyers right away. For buyers, search starts right off by showing you the sellers who have what you’re looking for.

Check it out and let us know you like it! Give us a holler: Call 855-FOODHUB or email meet@food-hub.or for feedback.

P.S. Any time we make a change and you open the site only to find some weird stuff going on, it’s helpful to clear your cache. Most internet browsers have a ‘Clear History’ option under ‘Tools’. Having trouble finding this in your browser? Give us a call and we can help.

We’re really excited about the Member survey – we love hearing about how Members are using the site, what can be enhanced, and what should be ditched – it also defines both our to-do list and our budget allocations for next year. It will take only minutes to complete and your feedback will benefit the entire community. Not only that, but you could win an iPad just for participating!

Here area five reasons why you should jump on the survey link as soon as it hits your inbox:

1. Tools and features will be updated and improved according to your needs. Wish the search tool worked differently? Want to do something different with the Marketplace? The Member survey provides opportunities to give feedback on tools currently on the site – which do you use most, what’s working well, what needs improvement, and how to make the whole thing sing for you.
2. Your idea could be the next big thing! FoodHub is still in the very early stages of its development – your ideas have a major impact!
3. Help shape the voice of this region’s food sector. There are a lot of people who are curious about what’s going on in the FoodHub community. Your story is crucial to painting a picture of the food that moves throughout the western region of the US.
4. Your feedback will help determine FoodHub’s future. This survey isn’t just about features and tools, we want your input on big-picture decisions too. Would you like to see FoodHub membership extended throughout the nation? Should we let individual eaters in on the action? Do you want your profile to be accessible by the public at large, not just FoodHub Members? Inquiring minds want to know.
5. Did we mention we’re giving away an iPad?! And you could win just by participating.  One lucky Member will be drawn at random for sharing their voice through the Member survey.

Watch your inbox, the survey link will be coming soon…

Sellers: use the Marketplace to move perishable product quickly! Post a “For Sale” listing to move product you’ve got a lot of right now, give buyers’ a head’s up about what’s coming on soon, or take advance orders for product available later in the year. Just log into FoodHub, visit Marketplace and click the “Create a Post” button to get started. You can also filter the listings to view just the “Wanted” posts to find buyers looking for what you have. Need help with transport or distribution? Post what you need in the “Transport” section of Marketplace to look for potential collaborators.

FYI, Marketplace isn’t just for food products, it’s also a great go-to resource to post or learn about events, workshops, and other services to support your business. Visit the [Transport] tab to find out about potential load-share opportunities. Check out the [Services] section for non-food posts such as animal feed and farm implements, restaurant supplies and other business services. The [Events and Announcements] tab is the perfect place to find or promote events, classes, workshops and meetings.

Need a little help? Watch a tutorial video on using the Marketplace, or get in touch:

FoodHub Help Desk

Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm
meet@food-hub.org
Toll-free: 855-FOODHUB

FoodHub is now easier and more robust than ever! Every major functional area of the site has been lovingly massaged by our dedicated team of engineers to make finding connections and doing business faster, more efficient and more intuitive. Here’s the complete rundown of improvements, details below:

• Updated primary navigation
• Advanced product search
• Improved Marketplace
• New distance slider
• Enhanced profile features
• Upgraded memberships
• Advertising & promotional opportunities
• New FoodHub Knowledge Base
• Expanded Help

Use the updated primary navigation at the top of every page to quickly access

• the new My FoodHub, where all Member account details and activities are now stored
• the rapidly growing Member Directory
• the new and improved FoodHub Marketplace
• the all-new FoodHub Knowledge Base

With Advanced Product Search, foraging for local product just got faster and more efficient. Search by any combination of product attributes, such as type (tree fruit), product (apple), variety (Braeburn), certifications (organic), and availability (October) AND producer attributes, such as business type (farmer), location (within 50 miles) and distribution method (via distributor X or Y) at once! Save your searches and re-run them anytime.

FoodHub Marketplace has been reorganized to make finding relevant posts quick and easy. View Product, Transportation, Services and Events & Announcements posts at a glance, and easily sort or filter posts based on product type, status, distance or Member. Searches can be saved and re-run, and a customizable view of current Marketplace posts appears on each Member’s MyFoodHub page. A handy distance slider makes it a snap to narrow search results or Marketplace posts to your region!

All Member Profiles have been enhanced with the ability to:

• rate and recommend Members
• add up to two contact people
• show the Member’s location on a map
• link to the Member’s social media pages
• turn on a badge indicating willingness to donate to emergency food assistance (EFA) programs
• present products in an easy to read, sortable table

Members who upgrade to an Advantage account ($14.99/mo) will also:
Have their Member listing highlighted in color in the Member Directory and in all product search results, plus all their Marketplace posts will be highlighted to stand out from the crowd.

• Add multiple photos in a photo gallery to tell their story in living color.
• Upload documents (such as recipes, price lists, certification paperwork, event registration forms, etc.) to create an engaging profile and start interacting with potential clients immediately.
• Get 10% discount on all promotional bookings.

Those who upgrade to an All-Access account ($129/yr) get all that, plus:

• Embed videos on their profile to immerse potential contacts in their brand and world.
• List business references on their profile to garner instant credibility.
• Collect email addresses to build their own mailing list.
• Set their Marketplace posts to automatically re-post to stay top of mind, effortlessly.

To upgrade now or learn more, visit www.food-hub.org/upgrade.  To see a fully tricked out sample profile, click here (free FoodHub membership required to view).

Promotional opportunities abound in the newly redesigned FoodHub. Affordable display advertising is available site-wide. Member Spotlight features are seen by every Member upon log-in and are included in weekly Fresh Sheet emails to buyers, sellers and distributors. Sellers and distributors can also sponsor search terms to ensure they always appear in the first three results of specific product searches. Those companies and organizations interested in leading the local food movement can sponsor content on the FoodHub Knowledge Base, a repository of tools, resources and thought leadership in local food.

Access the full media kit at www.food-hub.org/advertise.

The FoodHub Knowledge Base hits prime time in this launch, becoming a valuable repository of resources and videos to help professionals of all kinds find success with local food. Sections include:

• Buy Local
• For Sellers
• Food Safety
• Farm to School
• Farm to Hospital

Open to both FoodHub Members and the general public, the FoodHub Knowledge Base is sure to become a go-to resource for anyone interested in helping localize the commercial food supply.

Last, but not least, help is on the way! FoodHub is an incredibly robust tool and a multi-faceted community. A full library of tutorial videos starring Megan and Leora, FoodHub’s trusty Help Desk mavens, is now available to walk Members step-by-step through making the most of all that FoodHub has to offer. Megan and Leora also staff the

FoodHub Help Desk
Monday – Friday
8am to 6pm
meet@food-hub.org
toll-free: 855-FOODHUB

Phew! As you can see, this launch represents a giant leap toward FoodHub’s mission of helping build strong regional food economies by efficiently connecting buyers, sellers, associates and distributors. Please let us know what you think! Leave a comment and tell us which tools you think will help your business most.

We started offering free FoodHub memberships in February to test whether eliminating the fee significantly increased membership, and therefore connections, for everybody in the community.

Good news, it worked!

Membership in FoodHub has tripled since we started the test and the stories of successful connections have been rolling in…

• SoupCycle (Portland) and Grand Central Bakery (Seattle and Portland) have bought local specialty lentils, garbanzo beans and split peas from Davidson Commodities (Spokane).
• Sound Food (Bainbridge Island) helped a retailer on the island source USDA-certified local pork from Flying Dog Farm (Grapeview, WA) using FoodHub.
• Pd Farms (Eastern Oregon) and Eat Oregon First (Portland metro) have forged a mutually beneficial distribution partnership after meeting on FoodHub.
• Our Family Farm (Eugene) now supplies pastured chicken to the 350 families who do their food shopping through buying club Know Thy Food (Portland).
• Wahluke School District (Mattawa, WA) connected to Bella Terra Gardens (Zillah, WA) and is planning regular deliveries of tomatoes and cucumbers for the school’s salad bar this fall.

FoodHub Fast Start

So we’re declaring “mission accomplished” on the test and rolling out a permanent FREE membership next month called FoodHub FastStart. This membership includes ALL the features and functionality available now, plus some great improvements slated to roll out in the July launch (details on those coming soon).

All FoodHub Members will automatically roll into the free FastStart account, no data or history will be lost. All 2,225+ Members will continue to have full access to the Member Directory and Marketplace and pay NO fees, ever.

FoodHub Advantage

Also coming in July will be two new account types. FoodHub Advantage is a monthly membership that helps Members stand out from the crowd and get found faster. Advantage Members will get:

• Member listing highlighted in color in the Member Directory and in all product search results, plus all Marketplace posts highlighted to stand out from the crowd.
• Add multiple photos in a photo gallery on their profile to tell their story in living color.
• Upload documents (such as recipes, price lists, certification paperwork, event registration forms, etc.) to create an engaging profile and start interacting with potential clients immediately.
• 10% discount on all promotional bookings.

The Advantage account is only $14.99 per month and requires no long-term commitment.

FoodHub All-Access

The second new account type, FoodHub All-Access, provides just what the name implies: everything FoodHub has to offer! The All-Access membership helps not only get found quickly and easily, but also get down to business faster. All-Access Members will get:

• Everything in Advantage, PLUS
• Embed videos on their profiles to immerse potential contacts in their world.
• List business references on their profile to garner instant credibility.
• Collect email addresses to build their own mailing list.
• Set Marketplace listings to automatically re-post so they can stay top of mind, effortlessly.

The All-Access membership is by far the best value, at only $129 for the whole year! Satisfaction will be guaranteed, so there’s no risk in giving it a try.

FoodHub has amassed a truly incredible group of local food professionals as Members. We’re so proud to work with them and very excited to offer a permanent free membership so that everyone in the region can use FoodHub!

FoodHub profiles now:

• Pop your company name, contact info and web address up top where they’re easy to find, read and use.
• Present your logo or photo up by your company name to kick out some high-powered branding.
• Feature a Google map to show your exact location at a glance.
• Show your business description and details in a user-friendly “About Us” section.
• Enhance your “How to Do Business With Us” section by pulling in important factoids like delivery/distribution information and minimum order size (if you’ve provided that information).
• Automatically rolls the first part of your About Us description into the Browse Members view, so you no longer have to write a separate short business description.

Go ahead, sign up or log in and see how the new profile looks on you! By the way, the editing process is also new – you won’t believe how easy it is!

If you’ve got questions or need help getting logged in, please contact our Help Desk at meet@food-hub.org or (503) 467-0816.

PS: This is just the beginning, there are even more enhancements and improvements across the site coming soon. Stay tuned…

The work of FoodHub isn’t complete, nor will it be successful, without the participation and involvement of all who support, advocate for, and serve the food and agriculture trades. Up to this point there hadn’t been a membership category for “Associates” – those that support the food and agricultural community but don’t necessarily buy or sell food products. Good news, now there is!

We’re just getting started, but certifiers, farmers’ market managers, government agencies, NGOs, trade associations, commodity commissions, industry suppliers and more can now join FoodHub as Associate members. Best of all, membership is FREE! Click here to register your organization as a new Associate Member of FoodHub. You’ll get in on the ground floor and be perfectly positioned to help shape the growth of this new membership category. We’re looking forward to your feedback.

Dear FoodHub Members,

FoodHub is officially one year old today! Nearly 800 of you – farmers, chefs, ranchers, restaurateurs, fisherman, foodservice directors, and professional food buyers and sellers of all kinds – have gathered in FoodHub during its first year. Connections have been made and more local product has moved within the greater Northwest region as a result of those connections. Today we celebrate your commitment to the regional food economy and applaud the work you do every day to thrive in extremely challenging industries.

We’ve also taken to heart all that you’ve taught us in the last year – your feedback has been invaluable. Thanks entirely to your input, we are announcing some major changes to FoodHub:

FREE

FoodHub can’t successfully facilitate connections among buyers and sellers until there is a critical mass of active Members, not just near FoodHub’s home base, but throughout the region (which includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and California).

We’ve heard loud and clear that the $100 membership fee is a barrier for many potential members, and we now believe that barrier is keeping the community from reaching the density so vital to the success of all members. So today we’ve launched a FREE membership test. If the test is successful and the community starts growing rapidly, we may make the change permanent and continue developing other revenue streams to support the community. (Please note: if you paid the full membership fee you will receive a complimentary credit toward paid services. Details will be announced pending the outcome of the test.)

Please help spread the FREE word! If you know someone who would be interested in FoodHub, tell them today to go to www.food-hub.org and register for free. More members will mean more connections and more product moving within the region.

HELP

Another important lesson you taught us is that we need to provide better assistance. Starting next week you’ll get a weekly email, FoodHub’s Fresh Sheet, which, much like a farmer or distributor’s fresh sheet, will provide a quick rundown of what’s hot in the community that week.

Included will be good Marketplace posts you might have missed, updates on seasonal product availability, notification of new Members who might be good connections for you, and announcements of key events in the food and ag industries. You will be able to customize the information you receive so that your FoodHub Fresh Sheet is specifically relevant to your business. Watch your inbox next week!

We’ve also hired two new Membership Coordinators. You can now call the FoodHub Help Desk between 8am and 6pm on any weekday and talk directly with Leora or Megan. They are happy to help you troubleshoot technical problems, suggest ways to improve your profile , help write a Marketplace post, or collect your feedback to pass along to the rest of the team. Please don’t hesitate to make contact!

FoodHub Help Desk: (503) 467-0816 or meet@food-hub.org
Weekdays, 8am-6pm

MUCH MORE TO COME

This really is just the beginning. In the coming weeks and months you will see updates and improvements to FoodHub roll out in pretty rapid fire. We need your engagement now more than ever – please don’t hesitate to email or call us with your reactions, thoughts and ideas. This is your opportunity to shape the future of FoodHub.

Happy birthday. We’re thrilled to be on this journey with you and look forward to an exciting second year.

All best,
Deborah & the FoodHub Team

We had received ample feedback from our members that we needed to include cut flowers (even though they aren’t food) within our product listings—and so, just in time for spring, we’ve added both cut and edible flowers to the FoodHub “taxonomy.” Currently, we have not listed individual flower varieties, but instead the larger categories.

We also recently added micro greens to the FoodHub product list. Anyone else suddenly hungry for a salad of greens and spicy nasturtiums!?

FoodHub will continually evolve to meet your needs, so please tell us if you can’t find a product that you buy or sell; if we’re missing an important certification or business type; or if we don’t list your farmers market or distribution partner. Let us know your request by either clicking the green Feedback button of the left side of the FoodHub screen or sending an email to connect@food-hub.org.

Photo by Taylor Schefstrom