Founded in 2009 by volunteers, Local Roots was created through the backing of the community, establishing an annual marketplace with the purpose of showcasing the freshest local produce and ingredients. Since its inception, Local Roots has been a pillar of support for small business owners and food producers, connecting nearby agriculture to the city of Wooster. 2020 marked a new direction for the organization with the introduction of their “FoodSphere”, a business incubator which provides formal and fundable services to local small business owners and producers in the food community. 1Donaldson, 2021 These services include contributing insight into marketing, technical assistance, and networking through collaborative efforts. Elizabeth Schuster, an environmental economist for Sustainable Economies Consulting, helped conduct a feasibility study, to determine interest in the incubator. The study was conducted after Schuster heard of Local Roots dedication to the community, as the organization went out of their way to support local businesses and producers.2Donaldson, 2021 In August of 2020, a diverse committee was then assigned the task of developing the new business incubator, with representatives from Autumn Harvest Farm, Main Street Wooster, Stillmeadow Acre Farm & Studio, and Local Roots.3Local Roots
For further reading:
“About | Local-Roots.” Local-Roots, https://www.localrootswooster.com/about. Accessed 11 June 2021.
Donaldson, Sarah. “Wooster’s Local Roots Founds Incubator for Food and Farm Businesses – Farm and Dairy.” Farm and Dairy, 22 Jan. 2021, https://www.farmanddairy.com/news/woosters-local-roots-founds-incubator-for-food-and-farm-businesses/646877.html.