Gleaners Food Bank announced plans Thursday to create an “agri-hub solutions center” on Indianapolis’ west side where new ideas in hunger relief will be tested, refined and taught.
John Elliott, Gleaners’ president and CEO, said during Thursday’s IBJ Power Breakfast that the not-for-profit’s board is working with a firm that specializes in design thinking methodologies to create a campus master plan and vet ideas for an entrepreneurial incubator next to the nonprofit’s warehouse at 3737 Waldemere Ave.
The agri-hub’s proposed goal is to provide a space for Gleaners and its partners to come up with innovative methods for sourcing and distributing nutritious perishable products. Though he doesn’t have a definitive timeline and price in mind for the project, Elliott said his hope is to start construction on the agri-hub within the next two years.
“The ultimate goal through testing these ideas would be to increase the volume of nutritious products distributed to food insecure households, while lowering the costs and increasing nutritional quality and seasonal variety,” Elliott said.
Similar to a business start-up incubator, Gleaners’ proposed agri-hub would serve as a testing ground for innovative approaches to managing food supply chains, addressing market demands, creating sustainable pricing structures and improving distribution efficiencies.
A New York-based developer of advanced livestock waste treatment technology has announced plans for a new facility in Jasper County. Bion Environmental Technologies says it will develop a sustainable grain-finished beef production facility near Fair Oaks Farms.
Bion says the facility will include its third-generation waste treatment technology platform, which is being used for the first time at commercial scale. The technology is designed to reduce the environmental impacts of large-scale livestock production by recovering valuable assets from the waste stream that can be used for coproducts such as fertilizer, clean water, and even renewable energy, according to the company.
The company says the facility will be designed to feed about 300 head of beef cattle in barns that could be reconfigured to house swine when necessary.
Knox County high school students will have access to a new STEM program through a partnership between the Pantheon Theatre business incubator in Vincennes and Purdue University. The Pantheon says Hardware Store Science is designed to build interest and aptitude for careers in technical and advanced manufacturing.
Avon-based Harlan Bakeries LLC is adding an Evansville company to its portfolio. The company has acquired AmeriQual Group Holdings LLC, which produces, packages and distributes food products, though financial terms are not being disclosed.
Harlan did not detail whether any jobs would be affected by the deal, but President Hugh Harlan says the company plans to work with all employees to vertically integrate both businesses and ensure continued growth for both companies.
“The AmeriQual team is excited to be partnering with Harlan Bakeries as we move towards the next phase of our company’s growth,” AmeriQual President Dennis Straub said in a news release. “We believe that there are multiple growth opportunities with this combination and that our company cultures are very similar.”
A new veterinary healthcare system is launching its planned nationwide network in Indianapolis. Galaxy Vets says it plans to buy general practices in Indy and will build a new surgical and emergency specialty hospital with its own reference laboratory.
Galaxy Vets says it will offer stock options in the network to its employees, making them co-owners and shareholders of the entire network.
Dr. Ivan Zak, founder of SmartFlow and Veterinary Integration Solutions, will lead the venture.
“As a burned-out vet in the past, eradicating this chronic illness of our profession has become a very personal goal for me,” Zak says. “Having helped over 600 practices with workflow optimization in my SmartFlow days and then three years of consulting corporate groups on sustainable growth as the CEO of VIS, I believe I’ve found a formula to create a burnout-free veterinary organization where all employees feel happy and empowered.”
Source: Inside INdiana Business
Virtual Vocations has named two Indiana cities to its list of the Top 10 Cities for Remote Work in 2021. According to the report, which outlines U.S. cities with the best opportunities to work remotely while also enjoying a flexible, well-rounded personal life, Fort Wayne ranks No. 8 and South Bend ranks No. 9.
Officials will break ground today on a 12-acre agritourism facility in Westfield, which will include a distillery. Indianapolis based-West Fork Whiskey Co. announced plans last year for the $10 million development near Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.
The craft whiskey distiller says the 35,000-square-foot complex will include a 5,000 square-foot event space, retail store, a 4,000 square-foot restaurant with a cocktail lounge, a speakeasy, and additional production space.
