f3 offers a business planning service provided by consultants who have themselves been involved in a range of food-related business ventures.

We offer help to existing businesses, start-ups, social enterprises, co-operatives and community based initiatives to identify what they want to achieve and how they should go about it.

We generally follow a 3-stage plan:

	market research - to gain a thorough understanding of the context for the enterprise, the opportunities and barriers, and positioning
	assessment and analysis - to establish options available to the enterprise using financial modelling tools to quickly analyse potential profitability, cash flow issues and funding needs
	action plan - to build a coherent development strategy which is based on the real capacities of the management team and other resources, and an effective marketing plan

Free enterprise consultancy: Up to 5 days free consultancy is now available to community food enterprises in England, under the Making Local Food Work programme. Contact Simon on 07970 498213 for more information.

Some recent projects have included:

Pulborough village shop - a feasibility study and costed business plan for the Aldingbourne Trust in Sussex, which supports people with disabilities, to create a new village shop on a social enterprise model, with training opportunities.

Trealy Farm business plan - cashflow projections and advice to a small producer setting up an air-dried ham and salami enterprise.

Leominster Ice Cream - market research and outline business plan to eatblish an ice cream enterprise operating as a social firm to provide income and workplace opportunities for clients of the Leominster Area Regeneration Company.

Cultivating Co-operatives: Organisational structures for local food enterprises - a Soil Association handbook for social enterprise development edited by Greg Pilley (an f3 member)

Please also see our extensive experience in distribution enterprises.