Innovative Solutions for the Food System

We are a women-owned advisory firm that brings lived experience to this work: we have planted and harvested on farms, cooked in kitchens and co-manufacturing facilities, served on the front lines of food access and food security agencies, operated aggregation and distribution networks, and coordinated local procurement for national food service management companies.

We advise clients on business planning and development; project feasibility, need, and best practices; food hub networking; culinary operations; and food production. Regional supply chain infrastructure, sustainability, food security, and equity underpin our work.

  • “Food Works Group conducted extensive interviews, convened experts, and developed a thorough, thoughtful, and technically-sophisticated work product for the study that the District government commissioned. Wendy was responsive and collaborative, and a pleasure to work with.”

    Ona Balkus
    Food Policy Director, DC Office of Planning

  • “Food Works Group provided critical capacity for conducting research and articulating stakeholder challenges and opportunities. Their work was professional, well-presented, on-time, and on-budget; and the resulting deliverables have helped us secure additional funding for our projects.”

    Will Gray
    Managing Director, Eastern Food Hub Collaborative

  • “Wendy brings a deep understanding of all aspects of the food system and keen analytical skills to every project. But more than that, her passion for and commitment to making the world a better place are what set her work apart. We highly recommend her services.”

    Kristen Suokko
    Executive Director, Local Food Hub

  • “Wendy and I co-facilitated a 3-day food systems-related summit with industry leaders in early 2020. Knowledgeable, concise, full of care and focused on what each client needs is how Wendy operates. She and her team drive with passion towards your long-term vision and consult with full spectrum food systems wisdom. I deeply look forward to working again with Wendy.”

    Russ Watts
    Executive Coach & Organizational Consultant, The Watts Group Coaching and Consulting

  • “Food Works Group provided us with insight, research and connections that we didn't have the time, resources or the experience to create on our own. They gave us the opportunity to take a step back so we could thoughtfully analyze our operations and organization from a 10,000 foot viewpoint, allowing us to create systems and programs that are equitable, mission focused, and financially sustainable.”

    Jameson Small
    Program Manager, Organization for Refugee & Immigrant Success

  • “Wendy has been a positive and transformative source of energy. She's supportive and encouraging while keeping focused and on task. After many years of effort and struggle, Wendy's collaboration has progressed my project further and faster than I could have hoped.”

    Piero Taico
    Founder, Nourish Springfield

  • “Wendy is deeply committed to using her talent and her craft to work alongside good food system actors for the sake of creating a more just and regenerative food system. She and her team work tirelessly to make sure every project they touch is rigorously tested and analyzed, bringing a level of detail and analysis that is profoundly helpful. As a happy client of Food Works Group, the thing I appreciate most is that while they give undivided attention to a project, they do so in a way that never loses sight of the bigger picture: working towards a better food system of the future. Oh, and, they’re also super fun. So that’s cool too.”

    Tom McDougall
    Founder and CEO, 4P Foods

  • “Food Works Group surpassed our expectations. Their team is deeply knowledgeable, savvy with research, and responsive to client needs. They gave us confidence that we were on the right track and provided a comprehensive, detailed roadmap to get there. We enjoyed working with them so much that we are doing it again!”

    Charles Bergman
    Director of Neighborhood Strategies, New Brunswick Tomorrow

  • “Food Works Group is the extra pair of hands and minds that every food business needs.”

    Jeff Blaugrund
    Founder, Braise Worthy

  • “Wendy brings to the table a deep knowledge of the regional food system as well as a wealth of connections that have expanded our opportunities.”

    Hugo Mogollon
    Executive Director, Freshfarm

  • “Food Works Group is a powerful strategic partner for organizations of all shapes and sizes. Wendy, Emily, and their team excel in establishing spaces to listen and to learn. From there, they draw on their bank of vast experience and strategic insight to cut through to the core of the matter at hand. We are truly thankful to count Food Works Group as a valuable project collaborator.”

    Anna Haas
    Local Food Program Director, What Chefs Want

  • “When you work with Food Works Group, everyone on the team performs at a higher level, and exemplifies mastery and commitment to our vision. I received strategies and projections that allowed me to think differently regarding our projects. The results and layouts came in quickly and exceeded my expectations.”

    Sydney West
    Owner, Seneca Mall

  • “We extend our deepest gratitude to Food Works Group for their exceptional collaboration with Eastern Workforce Opportunity Regional Center and Services (EasternWORCS). Working with FWG has been transformative for our organization. The team’s unwavering commitment to our mission, coupled with their expertise and innovative strategies, has truly elevated our projects. FWG not only provided valuable insights and projections but also approached our initiatives with a level of mastery that surpassed our expectations. Their team goes above and beyond, and their dedication and quick turnaround in delivering results have significantly contributed to the success of our endeavors.”

    Dr. Megan Webb
    Dean of Advancement and Innovation, EasternWORCS

Our Mission

We work with our clients to build robust, resilient, and sustainable regional food systems and successful businesses.

As food business strategists, we bring together smart ideas and smart people to create opportunities for food businesses and the communities they serve. Our data-driven approach makes a lasting impact in our world, starting at the regional level.

We work in service to a more equitable food system

FWG is committed to uncovering and disrupting the tenets of white supremacy that underpin our food system. We recognize the multiple, intersectional barriers that prevent Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers, food vendors, and food system leaders from achieving their full potential, and we strive to recognize, address, and work to eliminate these barriers whenever possible. We recognize that hunger and health disparities often fall along racial lines. We work to elevate the voices of marginalized communities through thoughtful, informed engagement and encourage our clients to consider the time, resources, and reflection that true inclusion and restorative justice demands. FWG is committed to continued learning and self-evaluation on racism in the food system and the nuanced impacts of systemic racism on food justice.