‘FOOD-HUB SUPERSTAR’ ABOARD

 NYC Consultant To Study

‘Food Innovation District’

By LIBBY CUDMORE • for www.AllOTSEGO.com

ONEONTA – Even before she had officially been signed to conduct of the feasibility study, Karen Karp of Karen Karp & Partners, a food-hub consulting firm out of New York City, already had ideas about how to take the proposed Market Street food hub to the next level.

“She said, ‘This isn’t about a food hub anymore’,” Sandy Mathes, Otsego Now president, reported this morning.  “She wants to look at Market Street, the railyard, Northern Eagle Beverages and the Hartwick College Craft Food & Beverage Center into a food innovation district.”

This morning, the Otsego Now board unanimously awarded the $165,000 project to Karp, with $150,000 coming from state funds received during this year’s CFA grants. “She’s out of New York City, so she’s very boots on the ground,” said Mathes.

Initially, the study of the food hub was conceived as a way to help farmers bring and distribute their goods to a wider market.  “We talked about having a commercial kitchen, an Instant Quick Freeze processing plant, bottling or labeling,” said Elizabeth Horvath, Otsego Now COO.

But during the interview, Karp presented an idea beyond their scope.  She wanted to connect Main Street, drive traffic from I-88 and help us carve out a niche in this area,” said Mathes.

That might mean a craft brewery, a malting plant and a small scale yogurt plant in a building on the railyards.  “A food hub is just a building,” said Horvath.  “This is more than that.”

Karp’s firm has worked with Pret a Manger, City Harvest and Adirondack Grazers Beef Cooperative “She’s a food-hub superstar,” she said.

It will also tie in with Elan Planning, Design and Architecture’s update of the city’s comprehensive plan and the housing study, as well as the studies of the railyards.

“If we’re going to do distribution, we don’t want tractor trailers going up and down Market Street,” said Mathes.  “That’s how we can tie it to the railyards.  I want us to be the center of the universe.”

Horvath hopes the study will be finished by June, in time to apply for the next round of CFA grants.