Business / Community Service Survey:
Thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey. It should take you
approximately 15-20 minutes. This survey will help us in the design and
initiation of the Food Hub in Casey project.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Section 1: Business Characteristics
Note: This section deals with the general characteristics of your business / service
and will help us understand who the partners and stakeholders of a Food Hub
might be in this region.
1. Postcode: _____________________
2. Type of Business / Service
☐ Distributor
☐ Restaurant / Cafe
☐ Institutional Buyer
☐ Processing / value-add
☐ Food Service
☐ Community service
☐ Wholesale
☐ Retail
☐ Other
___________________________
Describe key features of your operation (e.g. independent retail market, mostly specialty
foods)
3. Your role in the business:
☐ Owner
☐ Manager
☐ Customer Service
☐ CEO
☐ Food Procurement
☐ Other
___________________________
☐ Less than $70 000
☐ $70 000 - 250,000
☐ $250 000 to 500 000
☐ $500 000 to $ 2 million
☐ More than $2 million
No. employees
Floor space / no. of sites
______________________
_____________________________
4. Scale of your business
Approx. turnover
5. How long have you been operating in this region?
☐ < 12 months
☐ 6-10 years
☐ > 15 years
☐ 1-5 years
☐ 11-15 years
6. Why are you operating in this location
(e.g. close to home, good opportunities?)
7. Do you plan to continue operating here?
☐ Yes
☐ No
☐ Maybe
8. Who are your customers?
☐ Diners / Patrons
☐ Institutional Buyer
☐ Other businesses
☐ Households
☐ Community service
___________________________
☐ Retail outlets
☐ Other
___________________________
9. What do you think your customers value about your business / service?
(top 3 e.g. freshness, quality, convenience)
Any Additional Comments on Section I (OPTIONAL):
Section II: Procurement and Marketing
Note: This section deals with your food procurement and marketing and will help
us better understand current food requirements in the region.
10. What is your approximate food spend (select weekly or monthly )
☐ weekly
☐ monthly
☐ < $2,000
☐ $5,000 - $15,000
☐ $30,000 - $50,000
☐ $2,000 - $5,000
☐ $15,000 - $30,000
☐ > $50,000
11. What food categories do you purchase for your business? (tick all that apply)
☐ Meat
☐ Eggs
☐ Processed Foods
☐ Fish
☐ Vegetables & Fruit
☐ Oils
☐ Dairy
☐ Grains & Legumes
☐ Other
___________________________
12. Where do your four main products / product groups come from?
[Two drop downs and comment box]
Product Group (drop down)
Options of product groups in q8
e.g.
 Meat
 Fish
 Dairy
 Eggs
 etc
Destination/Market outlet
(drop down)
One of
 Agent / Intermediary /
Distributor
 Wholesale market
(Footscray)
 Other wholesaler
 Coles / Woolworths
 IGA / FoodWorks etc
 Independent Retailer
(butcher, greengrocer
etc)
 Direct – Farmers Market,
Farm Gate Sale, direct
customers etc
 Any others?
Other / Comment
[text box]
13. If you have shifted your food purchasing in the past 3 years, briefly explain
the reasons why your business has shifted towards or away from particular
channels.
14. What are priority issues for your business / service in terms of food
procurement? (e.g. cost, convenience, reliability, regular delivery)
☐ Cost
☐
☐ Variety
☐ Regularity
☐ Convenience – location, delivery,
ease of ordering
☐ Quality
Able to get quantities we need (small
or large)
Relationships
Other
Any Additional Comments on Section II (OPTIONAL):
Section III: Development of local / regional distribution and
marketing initiatives
Note: This section deals with your current or potential interest in purchasing local
/ regional foods for your business and will help us identify where new local food
services in the region might be useful.
15. How would you define ‘local / regional’ produce?
☐ Casey / Cardinia
☐ Victorian
☐ SE Region e.g. Baw Baw,
Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Ranges,
West Gippsland etc
☐ Australian
16. What would you consider to be the advantages or disadvantages of
purchasing local / regional produce?
Advantages
Disadvantages
17. In Question 12 you described your food procurement channels. Would you
describe any of these as:
a) Direct marketing or sales (e.g. direct deliveries from farmers, farmers
markets)
☐ Yes ☐ No
b) Local or regional distribution (e.g. through or to local retail,
restaurants)
☐ Yes ☐ No
18. Would you like to purchase more local / regional produce?
☐ Yes
☐ No
☐ Maybe
19. Check the main barriers to increasing your purchases of local / regional
produce
☐
The products I want and need aren’t available
☐
I wouldn’t know how to find it / where to get it
☐
Too much trouble to arrange and order
☐
I need larger quantities than I can get from individual producers
☐
I need regular and consistent produce
☐
I have concerns about the quality
☐
I have concerns about food safety
☐
I don’t think there is demand / interest from my customers
Other (please describe):
20. Would the development of a regional Food Hub would be of interest to your
business?
☐ Yes
☐ No
☐ Not Sure
21. Tick any of the following potential Food Hub services that might be of
interest to you
☐ Networking, directories or other opportunities to connect with local producers
☐ Coordination of ordering, payments and distribution from regional producers
☐ Online ordering
☐ Joint marketing / branding / promotion – growing consumer awareness of local
and regional produce
☐ Quality assurance and food safety
☐ Other (please explain):
Comments:
22. FINAL COMMENTS FOR SECTION III: Our goal is to develop and support
appropriate infrastructure and systems that will contribute to a vibrant
regional food economy. If you have other thoughts and suggestions please let
us know.
Next steps
Please indicate your level of interest in further involvement in this project
(Check all that apply to you)
☐ Curious – keep me informed about progress as the Food Hub initiative
develops.
☐ Contributing – I would be interested in attending information sessions or
forums for later project stages (late 2012 / early 2013).
☐ Committed – I’m keen and would like to be involved with the
development of a Food Hub model for this region (commencing early
2013).
☐ Open – I’m interested in regional food development activities and would
like to receive occasional information from the research team about other
networks or opportunities.
☐ Please just send me the results of this survey when they are completed.
☐ No further contact please.
If you are interested in further contact, please provide appropriate contact
details below.
NB. All identifying information will be filed separately from your survey
responses to maintain your privacy.
Preferred Contact:
☐ Phone
☐ Email
☐ Post
Name: ____________________________________Phone:_____________________________
Business Name: _______________________________ E-mail:____________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________ Post code ________________________________
Thank you so much for your time!
Your input is highly valued and is integral to the development of the food hub
initiative.