Initiative ... Urban Agriculture
Family Fish Farms Network

The Family Fish Farms Network, Inc ... outline draft of a business plan

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

The Family Fish Farms Network, Inc

Strategic Business Plan

The Huffington Post: “Indoor Urban Farming … the Future of Food Production”

Family Fish Farms, we grow fresh healthy food, eliminate pollution, save millions of gallons of fresh water, and create decent green jobs.”

Table of Contents

• The Family Fish Farms Network 3
• This Document 3
• Confidentiality 3
• Planning 3
• Professional Resources: 4
• The Company 11
• The Business 11
• The Problems We Solve 11
• Success Factors 12
• Competition 14
• Business Development 19
• Marketing Communications 19
• Sales 19
• Aquaponics – Recirculating Aquaculture Systems 21
• Management Team 24
• Start Up Management 24
• Financial Pro Forma 26
• Appendices 28
• Appendix #1 …………………………………… RAS-1 Elevation Drawings 28
• Appendix #2 …………………………………….RAS-1 Concept Drawings 28
• Appendix #3 …………………………………… RAS-1 Product Overview 28

This Document

This document is a summary of our business plan prepared specifically and only for purposes of general evaluation of the Family Fish Farm business concept. It is neither intended as an offer for investment nor is it a solicitation of any kind.

Financial projections are generalized. They are consistent with appropriate ratios for like businesses and conform to accepted accounting practices for such pro forma statements. Development of specific budgets and for revenues and expenditures will be possible after the completion of a standard feasibility study to be completed prior to project start. This will enable further operational and market plans with detailed information to be developed.

Confidentiality

Presumption of Confidentiality: The reader should note that receipt of this document includes a presumption of confidentiality and that the unauthorized disclosure of the content to any third party without the express and written authorization of the Company could cause grievous and irreparable harm to Family Fish Farms.

Planning

This is a Business Plan. It is not an operational plan containing specific details and task level accomplishments. This is a policy and strategic level instrument. However, as part of the initial feasibility study a fully loaded and task level plan will be developed. It will include project milestones, detailed tasks, and resources including both people and costs (budgets). It is reasonable to assume that pro forma financial projections contained herein are a good faith effort, are approximate, and represent our best informed professional opinion.

Professional Resources:

Legal Counsel:
Foley & Lardner, LLC
Tracy A. Bacigalupo, Partner
3000 K Street, N.W.

Suite 600
Washington,
D.C.
20007-5109


P 202.672.5300
F 202.672.5399

Investment Banking:
Equity Expansion International, Inc
Norman Kurland, Esq Senior Partner
P.O. Box 40711
Washington, D.C. 20016
(Tel) 703-243-5155
(Fax) 703-243-5935

Executive Summary

` The Need

Urban Farming and in particular hydroponics is a growing part of the overall food chain in supermarkets and grocery stores across the country. Restaurants also get their herbs and produce from local sources whenever possible. The availability of fresh, locally grown food is an issue raised to national prominence by First Lady Michelle Obama’s initiative to eliminate juvenile obesity. A recent survey by Seed Capital Kentucky revealed an unmet market demand for $300M in locally sourced food in the Louisville area.

The Company

Family Fish Farms Networks, Inc. (FFF) plans to revolutionize and revitalize urban food production though the application of innovative urban farming, employing natural processes and appropriate technology. We will sell a superior unadulterated fresh food product at a competitive price point.

The Technology

FFF has developed new technology and processes that radically improve the productivity of Urban Farming yields. This improved technology and processes are widely applicable and will be employed to grow seafood, vegetables and mushrooms. FFN’s improvements to the existing and proven techniques of Recirculating Aquaponics greatly increase the density of the product yields of fresh seafood and vegetables. Additionally, the Company has developed a unique and proprietary growing system that can produce year-round, high-profit mushrooms, herbs and other products through its Modular Integrated Growing System (MIGS). MIGS promise to greatly improve the geographic reach and profitability of short shelf life items like high-end mushrooms. The seafood, vegetables, mushrooms and other produce are free from all antibiotics, growth hormones and animal protein based fish feed, and the process is environmentally friendly.

The Business Model

The FFFN business model produces dense volumes of food through advanced proprietary technology and processes. We deliver that local food through a unique distributive model.  

• We locally customize our product mix, growing what the local and regional populations most highly desire;
• We grow only in the cities and surrounding areas where the demand exists;
• We utilize intensive IT strategies to assure agile management of resources;
• • Our distributive production model assures flexible response to consumer demand;
• • We employ efficient production automation to reduce costs and assure quality;
• • We invest heavily in training a high performance workforce;
• • We dis-intermediate the supply chain and eliminate a large proportion of distribution costs;
• • We are a producer direct organization.
• • We produce and sell on a 12 month basis
• • We can accommodate both large institutional buyers and small local high end consumers
• We employ an innovative compensation and stock-sharing model to maximize incentive and workforce performance

Operating Philosophy

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an increasingly relevant issue for the consumer and for the view of an organization as a good corporate citizen. FFFN has universally adopted the Triple Bottom Line, (People, Planet, & Profit) as official company policy and intends to apply this philosophical approach to the internal and external policies and process. As a manifest demonstration of this ethos, we accept the tenet that, good social and environmental practice is good business.. In that regard we will employ a number of innovative social and commercial strategies. Principal among them will be the structure of the corporation including governance and organization. Research clearly demonstrates that a workforce aligned through shared interest and mission creates a more powerful competitor in the marketplace.

Sustainable Business Model

The Environment

FFF provides a broad range of green methodologies that will have significant positive impact. Our technology totally eliminates farm-based pollution as fertilizer, which is a major source of stream, lake, and even ocean contamination. We save water through the elimination of millions of gallons of fresh water usage. We do this by bio- digesting and filtering of all water used. Finally, by growing locally, we slash the carbon footprint, since the food does not need to be transported across the country.

Social Impact

Our development and deployment models targets urban populations. FFF will train neighborhood residents to run, operate and own the individual growing units and to provide market access through our sales/marketing organization. In addition FFF will fundamentally alter the traditional adversarial relationship between labor and management by aligning the interests of both through equal equity ownership opportunity in our company. We will achieve this through the application of a Justice Based Management ESOP.

The ESOP

(employee stock ownership plan) is part of the ERISA (retirement plan) laws. It works by creating a trust that holds all company stock owned by the employees and shields it from taxes until distributed (like a 401K) The trust also isolates the individual employee from personal liability. The stock may then be used as collateral to refinance the business or for other business improvements, such as, improved technology or physical plant. In the past ESOP’s have been unevenly collateralized with management owning the majority of the voting stock, or by appointing trustees who voted the stock at managements direction. An ESOP trust may borrow money from a commercial bank using company stock as collateral. As the loan is repaid (with before tax dollars) the employee’s stock in the trust vests and is an asset owned by each employee. No taxes are paid until final distribution upon retirement or whenever the employee decides to leave the company.

The JBM ESOP

The JBM (justice based management) ESOP is designed so that all employees are trained in the essentials of company financial management. Initial stock distributions are allocated equally. All vested employees and management will equally share all subsequent annual distributions of stock. All employees have the right to vote the shares they own at their sole discretion free from coercion or intimidation by management.

Competitive Advantage

The company believes its environmentally sound and socially responsible processes, combined with its production efficiencies provide a strong basis for a business model that has a sustainable competitive advantage. The triple bottom line presented in the, People, Profit, and Planet graphic below epitomizes our companys’ advanced incentive methods specifically; the application of enlightened self-interest as a means to achieve true worker empowerment.

Moreover, unlike existing growers who have difficulty matching any one of the below attributes, FFN can simultaneously:

1. 1. Deliver our product on a 12 month basis exclusive of weather, growing cycle or seasonal issues;
2. 2. Consistently grow large volumes of first quality produce on a dependable production schedule;
3. 3. Provide quality produce at a competitive price point acceptable to both small and large commercial customers;
4. 4. Selectively and variably focus on producing locally desired short shelf-life products that command high margins.
5. 5. Provide the incentive of true and equal ownership of the company by both management and the workforce.

The Company

Family Fish Farms (FFF) is a corporation started by the principals of MicroVenture Support (MVS) a non-profit 501.C. 3 Corporation, with offices located in the District of Columbia, at 717 Lawrence Street, NE 20017.

FFF has created an urban farming model employing a proven technology called Recirculating Aquaponics Systems (RAS). This process employs the well-known fertilizing and propagation properties of fish to grow high quality garden vegetables. The system produces high quality fish from fertilizer or chemicals, as well as contaminant-free produce in a year-round growing environment. Our process is unique and proprietary. We have a letter from an accredited patent attorney stating the viability of the technology and its potential as a process patent.

Additionally, the company has produced a proprietary growing system for mushrooms and micro-greens which makes them available year-round and at production gross margins which are compelling.

The Business

FFF will grow, market, and sell a product line consisting of fresh locally grown fish and produce. Our business model calls for creation of a network of urban farms. The individual farms are to be locally operated, and for the employees and operators to share in the success of the national brand as well as being incentivized by their own production. These urban farms will be linked in a commercial network and marketed under a single brand.

Three Phase Roll Out Model

FFF’s first facility will be our production prototype. Phase One’s main objective is to build and operate a single proven profitable business as proof of concept – “Family Fish Farms of Louisville.” This will be our first and most important installation. Completion and profitable operation will initiate Phase Two of our strategic plan.

In Phase Two we will use this as a demonstration site, to optimize production, establish best practices, and document and institutionalize those practices. The key to multiple successful units is effective process, procedures and training of both managers and staff.

Phase Three will be to replicate and deploy our proven system business model. Simply put, FFF is a food producer, a food wholesaler, and a retailing operation that markets a unique and highly desirable product to a committed high-end market. Our plans call for the creation of a prototype urban farm production unit. Once optimized, FFF will engage in a planned roll out process. We will build a series of distributive, small-scale urban farms in local communities and neighborhoods in major population centers. The corporate entity will be responsible for product branding.

The Problems We Solve

FFF will become a preeminent example of green sustainable technology. We solve a multiplicity of pressing consumer, economic, social, and environmental problems. FFF conforms to the principal of the triple bottom line: Financially Viable, Environmentally Sound, and Socially Responsible.

Availability of Fresh Healthy Food – FFF grows food that is sold and consumed locally. FFF’s locally grown food is fresh from the garden to the table in hours if not minutes. According to a recent piece on MSNBC’s “Green Planet” News Program, some 45 Million Americans do not have access to fresh healthy food.

Farm Based Pollution - FFF totally eliminates commercial fertilizer from its operation, thus saving the environment from having to mediate tons of nitrates that would commonly be used to grow the produce. Our streams, ponds, lakes, and shoreline are being polluted and damaged by fertilizer run off from commercial farming operations.

Consumption of Fresh Clean Water – 60% of all fresh water is consumed by agriculture. Population growth will require 100% expansion of present water volume to produce food sufficient to feed that growth. FFF extensively filters, bio digests, and reuses all water. Once our tanks are filled the water is fully exchanged every three hours. Water loss is less than five percent. Commercial farming uses millions of gallons of water that must be remediated by the environment. The FFF process saves millions of gallons of fresh water.

Reduction of the Carbon Footprint – FFF grows the food where it is consumed, thus eliminating the huge carbon footprint of most fish and produce that is shipped across country and from Central America.

Reduction of Landfills and Waste – FFF’s Modular Integrated Growing System effectively recycleswaste that might be otherwise destined for a landfill or toxic waste repository. MIGS’s crops of mushrooms can be grown on discarded coffee grounds, among other materials. Discarded grounds from just one coffee store can exceed hundreds of pounds per week.

The Creation of New Green Jobs – When fully evolved, our business model calls for the creation of over 200 new green jobs serving our local market. This method can become a model for urban centers in all major cities. Over half of the US population lives in cities and all are experiencing economic privation and budget problems. Ours is truly a sustainable solution to urban community economic development.

Success Factors

• Locally Available
• Green Product
• Pre-Purchase Agreements
• Brand & Customer Loyalty
• Competitive Pricing

Green Product – FFF provides both societal and environmental benefits that we plan to market aggressively as part of product branding. The LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) market demographic is socially conscious and will find our offering attractive. Our Branding strategy will take full advantage of our environmental and social features. We will proactively engage our customers in a dialog, building brand and customer loyalty.

Potential Pre-Purchase Agreements - We have had substantive discussions about selling potential seafood, vegetable and mushroom products with regional management of Bon Appetit, the US’ largest (approximately $12 billion in annual revenues) provider of food services for top-end institutions such as Universities and Corporate Campuses. http://bamco.com/sustainable-food-service/fish-to-fork. Bon Appetit has approximately 400 locations in the US and their commitment to buy local and fresh makes them an ideal strategic customer prospect. (see appendix 4 for letter of alliance partnership)

Competitive Pricing – our value proposition fits well within Adam Smith’s proposition that if a product has superior features and benefits and it sells for the same price, then it will be successful. That is our market position. In addition, the FFF product is unique in that provides highly attractive benefits to the buyer and it is a local food product as well.

Competition

In reinforcement of our business model, our company fundamentally changes the way garden vegetables are produced and distributed. We are a disruptive food technology. Our production methods using fish as a live permaculture fertilizer substitute is a game changer for fish and vegetable production. Our distributive production model for providing local food on a national scale is fundamentally different from any model presently available. FFFN competes with 4 types of entities:

• Mainstream agribusiness and seafood producers and distributors;
• Large organic food producers;
• Seasonal “Local” food options such as farmers’ markets, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA); and
• Urban farming from hydroponics and aquaponics producers.

1. 1. The mainstream competitors have products at accustomed price points, but fall short on quality and evolving standards of environmentally acceptable and sustainable business models;
2. 2. The large organic food producers have the same distribution challenges and seasonality shortfalls as the mainstream producers;
3. 3. The local food options have not yet met traditional producers’ gross margins and year-round availability; and
4. 4. The urban farming producers have not yet achieved competitive gross margins because of inefficient production methodologies.

• Deliver product on a 12 month basis exclusive of weather, growing cycle or seasonal issues;
• Proprietary processes and technology consistently grow large volumes of first quality produce on a dependable production schedule acceptable to both small and large commercial customers at a competitive price point.
• Distributive production model permits wide spread delivery of freshly grown local vegetables and seafood.
• Focus on short shelf life products that are both desirable and in limited supply to enable higher profit margins.

The Market:

Wal-Mart’s recent environmental initiative has a strong basis in social trends. Although organic foods presently account for only 3% of U.S. food sales, consumer demand for organically produced foods has shown double-digit growth for over a decade and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.9% for the period spanning 2004-2008i.  Organic foods are now available in over 20,000 natural foods stores nation-wide and 3 out of 4 supermarkets.  According to the Nutrition Business Journal, U.S. sales of organic foods were $21.1 billion in 2008 and are on track to reach $23 billionii.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are the top selling organics and presently account for 37% of U.S. organic sales. 

The appeal of organic foods continues to broaden as a recent survey by the Hartman Group and Food Marketing Institute found that 2/3 of Americans surveyed had specifically selected an organically grown food in the prior yeariii.  Looking forward, the anticipated organic foods CAGR for the five-year period from 2008-2013 is expected to slow slightly to 10.7%, raising the organic food market to $38.2 billion by the end of 2013.  Comparatively, the Asia-Pacific and European markets are anticipated to grow with CAGR's of 11.4% and 9.5% respectively over the same period, reaching respective values of $3.1 and $38.8 billion over the same period.  The U.S. presently consumes 44.2% of the world's organic food supply, with Europe consuming 47%, (Non-domestic sales are relevant only in the sense that supply chains could be diverted by changing global consumption patterns). Still, trends toward organic food purchases can be projected to be a strong positive factor through 2013.

Beyond healthy eating habits, the organic food industry is further influenced by its implicit association with “green” trends. A stated objective and requirement of the USDA Organic Program is the conservation of resources. News reports regarding “greenhouse gases” and “cap and trade” programs serve to consistently reinforce growing consumer interest in organic farming. Again, the “green” social trend can be a considered a very positive macro-environmental factor.

Market Definition

The customer for Family Fish Farms of Louisville products is a local or regional “environmentally-aware” or “health-conscious” individual that who is purposefully selecting locally-grown organic or naturally-produced foods for the food’s purity and environmental sustainability. 

A number of public and private studies have been done to identify the demographics and buying habits of the individual who chooses organically-grown foods.  The appeal of organic foods is widespread with few traditional demographic lines identified.  Weak correlations exist indicating increased purchasing by higher disposable income, greater education and female gender. The USDA has elected to simply characterize the organic food consumer as individuals that 'prefer organically produced food because of their concerns regarding health, the environment, and animal welfare, and are willing to pay the price premiums established in the marketplace'. 

Market Positioning

The growing demand for fresh unadulterated food can be seen in the popular media and even in the large supermarkets, and finally, even the “big box,” stores are emphasizing health and food content and environmental impact. The terms organic and “natural” have become clichés and are now the subject of federal food and drug regulations. Ahold’s “Nature’s Promise,” brand is a classic example. Whole Foods is now a category-dominant food retailer, where it was once a specialty store only.

Corporate social responsibility, (CSR) is a major trend that has gained momentum over the past decade as businesses seek to enhance their public image as good corporate citizens. Many have even hired social activists as board members and now have compliance officers with titles like Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility.

The Environment continues to be of major concern to the broad American public and companies are attempting to respond. Even big oil now purports to be going “green” with bio fuels and other such renewable energy efforts. The specter of global warming looms large in the public’s imagination and a reduced carbon footprint is the subject of many claims of environmental responsibility.

Family Fish Farms is the epitome of a green, socially responsible business. In fact, we see our corporate profile as a major business asset and one that we plan to aggressively exploit. Social Responsibility is paramount in that we intend to locate in the inner city where jobs are so critical to economic development. We will trumpet these attributes in our promotion efforts, in our community outreach, even in our packaging.

Pull Driven Value Chain - The growing market demand for quality, fresh, local food combined with the high cost of transportation faced by traditional farming methods makes our products highly competitive in the marketplace. Our production technology and resulting operating efficiencies allow us to make and maintain healthy profit margins in the face of global food imports, US agribusiness, and our urban farming competition. As a local producer organization we also eliminate the jobber, or wholesale distributor, from the value chain. Although our initial customers will be high-end retailers and restaurants, we are price competitive with imported products. Our fish and vegetables are actually fresh and sold within hours of harvesting. We can compete on price, but imported fish and centralized large-scale food producers will never be able to compete with us on freshness and quality. We see our value chain as being, “pull” driven. Our problems will not be centered around achieving marketing and sales goals, but on meeting customer demand.

The Product

Our first production unit will produce three principal products.

• Tilapia is a mild, firm fleshed white fish that has captured a significant place in America’s seafood market. We import 45 million pounds from Ecuador alone every year. Tilapia is also a hardy fish and the technology for growing it is well known.
• Our initial vegetable production choice is Boston Lettuce as it is quite popular, hardy, and will produce the best yield.
• Our initial mushroom offering is oyster mushrooms, a highly desirable premium variety.

• Fish:
• Cooked Tilapia for Carryout Service;
• Catfish;
• Rockfish (Striped Bass);
• Additional Fish species, produced by others;
• Oysters, produced by others.
• Vegetables:
• Herbs;
• Micro-Greens;
• Tomatoes;
• Cucumbers;
• Summer Squash

- A pound of Tilapia sells for $6.99 a pound in mainstream supermarkets (at the time of this writing). The standard markup is 30%. Our estimated cost of production is approximately $2.25 per pound. The planned selling price is $4.90 Lb. As a local producer, we do not have significant transport costs. In fact many of our customers will actually prefer to pick up product improving their flexibility in response to demand.

A pound of lettuce sells for $12.00 a pound. Incidentally, the average head of lettuce travels 1,500 miles from farm to table. We have virtually eliminated the cost of transport and wholesale markup. Our cost to produce is $1.80. The average wholesale cost is $8.40 per pound. This provides us with significant flexibility in both price and margin.

MIGS allows us to sell Oyster Mushrooms and other short shelf life and environmentally sensitive products at high product margins.

Target Customer

- As previously mentioned, our initial customers will be mainly high-end food stores; we will focus initial sales on relatively low volume, high quality conscious customers. We also see select restaurants as initial customers. Our market strategy is to sell to low volume high quality customers first and then to move down-market as our production capacity increases.

It will be advantageous to maintain a retail facility for sales to the community where we are located. We plan to hire and train local staff and to establish a community outreach effort to promote healthy eating and nutritional awareness. Expansion of our customer profile after initial success could be to sell raw and cooked product to caterers, provide a retail presence that would sell fillets to take-home customers, and prepared meals for consumption onsite. This would not present significant additional costs to introduce once the initial startup reaches breaks even.

Product Mix –

As FFF produces both protein and produce, our plans call for the initial facility to grow the most accepted and most profitable products as our initial offering. As previously mentioned, our protein fish will be Tilapia, as it is a firm fleshed, mild tasting fish that has attained significant acceptance by consumers. The technology required to grow it is also well known. The initial vegetable selection will be Boston lettuce. This has broad market acceptance. There is a wide demand and it is a premium lettuce that also grows well in a hydroponic environment.

Promotion

FFF plans an aggressive public relations and community outreach campaign to introduce the company and its products to the Louisville market. The program will emphasize our key assets of quality, environmental friendliness and social responsibility. Given our unique business model and value proposition we believe that public relations will be one of our major promotional venues. Our story is an interesting and powerful one and we intend to capitalize upon it.

Our motto will appear in all publications, on our website, and even on our packaging:

Company Motto: “Family Fish Farms, we grow fresh healthy food, eliminate pollution, save millions of gallons of fresh water, and create decent green jobs.”

FFF plans a class of relationships we call The Fresh Food Community Alliance. The Alliance will create a community of interest between FFF and our client/customers and consumers. The purpose of the alliance will be to promote healthy eating and the availability of healthy fresh food in the neighborhoods and communities of Louisville. The program will sponsor public events and support appropriate community and neighborhood events. Members will be entitled to affix the logo to their promotional materials, menus, and flyers.

FFF plans a phased business development plan that will see FFF installations spread throughout the Mid-Atlantic states, and then to wider markets. Our growth plan calls for creating first a local, then regional, and eventually national brand identification. We will use the distributive local food model to gradually extend and deploy our methodology for both community development and national market dominance.

Marketing Communications

FFF will employ a promotional mix that will effectively use all popular media including the Internet. Our website will be both promotional and educational. We will also use local radio and community television, along with visits to local community institutions. We see ourselves as a local business in every community we serve.

Sales

We will hire a sales manager experienced in and knowledgeable about our target markets of high-end food stores and local restaurants. We will professionally produce a short two-minute video commercial that will introduce the production venue and emphasize the quality and freshness of our products. FFF will have a colorful and attention grabbing vehicle. This will be a small compact van that will be wrapped in a bright colorful graphic treatment to further reinforce our presence in the communities.

Lead Generation – Generating sales leads will not be difficult since we are a community organization and have familiarity with the food retailers and restaurant owners in the area. We know them from various civic and other meetings and as patrons of their establishments. Still, we will prepare both electronic (internet) and regular direct mail solicitations. These will be followed up with personal appointments and calls from our principals.

Sales Promotion –In order to induce our new customers to sign long -term purchase agreements, we will offer both service and sales promotions to that end. The specifics of these promotions will be determined in cooperation and input from our alliance partners.

The Technology

Aquaponics – Recirculating Aquaculture Systems

FFF will employ a proven aquaculture and hydroponics technique called Recirculating Aquaponics to grow high quality protein (seafood) and fresh natural produce. Vegetables are certified organic and fish are free from all antibiotics, growth hormones, or animal protein based fish feed. The process is environmentally friendly. Aquaponics uses the filtered and bio digested effluent of the fish as fertilizer for a hydroponics section. As previously noted, our process fully eliminates farm source pollution. Aquaponics is a well-known and proven technology. There are a number of successful large-scale US operations already in-place. Many of these organizations focus on export.

Food and Water Watch is an internationally known, well-respected, advocacy group that polices the quality and availability of clean water and fresh unadulterated food. FFF is Sustainable Aquaculture, (a member of the Aquaponics Systems Assoc., ASA)
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/asa/ .

We have access to the best knowledge base and technology presently available. A functional model of our system (shown above) explains how the technical process works. Furthermore, MSNBC aired a segment The “Green Planet,” with Ann Thompson.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

RAS-1 Our Base Production Unit – FFF has designed this production unit as our initial production facility. (see appendix #1 for full drawings) The unit is constructed from recycled seaborne shipping containers and aircraft quality structural steel tubing. In addition to this stand-alone structure RAS-1 is designed to fit into an existing facility and can be easily retro-fitted for that purpose.

Note: The base is constructed from recycled and reengineered seaborne shipping containers. These are inexpensive, heavily made, and will withstand years of extremely hard use.

Example Elevation Drawing

RAS-1 System (see appendix #2 for full drawings)

This is an elevation drawing and part of a full set of Architectural renderings. Full interior and exterior design drawings are available.

MIGS - An Advanced Growing System

High Value/Profit Crops, A 12 Month Growing Cycle, Low Entry Cost, with Available Financing

What is MIGS?

MIGS is an 8’x8’x40’ advanced container sized growing system. MIGS employs proven automated vertical growing technology, to grow High value crops like Oyster mushrooms and micro greens. These crops can be profitably grown for local food markets.

MIGS Features

MIGS comes fully equipped and instrumented. It is a “plug and play,” technology. Hook up the power, internet, water, plant the crop and you are in business.

MIGS exploits the latest in NASA inspired growing technology including remote monitoring  environmental sensors  automated planting and harvesting  LED lighting  24/7 Wi-Fi online link to Tech Support  geo-thermal heating and cooling energy tax credits and subsidies  full training and available installation.

Finally financing is available through existing Agriculture State and Federal Programs, as well as, private in-house leasing arrangements.

Energy Efficient Food Security Option

MIGS is designed to be physically secure with a high survivability profile. One option is to partially bury the unit in a 4 ft. trench using the excavated soil to form a berm providing high insulation and physical security simultaneously. It is also economically feasible to concurrently dig an adjacent trench for a geo thermal heating system that will draw from the earth’s constant temperature to reduce both heating and cooling costs. This will also trigger energy tax credits and both state and federal subsidies.

Management Team

The current management team will function as the start-up team and bring the concept to practical operation. We will then assure effective growth management by bringing in experienced professionals in food industry marketing and build-out management.

Start Up Management

The following are short sketches of the team. Full resumes are available upon request

President and CEO–
Jerome Peloquin is the conceptual father of The Family Fish Farms Network. He is an experienced organizational manager with significant for profit and non-profit experience. An organizational psychologist, he has expertise in business process management, human performance management, and the application of technology to improve performance. He is also experienced in measurement and evaluation, technical training, and performance feedback.

Chief Financial Officer –
Linda Yahr is a financial manager with both private and public sector experience. In addition she has in-depth small business management expertise. Ms. Yahr is a CPA and is president of MicroVenture Support a non-profit specializing is small and medium business development.

Chief Growing Officer
Grahame Dunling is an internationally acclaimed food growing expert who has grown in organic Soil, Aquaponics, and Hydroponics using biological and full environmental controls. He has built and managed vertical and horizontal growing systems for a full range of crops.

Vice President Business Development –
Peter Hayes is a highly experienced serial entrepreneur who has founded, and managed businesses and not for profit enterprises. Peter has a strong actionable network internationally and in the greater Louisville region.

Project Construction Manager -
Carl Bruce is an Architectural Designer with 10 years of design/build experience. He is the designer of the RAS-1 system model. Carl also is an experience program and project manager managing major initiatives including The Atlanta Olympics.

Financial Pro Forma

The following financial information is predicated upon the assumptions that underlie and support the financial data. .

Appendices

Appendix #1 …………………………………… RAS-1 Elevation Drawings

Appendix #2 …………………………………….RAS-1 Concept Drawings

Appendix #3 …………………………………… RAS-1 Product Overview

Appendix #4 ………………………………….. Bon Appetit Alliance Partnership

Appendix #5 ………………………………… Patent Attorney Opinion Letter

Appendix #1 Family Fish Farms Elevation Drawings

Family Fish Farms – Appendix #2

Concept Drawing