Researchers from Bristol and Nottingham universities have united to meet a need
A new social venture company has been launched by researchers at the Universities of Bristol and Nottingham to help farmers sell surplus produce to community-based buyers including food banks, social supermarkets and small food producers across the UK.
The new company, Circular Agriculture Hub, has now been incorporated and received £40,000 in seed funding from ImpactU to accelerate its development. The initiative is the result of a longstanding academic collaboration between Dr Lucy McCarthy, associate professor at the University of Bristol Business School, and Professor Anne Touboulic, professor of socio-ecological systems at Nottingham University Business School.
The founders noted that each year, around seven per cent of food intended for consumption is wasted on farms, while millions face food insecurity. By connecting small and medium-sized farmers with buyers who can make use of surplus or imperfect produce — such as mis-sized vegetables or cosmetically damaged fruit — the Circular Agriculture Hub aims to reduce waste and redistribute food more equitably.
Farmers can list surplus produce on the hub’s platform, while community organisations and other buyers can express interest or make offers. Transactions are completed directly, with flexibility and negotiation at the core.
Initially launching as a brokerage-style offline service, the platform will be developed into a digital tool, helping to scale operations and extend reach nationally, and potentially, internationally.
McCarthy said: “We are thrilled to have launched Circular Agriculture Hub Ltd. This project brings together our research on sustainable food systems with the real-world needs of farmers and communities. By building new relationships between producers and buyers, we hope to shift how food is valued and distributed, supporting both people and planet.”
Touboulic added: “This venture is about challenging the status quo. The dominant food system is failing too many — especially small-scale farmers. Our collaborative research shows how new economic models can support sustainable practices while addressing food insecurity. Circular Agriculture Hub is a step towards that change.”
