Food Loop Northwest is a B2B + B2M food aggregation, small batch maker, warehousing, and cold-chain innovation project designed and operated by food system and culinary professionals as a food systems design exercise with BIPOC and allied food makers, producers, and business development advisors in the Seattle and Portland regional food shed.

Food Loop NW is currently in negotiations with the owners of the Cordage Building in Portland’s Pearl District to establish a fully operational 30,000+ s.f. facility for serving underrepresented community food producers.

Initially working directly with nine regional BIPOC farmers, food growers, and food makers, Food Loop NW is innovating and transforming the barriers and challenges for underrepresented producers accessing the local food supply-chain opportunities, as well as getting more local products to particularly the communities with high food access needs and low-market access support severed through local food banks and food programs.

With this work, Food Loop Northwest has identified key gaps and choke points in the BIPOC food value/cold-chain infrastructure. We are providing technical assistance to businesses to address those gaps by developing responsible sales contracts, forward-funded payments, and expanded food production on their farms.

  • AIYESHA CHRISTIAN

    MAJORITY OWNER/FOUNDER

    IP: NOMAD MIX, LLC | METRO PORTLAND

    Earned a bachelor's in Applied Linguistics, and a Master's in International Business with a concentration in Sustainable Supply Chains and Manufacturing from Portland State University. Aiyesha has extensive experience managing complex supply chains, international sourcing and shipping, multi-level project management, and planning. With a distinct ability to think strategically, Aiyesha can drive results and provide innovative solutions, with a sincere focus on efficiency. As a food manufacturer of Nomad MIx, Aiyesha can relate to the barriers BIPOC and Women-Owned businesses face as they grow through an inefficient food system.

  • EDWARD "Eddie" HILL

    MINORITY OWNER/FOUNDER

    Food systems and supply chain innovation is Hill's focus. His background in green infrastructure and food systems planning/design, Hill's leadership with community non-profits, food infrastructure planning, community development, and local to regional cold-chain business development in the Pacific Northwest. He completed his Masters in Urban Planning in his 40s at the University of Washington, becoming a practicing urban land use planner for City of Portland, and leading several environmental justice organizations advocating for green workforce development and increased BIPOC market engagement in green sectors. His consultancy firm Urban Civic Group West is deeply engaged with the City of Seattle and Washington State Agriculture to advance a Value-Based Food Purchasing policy for government institutions