Helping coordinate Circular Food Systems in our neighborhoods and cities.
Ancient and innovative agricultural practices have converged to offer communities a resilient solution for growing fresh local foods. The combination of sustainable crop production strategies allows us to develop thriving gardens, equitable food access, and healthy communities.
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Our mission is to coordinate circular food networks in our neighborhoods and cities. We do this by growing meaningful partnerships with our stakeholders, partners, community members, employees, vendors, and ecosystem.
OUR STORY
The Urban Farming Initiative (UFI) started when Kevin Mackey founded Halcyon Salsa in 2018. Well, not technically, UFI didn't formally incorporate until 2020, but it was the experience building a business' food supply chain from the ground up that led to a vision of neighborhood-based food systems.
It seemed like most neighborhoods had the people, partners, and space to support a thriving local food system, but something was missing.
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Coordination!
Mackey teamed up with co-founder Ben Booker in 2024 to fulfill our mission of coordinating circular food networks in neighborhoods and cities across the Midwest and United States. Our pilot projects in 2025 in the Walnut Hills, Avondale, and Winton Hills neighborhoods include more than 2 acres of urban gardening, spanning across nine gardens under our stewardship, with over 150 raised garden beds and 1 CEA unit operating to bring fresh produce to our neighbors, chefs, and aspiring home cooks.
We expect to have hubs in three counties in southwest Ohio in 2026.
Kevin Mackey, Founder and CEO, is an experienced entrepreneur and operator who has been building businesses and communities in the Cincinnati ecosystem since 2008. His previous endeavors have raised more than $100MM in capital. Through his time as a multiple time founder and executive, Mackey has extensive experience in hiring, building, and coaching high performing teams. His most recent ventures have included Coterie Insurance and Halcyon Salsa, founded in 2018, based out of the Incubator Kitchen Collective in Northern Kentucky, and sold out of nine different markets in the Greater Cincinnati area.
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Ben Booker, Co-founder, is a Business and Agriculture graduate from the University of Cincinnati. Through 5+ years of research and working he has supported the design, implementation, optimization, and growth of urban agriculture and food access programs. Prior to his role at UFI, he co-founded and led Net Impact UC, a non-profit chapter dedicated to mobilizing the next generation of leaders to advance a sustainable economy in Cincinnati.
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