In the Hub, Producers control their inventory & Set Their Own Prices
Every product listed in the Hub is priced by the producer. Always.
We never
- Ask them to lower their prices.
- Adjust prices to cover our operating costs.
This is intentional.
By keeping producer prices intact and visible, customers can clearly understand the true cost of local food and producers are protected from being misrepresented or misunderstood.
To operate a reliable, year-round local food marketplace, the Hub charges a service fee at checkout
This 20% service fee is separate from producer pricing and supports the systems and people required to run the marketplace. Running the Hub takes coordination, systems, and people working behind the scenes each week.
The Hub Service Fee covers:
Producer prices reflect the true cost of local food. The Hub Service Fee reflects the cost of providing a year-round online marketplace with weekly pickups and deliveries. Separating these two things is how we stay transparent and fair to everyone involved.
We aim to minimize these costs through automation and community partnerships whenever possible.
What you'll see at checkout
At checkout, you will see producer prices listed as set by the producer, along with a separate Hub Service Fee.
The Hub Service Fee is currently set at 20%, a level that allows us to operate sustainably today. As the Hub grows and efficiencies improve, the fee will be reviewed.
If you have any questions about our fees or anything else related to the Hub, you can reach us by phone (and a real human will answer!) at (256) 203-6585 or via email at hello@huntsvillefoodhub.com.
order summary
Understanding the True Cost of Food
By supporting small-scale farms that prioritize responsible practices, we hope to reduce the negative costs that the industrialized food system places on our communities. And while our model does not claim to eliminate these costs, we can ensure that more of our food dollars circulate locally.
Transparency helps all of us make more informed choices about how our food is produced and where our money goes.
Shopping locally — whether by supporting a farmer directly, through the Hub, or a farmers market — allows you to spend more of your food dollars intentionally, supporting the people who live and work right here.
"In the U.S., food costs more than our receipt at the grocery checkout. Our food system rings up immense 'hidden costs' from its impact on human health, the environment, and social and economic inequity."— The True Cost of Food in the U.S.