2023 ANNUAL REPORT Corporation for Findlay Market
DEAR FRIENDS, When you visit Findlay Market, you may feel like you are stepping back in time. As you enter the same building where Cincinnatians have done their weekly grocery shopping for over 170 years, you can imagine that the many sights, sounds and smells are still exactly the same. Findlay Market is still a place without self check-out, where specialty items from around the globe are sold right next to local products that can only be found here, farmers sell produce picked fresh from the field at dawn, and you can get to know your most frequently visited merchants by name. However, Findlay Market is more relevant and full of life than ever, thanks to the many individuals who support it daily. It is a community gathering space where diverse shoppers from all walks of life come together to connect around something we all love–food! The Corporation for Findlay Market, the non-profit established in 2001 to operate the market for the city of Cincinnati, uses your support to continue to grow this legacy of community connection by offering innovative programs that create entrepreneurial opportunities at Findlay Market and beyond, and that ensure that more community members have access to fresh, local food regardless of their income. Many beloved local food businesses got their start at Findlay Kitchen, and each familiar name represents the creation not just of great food but of significant economic impact in our community. Making food entrepreneurs’ dreams more accessible is a core value of ours, and we are proud that of the dozens of businesses operating out of Findlay Kitchen, 83% are BIPOC- , women, and/or immigrant-owned. To further support food entrepreneurs, Findlay Learn offers a variety of food-specific education sessions, and Findlay Launch provides local businesses the opportunity to operate fully built-out storefronts in a supported environment. These programs are truly changing the face of the food entrepreneur in our region, and we are just getting started. Growing our online Shopping App services ensures that shoppers in 43 zip codes can have products from their favorite Findlay Market businesses delivered right to their door. We continued our work to support food access for low-income shoppers through a variety of programs and partnerships, as well as accepting SNAP benefits through the Findlay Market Shopping App. These programs not only mean access to fresh, local food for low-income families who may struggle with transportation or ever-growing food costs, but also support Findlay Market merchants by creating more direct sales opportunities. We strive to ensure that Findlay Market, from our events to product offerings, is representative of the community we serve. In this report you will get to know some of the many amazing business owners, volunteers, and supporters who foster our growth. They share their time, treasure and talents with us because of the home they find at Findlay Market, a vibrant community space at the crossroads of history and innovation. Sincerely,
Cordelia Heaney Lia Braaten-Hager President & CEO Corporation for Findlay Market Board Chair Corporation for Findlay Market Design Vice President, Global Home Care, Procter & Gamble
WHO WE ARE
OUR MISSION Historic Findlay Market connects farmers, producers, sellers and customers in a dynamic, diverse public marketplace.
OUR VISION Historic Findlay Market is our region’s premier destination for local food and artisan products, a dynamic public gathering place, and a vital community asset.
OUR CORE VALUES Local We value freshness above all, emphasizing a variety of locally grown food and unique, locally created products sold by people we know as friends and neighbors. We embrace our role as a vital anchor for a strengthened central city and Over-the-Rhine. Authentic We value genuine human connections and social interactions that a vibrant, dynamic public marketplace promotes. We value the diversity in all definitions that exists among our merchants and our shoppers. Value-minded We believe in providing our shoppers fresh, high quality foods at fair prices and a rich product array that will satisfy a wide range of shopper needs. We provide an inclusive shopping experience that is unparalleled in our region. Entrepreneurial We create a supported environment for diverse startup businesses and the growth and sustainability of locally owned and managed businesses. Responsible We honor our role as stewards of a thriving landmark and demand integrity in our interactions with our shoppers, merchants, employees, volunteers, and community partners.
DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that the Corporation for Findlay Market (CFFM) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization? In addition to day to day operations, CFFM is focused on improving sales and profitability for Findlay Market merchants, attracting a diverse group of new merchants to Findlay Market and the surrounding business district, as well as helping new businesses start, grow and scale. Situated in the Over-the-Rhine (OTR) neighborhood, a low-income census tract, Findlay Market caters to shoppers of all socioeconomic backgrounds, and has a robust collection of assistance benefits resources to ensure all EBT eligible shoppers are able to take full advantage of the available programs. CFFM aims to preserve and expand the connection with the OTR neighborhood, the Cincinnati community, and its shoppers by supporting cultural and income diversity at Findlay Market and ensuring the Market District serves a diverse population.
BY THE N 26,944
140+
pounds of fresh, local produce delivered to 650 individuals in need via the Produce Prescription program
live music performances hosted at Findlay Market
8
new security cameras added around Findlay Market
68
market tours given to 1,164 people
1,200+ flowers planted across Findlay Market District
NUMBERS $46,990 in SNAP benefits and $35,212 in Produce Perks benefits distributed to 1,833 low-income individuals
18
102,008
Findlay Kitchen members participated in Taste of Findlay Market at Taste of Cincinnati
pounds of waste composted
55
Residential Composting Members
ACCOLADES 2023 CITYBEAT BEST OF CINCINNATI AWARDS: Best Farmers Market Best Free Attraction
Best Old Thing Best Place to Take a Visitor
CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER, 40 UNDER 40: Kelly Lanser Director of Communication & Strategic Initiatives
Cincinnati Magazine
2023 Family Choice Awards for Family Shopping - Farmers Market
Keep Cincinnati Beautiful
2023 Golden Spade Award for Residential Composting Program
Midwestern Traveler’s Guide Best Public Market in Ohio
American Bus Association 2023 Best of the Best - Tours
USA Today
2023 10Best - Sixth Best Public Market
FINDLAY MARKET VENDOR 2023 CITYBEAT BEST OF CINCINNATI AWARDS: BanaSun Smoothie Bar Best Healthy Alternative to Chocolate Ice Cream
Em’s Bread Best Chocolate Chip Cookie For An Afternoon Pick-Me-Up
Kanji OTR Best Joe Burrow-Themed Sushi Roll
Blue Oven Bakery Best Farmers Market Food Stall
Goose and Elder Best Big Salad
Churchill’s Fine Teas Best Tea Selection
Harmony Plant Fare Best Vegan Deli Sandwich
Pho Lang Thang Best Vietnamese, Best Soup, Best Noodles
Eli’s BBQ Best BBQ
High Five Salon Best Wedding Hair Team
Spruce Nail Shop Best Reason To Get A Manicure
The Arepa Place. Babushka Pierogies. The Bagelry. BanaSun Smoothie Bar. Blue Oven Bakery. Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey. Davis Cookie Collection. Eli’s BBQ. The Empanada’s Box. Em’s Bread. ETC Produce + Provisions. Flavors of the Isle. Harmony Plant Fare. Honey Child Artisan Pops. Lost & Found. The Lübecker. Maker’s Bakers. MashRoots Latin Street Food. OTR Bagel Bar. Pho Lang Thang. The Rhined. Soul Secrets. Southern Grace. Tablespoon Cooking Co. You have probably heard of at least a few of the above brick-and-mortar businesses, all of whom have locations throughout the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region. What do they all have in common? Each business started, grew or scaled out of Findlay Kitchen. Dozens more Kitchen members have thriving catering, wholesale and pop-up businesses. Many are on their way to graduating out of the Kitchen onto bigger and better things, and some are just getting started. Wherever they are on their journey, our team provides more than just physical kitchen space and equipment; we offer individualized wraparound support to help them succeed.
11 83%
Candice Holloway, owner of the catering-businessturned-restaurant Soul Secrets, says, “What a great opportunity to test out our recipes and gain exposure. The business coaching, classes and training that were made available were much needed and provided a very smooth transition to our brick and mortar. We were more than prepared! And forever grateful.”
new members onboarded
women, BIPOC & immigrant-owned businesses
266
businesses supported since opening in 2016
Findlay Learn is a family of Findlay Market education programs and support services dedicated to building knowledge, strengthening connections, lowering risks, and overcoming barriers for aspiring and working food business entrepreneurs. Findlay Learn’s “Growing Into A Storefront” course is a prerequisite for acceptance into Findlay Launch, the region’s first Storefront Accelerator program. Our 2022 Growing Into A Storefront cohort consisted of ten businesses. Of those ten businesses: • 100% are BIPOC, women or immigrant entrepreneurs • 100% remain in business to date • Three are, or have been, Findlay Launch Storefront Residents • Four have opened, or are in the process of opening, brick-and-mortar locations • 100% provide food services outside of Findlay Market in the Greater Cincinnati area Nora Gavarette, a 2022 Growing Into A Storefront graduate, says,“The course is imperative for our operational growth because it provides a road map for success. This course is teaching us every aspect of the business and allowing us to truly organize ourselves and be prepared to run a restaurant. It is hitting on all great points and pointing us in the right — Nora Gavarette direction and allowing us Growing Into A Storefront Graduate to see what’s next.”
“The course is imperative for our operational growth.”
FINDLAY LAUNCH TIMELINE Findlay Launch is the region’s first storefront accelerator program, designed to help food entrepreneurs find their needed proof of concept or fail fast without financial devastation. Since starting in 2021, Findlay Launch has hosted five residents, 100% of whom are BIPOC, women or immigrant-owned businesses.
Growing up with her grandparents in the Dominican Republic, Chef Helen Ortega was always surrounded by cooking. “My grandmother always was cooking and she had a small restaurant, so I grew up around food and the art of Dominican cuisine,” she says. At the age of fourteen, she moved to the U.S. with her father, and was introduced to Cuban cuisine by her Cuban stepmother. She earned a culinary degree from the International Culinary Center (formerly known as the French Culinary Institute), and gained NYC restaurant experience, even working with celebrity chefs like Angelo Sosa and Bill Telepan. Chef Helen always dreamt of owning her own restaurant, and was thrilled to find Findlay Launch to make it a reality. She enrolled in the program to create structure for her food business, and gain experience
in a supportive environment. “They’re always there when you need them,” she says. “They always work with you and whatever you need, so I recommend the program for anyone.” Her restaurant concept Chacabanas, a fusion of her own rich Dominican and Cuban heritage, showcases her values of offering the best in service and outstanding food. She is now adding to Cincinnati’s diverse food scene with her authentic Cubanos, Tres Leches, Yuca Fries and more, but that is just the beginning. She plans to expand on what Findlay Launch made possible by opening a larger restaurant with features like a patio, a fountain, lots of flowers and a stage for live music and dancing. “I want to make it an experience like we’re in Cuba or the Dominican Republic without having to travel outside the country,” she says.
Food Access Through The Findlay Market Shopping App The Findlay Market Shopping App provides a convenient way for shoppers to access the foods they need and want and, most importantly, a more equitable way. With a focus on supporting all shoppers through acceptance of SNAP benefits and significant partnership programs with community organizations committed to serving underserved communities, we are committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible experience online, just as we do at Market. The Findlay Market Shopping App serves more than shoppers–it allows small businesses within the Market District to reach new audiences. By eliminating barriers to entry (onboarding fees, 10%+ percentage cuts, etc.), the Findlay Market
1,534
Shopping App provides access to an e-commerce platform and increases small businesses’ weekday sales. As part of our commitment to food access, CFFM partners with Produce Perks Midwest (PPM) to run the Produce Prescription (PRx) program, which connects eligible patients to providers who write prescriptions for free fruits and vegetables. Patients are screened for food insecurity and providers issue monthly prescriptions to meet the entire family’s recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. The Findlay Market Shopping App acts as a sourcing, aggregation, and delivery service for the PRx program in the Cincinnati area.
delivered bags of produce
26,944 650
delivered pounds of food
unique individuals served
$48,000
provided to Findlay Market vendors
SMALL BUSINESSS SUPPORT “I feel like I learned more working at Findlay Market than I did in college,” says Ryan.
Findlay Market has a long history intertwined with the Eckerlin/Lillis family. Ryan Lillis, owner of LK, started working at Eckerlin Meats when he was just 15 years old. Ryan tells us that the lessons he learned from his family members while working at Eckerlin Meats, specifically from his uncle Bob Lillis, were invaluable.
LK opened in the spring of 2020. To many, opening a business during the pandemic seemed like an almost impossible feat. To Ryan, however, it was an interesting experience that actually helped his business prosper. “All the restaurants were closed which left a lot of people cooking at home, so in a way, the pandemic helped the market and retail food businesses, specifically,” says Ryan. Ryan tells us that you can learn so much through simple interactions at the market. There are so many different backgrounds of people who walk through the doors at Findlay Market, and the special part of being here is developing relationships with
“I feel like I learned more working at Findlay Market than I did in college.” — Ryan Lillis Owner, LK
4 65
new merchants opened in Findlay Market District this year
small businesses supported through CFFM CAM program
those customers to understand different perspectives, not just about food and recipes, but about life. Ryan tells us that the people at the market are the main reason why he wanted to start his business here. He feels fortunate to have been able to learn from everyone at Findlay Market, from his employees to the business owners and customers. CFFM supports businesses like LK through marketing outreach, maintenance and janitorial services, beautification efforts and more.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS •1 N 5 •Art Equals •ArtsWave •Black is Excellence •Brewing Heritage Trail •Cincinnati & Hamilton Co. Public Library •Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra •Cincinnati Circus Company •Cincinnati Fire Department •Cincinnati Music Accelerator •Cincinnati Police Department •Cincinnati Public Radio •Cincinnati Reds •Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
•Cincinnati Young Black Professionals •Cincy Nice •Contemporary Arts Center •Cornerstone Renters Equity •Dress for Success •DuWaup’s Cincinnati Poetry Slam •Elementz •Future Forward Ohio Connectivity Champions •Girls on the Run •Girls Rock Cincinnati •Gorman Heritage Farms •Grant Park •Hamilton Co. Quick Response Team
Collaborations make this work possible, and we are grateful to our 2023 community partners for their role in making the Findlay Market District a vibrant, safe and beautiful place to be.
•Hamilton Co. R3Source •Huntington Bank •Idea Schools •It’s Commonly Jazz •Jamaa Health •KARE Farm •Keep Cincinnati Beautiful •MadTree Brewing •Make Music Day Cincinnati •Meals on Wheels •The Mercantile Library •Neighborhood Haiku •New Future •Nick Jackson Speaks
•OTR Museum •PLAY Library •Pleasant Paints •Produce Perks Midwest •Q-Kidz •Quidwell •Saturday Hoops •Spanish Play Dates •Tidal Babe •Truist Bank •Women Writing for (a) Change •WordPlay
YOUR INVOLVEM VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT CAROL SAMPSON As a child, Carol enjoyed accompanying her uncle to Findlay Market to buy ingredients for his Sunday dinners. It wasn’t until 2015 that she began regularly coming to expand her knowledge of Findlay Market. As a Certified Tourism Ambassador, she shares the best of Cincinnati with visitors to the Queen City, and she began volunteering for Findlay Market as a tour guide. Carol enjoys Findlay Market for its diversity and the opportunity to share her knowledge with visitors, tailoring the experience to their needs. “I want to equip visitors with the tools they need to enhance their experience at Findlay Market and their life,” says Carol. One of her favorite volunteer experiences at Findlay Market was when she gave a tour for a family reunion and shared the African American experience in Over the Rhine. Carol even created her own tour, “Cincinnati Bell Connector Fading Ads Tour,” which focuses on the ghost signs on buildings that are over 100 years old. “There’s a story every time you look at them,” says Carol.
“I want to equip visitors with the tools they need to enhance their experience at Findlay Market.” — Carol Sampson Volunteer
1,418
132
volunteer hours donated
Friends of Findlay Market members
MENT MATTERS DONOR SPOTLIGHT - JEANNIE NIEBUHR Jeannie is a longtime Cincinnati resident and avid fan of Findlay Market. Now that she lives downtown, Findlay Market is her one-stop shop for buying her groceries and socializing. “There’s such joy when you are here–everyone is so happy, and it truly lifts your spirits,” says Jeannie. Jeannie comes from a large family, and when everyone is in town, one of their first stops is at Findlay Market to grab a goetta sandwich from Eckerlin Meats. To Jeannie, Findlay Market provides a true community feeling. “When you walk into Kroger, you just get your groceries and leave. At Findlay Market, I’m having conversations and connecting with the vendors,” says Jeannie. Some of her favorite vendors include ETC Produce + Provisions, Makers Bakers, Luken’s Poultry Fish & Seafood and Madison’s.
157
personalized engraved bricks installed at Findlay Market
521
new donors
As a member of our Friends of Findlay Market program, Jeannie hopes to help support Findlay Market’s Food Innovation Programs to see more small businesses grow and flourish. “We get so much out of the Market, and we want to keep Findlay Market the vibrant community that we know and love,” says Jeannie.
“We want to keep Findlay Market the vibrant community that we know and love.” — Jeannie Niebuhr Donor
FINANCIALS
SOURCES OF SUPPORT
57% Earned Income 31% Contributions & Grants 5% Fundraising
USES OF SUPPORT
7% Other
81% Program Services 12% Management & General Operations 7% Fundraising
REVENUE Grants & Foundations
$518,908.00
City & State Funding
$530,992.00
Federal Loan Forgiveness*
$1,277,899.00
Fundraising Events
$221,704.00
Rent & Utilities
$1,324,742.00
Parking & Other Services
$1,228,723.00
Donated Facilities
$326,804.00
Other
$318,277.00
Total
$5,748,049.00
EXPENSES Occupancy
$788,041.00
Employee Cost
$2,654,531.00
Professional Fees
$314,137.00
Repairs & Maintenance
$301,384.00
Marketing
$33,964.00
Supplies
$108,952.00
Office Expense
$225,670.00
Depreciation
$211,191.00
Other*
$360,750.00
Total
$4,998,620.00
*Subject to change due to New Market Tax Credit Unwind
BOARD OF D Tarita Preston, originally from Chicago, moved to Cincinnati five years ago. She works as a professional life coach making sure that people feel seen and heard. “My mission in life is to empower people so that they can empower others. I love giving my talent, and I learn so much about people and their backgrounds,” says Tarita. Board member Mary Stagaman enrolled Tarita in her vision that the CFFM Board Members were trying to create. Tarita already loved the energy and experience of the market, and the more she learned about Findlay Market, the more involved she wanted to be. “I came to the market so often that I knew the vendors, and it just seemed fitting to build a deeper connection with the community,” says Tarita, who is now in her third year on the Board. Tarita really appreciates learning more about the people and the Market. To her, Findlay Market is a true Cincinnati experience. “I love when the farmers come to the market and bring all the fresh produce. I feel like I have more ownership about what I’m putting in my body.” One of her most impressive accomplishments since joining the CFFM Board is helping to build the Sabbatical Program, the first of its kind for a non-profit organization in the Cincinnati region. She worked directly with CFFM staff to create an employee program that celebrates hard work and is at the forefront of employee benefits, not only locally but nationally, as well.
“It just seemed fitting to build a deeper connection with the community.” — Tarita Preston CFFM Board Member
She spends time with each employee before and after the sabbatical, helping them prepare so that the sabbatical can be what they need it to be. “We want to support you, and we want you to come back after those five weeks fully refreshed, replenished, and rejuvenated,” Tarita begins, “I want to make sure everyone on the team is able to support and serve themselves when they are out here serving the community.”
DIRECTORS Kelly Adamson Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Senior Specialist
Mark Haggard Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Retired
Roula Allouch Bricker Graydon, Attorney
Todd Immell Deloitte, Managing Director
Lia Braaten-Hager, Chair Procter & Gamble, Design Vice President, Global Home Care and Director of Design, Home Care and Duracell
Krutarth Jain Champlin Architecture, Principal
Jason Combs, Treasurer E.W. Scripps Company, Chief Financial Officer Wynne Curry The Seven Hills School, Retired Asa Featherstone IV Asa Featherstone Creative, LLC., Visual Artist Rick Findlay, Secretary OneSource Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Consultant Charles Gerhardt, Past Chair Government Strategies Group, President and Chief Executive Officer Rico Grant Entrepreneur & Founder, Paloozanoire, SoCap Accelerate, Gallery At Gumbo Colin Groth, At Large Executive Committee Member StriveTogether, Executive Vice President, Strategy and Development
Rob Linneman Santen & Hughes, Partner Kathleen MacQueeney KR Hospitality Group, Owner | Principal Consultant Pete Metz Cincinnati Regional Chamber, Director, The Connected Region Bryn Mooth Freelance Journalist, Copywriter and Editor Morgan Mulvihill TFL Brands, Inc., General Manager Tarita Preston, At Large Executive Committee Member Tarita Preston LLC., Chief Coach Mary Stagaman Mary Stagaman LLC., Principal Deana Taylor, Vice Chair Visit Cincy, Vice President Human Resources and Employee Engagement Lincoln Ware Radio One, Talk Show Host