A new facility, specializing in the food storage and distribution of local crops and value-added food processing, will be constructed in Summerland. On Nov. 7, a groundbreaking ceremony for the Okanagan Food Hub was held at 15815 Highway 97. The food hub is described as a state-of-the-art facility that will have more than 2,100 square metres, with 557 square metres of cool storage. It is scheduled to open in May 2026. The project is the initiative of LocalMotive Farmers Network Co-op and Okanagan Food and Innovation Hub. Thomas Tumbach of LocalMotive said the facility is important for the community. “The new facility will enable local farmers from our region to access new markets, create new products and increase the viability of their farms,” he said. “At the root of it, agriculture impacts our whole culture.” The food hub will provide members with access to a collaborative space with shared technology, specialized equipment, expertise and commercial kitchens. Aaron McRann, Chief Executive Officer of Community Futures of the South Okanagan Similkameen, said the money for this project came from local donors. He said many funding partners have come together to provide the money for this project. Brian Southern, a food scientist and founder of Indiana-based AgroRenew, has been involved with the food hub project. He said the facility, once completed, will provide an economic benefit for Summerland. Every dollar invested will bring in $1.75 to the local economy. He also said it is important to have an initiative that focuses on local agriculture. “We all want success for this project,” he said. “We want to have a sustainable food system. We want to be self-sufficient.” Charles Cornell of Community Futures said the project will be a pay-per-use model and will serve as an economic engine for the community. Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes said the idea of a food hub in the community has been around since at least 2013. The Okanagan Food and Innovation Hub, Community Futures Okanagan Similkameen, the Ministry of Agriculture and the municipality have been working on this regional food hub since 2023. In 2024, LocalMotive Organic Delivery joined as a partner. Holmes added that Summerland is a logical location for an agricultural facility, since the community has a strong farming and cultivation tradition. In addition to apple research and the wine industry, Summerland has also played a role in cherry development. Today, around 80 per cent of all cherry varieties in the world were developed in Summerland, Holmes said. Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food for the province, said the food hub is a way for small-scale food entrepreneurs to connect with their market. Since becoming the agriculture minister in 2017, she has cut the ribbon on 14 B.C. food hubs with provincial funding. She added that other food hubs have started without funding from the province. One of the food hubs, in Port Alberni, has expanded significantly and will have a second ribbon cutting in January 2026, she said. “What an incredible moment this is for the Okanagan,” Popham said before the Summerland groundbreaking. “This is the moment agriculture has been waiting for.”
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