The destiny of nations depends on how they nourish themselves.

– Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

We have to bring money back to earth.

– Woody Tasch

The good of people’s bodies
and the good of the planet
are more or less perfectly aligned.

– Gidon Eshel

Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever
in a finite world is either a madman or an economist.

– Kenneth Boulding

A democratic food system should be capable of yielding a reasonable
profit without infringing on anyone’s rights, least of all those of nature.

– Carlo Petrini

Every person’s obligation toward the Creation
is summed up in two words from Genesis 2:15.

“Keep it.”

– Wendell Berry

A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity,
stability, and beauty of the biotic community.
It is wrong when it tends otherwise.

– Aldo Leopold

The future of humanity depends on the
thoughtful, caring, and committed people
who choose to live and work on family farms.

– John Ikerd

A community economy is not an economy in
which well-placed persons can make a killing.

It is an economy whose aim is generosity and a
well-distributed and safeguarded abundance.

– Wendell Berry

People are fed by the food industry, which pays no attention to health,
and are treated by the health industry which pays no attention to food.

– Wendell Berry

Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.

– Hippocrates

Investing in
Chicago’s Food Shed

The Sustainable Local Food Investment Group is a network of accredited independent investors who share the mission of using private investment to re-establish a robust and sustainable food system across the Chicago foodshed. We identify promising start-up and early stage companies, then provide capital, expertise and a network of contacts to help drive their success.

Get Funding

Sector

We invest in early stage companies along the entire food value chain:

production / farming / urban ag
processing / business services
aggregation / distribution
consumer packaged goods
grocery / other retail
food service / meal delivery
waste / compost

Structure

We work to find a financing structure that maximizes value for us and you, whether as equity or convertible debt. We typically structure deals as LLC’s or C-Corps, and occasionally but rarely, as outright debt.

Amount

Each member is free to invest, or not, in any company presented before us. As a result, investments tend to range from as little as $25k to as much as $500k.

Apply for Funding

Become a FIG

Resources of Scale

We are a member-managed group of individuals who realize that by combining our dollars and varied expertise, we can maximize the efficacy and decision-making power of our investment dollars. We are made stronger by welcoming accredited investors from all professional and personal backgrounds.

A Breadth of Goals

Companies who present to us appeal to some mix of our mission to improve our local food supply and a desire for financial return. Likewise, each member’s goals within the organization fall somewhere along the spectrum of doing good versus doing well.

Commitment

All members must be accredited investors and are expected to attend a majority of monthly meetings and devote an extra hour or two per month to administrative duties. In general, members are expected to invest approximately $75k over a 3-year period.

Apply for Membership