Wednesday, 02 July 2025
A ground-breaking new social venture company has been launched by researchers at the University of Nottingham and the University of Bristol to help farmers sell surplus produce to community-based buyers – including food banks, social supermarkets and small food producers – across the UK.
The new company, Circular Agriculture Hub, has now been incorporated and received £40,000 in seed funding from ImpactU to accelerate its development. The initiative is the result of a long-standing academic collaboration between Dr Lucy McCarthy, Associate Professor at the University of Bristol Business School, and Anne Touboulic, Professor of Socio-Ecological Systems at Nottingham University Business School.
The project addresses a stark issue in the UK: each year, around seven per cent of food intended for consumption is wasted on farms, while millions face food insecurity. By connecting small- and medium-sized farmers with buyers who can make use of surplus or imperfect produce such as mis-sized vegetables or cosmetically damaged fruit – the Circular Agriculture Hub aims to reduce waste and redistribute food more equitably.
This venture is about challenging the status quo. The dominant food system is failing too many – especially small-scale farmers. Our collaborative research shows how new economic models can support sustainable practices while addressing food insecurity. Circular Agriculture Hub is a step towards that change.”
The model is simple but powerful: farmers can list surplus produce on the Hub platform; community organisations and other buyers can express interest or make offers; and transactions are completed directly, with flexibility and negotiation at the core. Initially launching as a brokerage-style offline service, the platform will be developed into a digital tool, helping to scale operations and extend reach nationally – and, potentially, internationally.
Dr Lucy McCarthy, added: “We are thrilled to have launched Circular Agriculture Hub Ltd. This project brings together our research on sustainable food systems with the real-world needs of farmers and communities. By building new relationships between producers and buyers, we hope to shift how food is valued and distributed, supporting both people and planet.”
This new social venture reflects the universities’ shared commitment to research-led innovation, social and environmental impact, and long-term academic partnerships.
Professor David Park, Dean of Nottingham University Business School, said “I am delighted that this exciting spin-out business has not only launched but secured initial investment funding. My congratulations to all involved. This initiative aligns directly with our wider aspirations at Nottingham University Business School to collaborate with external partners and make an actual difference to key topics that affect us all including sustainability, societal impact, biodiversity and environmental justice.”
The company builds on foundational research and early support from ARC Accelerate, and has been nurtured by the University of Bristol’s Research Commercialisation team, with integral support from Nottingham Technology Ventures.
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More information is available from Professor Anne Touboulic at Nottingham University Business School, via anne.touboulic@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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