Challenge selling its Food Hub facility, partnering with Old Chatham Creamery

Tompkins Weekly Staff

GROTON – The Finger Lakes Fresh Food Hub, located in the Groton Industrial Park, is changing hands.

Challenge Workforce Solutions, which operates the Food Hub as well as the Finger Lakes Fresh Greenhouse facility through its social enterprise initiatives, has announced an agreement with Old Chatham Creamery of Genoa for a four-year lease and purchase of the Groton facility. According to Challenge, Old Chatham will purchase the facility “outright” at the end of the lease.

Challenge Workforce Solutions, which was founded in 1968 by former Therm President Robert R. Sprole Sr., is an Ithaca-based non-profit organization that is committed to creating pathways to employment for people with disabilities or barriers. One way Challenge will be helping create those pathways is through staffing contracts that will be negotiated with Old Chatham for production and operations positions at the Groton facility when it returns to production this summer.

“This partnership will allow Challenge to focus on our mission to create pathways to employment for people with disabilities and barriers,” said Joe Sammons, executive director of Challenge Workforce Solutions, in a prepared statement, “while at the same time finding a partner who can take full advantage of this state-of-the-art food facility that Challenge created for our region.”

Community support, he said, has been instrumental in Challenge’s successes, and he thanked those who assisted the organization in its pursuit of creating the Food Hub.
“We wouldn’t be here today without the vision and support of our community,” he added, “and we are so appreciative for the gifts and grants that helped Challenge as we followed the path forward to create a sustainable regional food model employing people with a wide range of disabilities and barriers.”

Old Chatham took over at the Food Hub facility earlier this month, and expects to be in production this summer. The company is planning to hire a local workforce and take advantage of the expertise offered at Cornell University.
“We are excited to use this beautiful facility to produce our award-winning sheep yogurt and cheese products, and to partner with an organization like Challenge, which continues to innovate and provide great opportunities for people in our community,” said Old Chatham Creamery owners David and Sally Galton, in a prepared statement.

Old Chatham Creamery was founded in 1993 by Tom and Nancy Clark on 600 acres in Old Chatham. The sheep dairy farm was purchased by current owners, the Galtons, in 2014, and it continues to produce artisanal cheeses and sheep’s milk yogurts.

The Finger Lakes Fresh Food Hub services program will now operate from the Finger Lakes Fresh Greenhouse. The program includes jobs such as co-packing, farmer services programs, and the production and marketing of healthy, locally sourced apple chips.
“Our vision as a sustainable, vibrant agricultural community – powered by an integrated workforce – remains as clear today as ever,” said Sammons.