Came across this resource from the US (so not sure how applicable in Aus due to differences in customer density, support for local food, etc.) but still interesting.
Running a food hub: Assessing financial viability
From its intro: "THIS REPORT is part of a multi-volume, technical report series published by USDA under the over-arching title of Running a Food Hub. This third volume in the series provides in-depth guidance on assessing the financial viability of food hubs.
The purpose of this report is to provide benchmarks for established and emerging food hubs to use as a comparison for assessing their own financial viability and for making strategic business decisions. The financial analysis can provide valuable insight into how changes in major costs and revenue affect the overall operations and profitability of food hub businesses.
There are many existing food hubs with operations that differ from the assumptions used for this analysis. Food hubs may be more or less efficient in key areas, such as size of operations, product cost, transportation or other areas. For the sake of brevity, this report attempts to focus on the most significant areas of concern that most often affect business viability.
Economic analysis in this report is based on information from industry research, discussions and interviews with key food hub personnel from across the United States, and the knowledge of the consultants. Sections presenting key assumptions for the analysis are presented in narrative form to aid in understanding the logic used during the construction of the analysis. This report has been divided into these three major sections: The “Methods of Analysis” section introduces the Operational Model and Operational Period approach used for the construction of the financial analysis and comparisons of the models.
The “Operational Models” section presents a closer look at different components of each operational model. It provides the details, narrative, and in-depth analysis of the assumptions that underpin the report. Readers can find the food hub type that most resembles their venture and compare points of similarity.
The “Operational Models and Periods Comparison” section concludes the body of the document by juxtaposing some key financial and operational results of each operational model and operational period to compare the various types of entities. It is here that hub operators can learn lessons, compare results, and see the benefits and obstacles unique to the various food hub types."