LibraryCapSource OpenCasesCreate a Communication Strategy for Building Farm-to-University (F2U) Partnerships

CapSource OpenCases

To View Full Case Details.

Register Now
Already Have an account? Log In

Create a Communication Strategy for Building Farm-to-University (F2U) Partnerships

Last Updated: 04/13/2026

Case Organization

Happy Valley Meat Company

 Ethically raised meat sourced from local farms, delivered directly to your door 

https://happyvalleymeat.com

Lancaster, PA, USA

1-10

Case Contributors

Case Disciplines

Skills & Expertise

Associations) B2B Communication Strategy Design Brand Messaging and Narrative Development Budget Planning and Resource Allocation Campaign Planning and Execution Content Strategy Development (Case Studies Critical Thinking and Strategic Synthesis Decision-Makers) Departments Educational and Sustainability Advocacy Communication Events Figma) Flyer and Marketing Collateral Design Generative AI for Content Drafting and Strategy Ideation Google Slides) Grant and Funding Landscape Awareness (Agriculture Impact Stories) Infographic and Visual Communication (Canva KPI Development and Campaign Performance Measurement LinkedIn Long-Term Impact Analysis and ROI for Partnerships Mission-Driven Marketing and Storytelling Organizational Mapping and Network Building Outreach Strategy (Email Partnership Development Strategy (Farm-to-University) Playbook and Toolkit Development Presentation Development (PowerPoint Relationship Building and Account-Based Outreach (ABM) Research and Secondary Data Analysis Risk Assessment and Mitigation Strategy Sales Enablement for Partnerships Social Media Strategy for B2B and Community Engagement Stakeholder Mapping (Universities Sustainability) Target Audience Identification and Segmentation (Higher Education) Value Proposition Design for Institutional Partners
Background & Objective

The challenge or opportunity you are trying to address for the organization.

The Happy Valley Meat Company (HVM) needs a playbook to build its university partner network. HVM needs to know the “right connections” in organizations (e.g., Department of Agriculture), colleges, and universities within the region for building F2U partnerships. Furthermore, they want to know the most effective way to reach these audiences through strategic communication channels and content.Happy Valley Meat Company (HVM)’s mission is to improve the lives of the people and the animals that feed us by providing chefs, whether at home or in fine-dining restaurants, so that people can access ethically-raised meat from family farmers. HVM purchases whole animals from farmers who work with small-scale processors to portion our meat and sells every part of the animal to people who want it. As a certified B Corp, HVM considers its impact on partners, employees, the community, and the environment.
Learning Objectives

This is what students will learn as they complete the case.

This case challenges students to design a targeted communication strategy that enables a mission-driven company to build strategic partnerships within complex institutional environments like universities. 

Students completing this case will be able to: 

  • Understand Happy Valley Meat Company’s mission, value proposition, and role within the local, ethical food supply ecosystem. 
  • Identify key stakeholders within universities (e.g., dining services, procurement, sustainability offices, faculty) involved in food sourcing decisions. 
  • Analyze institutional decision-making structures and barriers to partnership development in higher education. 
  • Segment target audiences and develop tailored personas based on roles, motivations, and priorities. 
  • Evaluate alignment between HVM’s mission and potential university partners’ goals (e.g., sustainability, local sourcing, student engagement). 
  • Design a multi-channel communication strategy, including messaging, content, and outreach tactics to engage target stakeholders. 
  • Develop compelling value propositions and storytelling approaches using existing partnership examples and impact narratives. 
  • Recommend appropriate communication channels (email, events, partnerships, social media, direct outreach) for effective engagement. 
  • Define success metrics and budget considerations for implementing and scaling the communication campaign. 
  • Create a structured partnership playbook that outlines outreach strategies, engagement steps, and long-term relationship-building approaches.
Key Action Items

These are activities and action items you might want to complete in order to achieve the expected outcomes.

Milestones
Milestone #1
Guiding Questions
Deliverable
Suggested Outcome(s)
Milestone #2
Guiding Questions
Deliverable
Suggested Outcome(s)
Milestone #3
Guiding Questions
Deliverable
Suggested Outcome(s)
Milestone #4
Guiding Questions
Deliverable
Suggested Outcome(s)

Explore the CapSource Case Library

Explore Case Library

The CapSource Case Library helps students explore real-world challenges faced by leading organizations across industries. Each case introduces a practical business or social impact problem and invites students to think critically about potential solutions.

Students can use cases to:

Discover potential career paths and industries
Learn how organizations approach strategy, operations, and innovation
Practice solving real-world challenges
Build a portfolio of real work product that showcase impact

Educators can register and browse the library for free. Upgrade for classroom use to bring experiential learning into your courses through case discussions, assignments, and competitions. The library is constantly growing and used by schools everywhere.

What you get when you upgrade:

Case notes and discussion/facilitation guides
In class presentation slides and teaching support materials
Visibility of student submissions and industry feedback
Evaluation tools and outcomes reporting

Unlock the Full Case

Create a free account to browse case materials, submit custom cases/case responses, and explore ways you can leverage this material to improve classroom engagement and enhance learning outcomes.

Register to View Full Case Details

Register Now

Already have an account? Log In

Educator or organization? Book A Demo