The papers in this special issue describe a research project in Ontario, Canada, that drew on the expertise and embedded connections of faculty/activists and student/activists within their “communities of food”(Fridman and Lenters 2013, Campbell and MacRae 2013; Waddell 2005, Friedmann 2007). The rapid data gathering as well as the depth and highquality information and insights reported here reflect the trust and commitment placed in these researchers as integral members of their food communities. In the following sections we describe the research project goals and methods. Using this project as a test ground we then propose a working definition for food hubs. Following a comparison of findings from the papers, we conclude with a discussion of theoretical approaches that shed light on how to move food systems in a more transformative direction.