Starting October 28, the counties of Simcoe, Grey, and Bruce, along with the Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre of Georgian College, are partnering on an 11-week Farm to Retail Workshop. Delivered by the Food Venture Program, this workshop will help farmers turn business ideas into finished products, and new or small agri-food businesses to grow.
The Workshop looks at all aspects of the food development process, including:
Week 1 – Oct. 28 – Food Trends for 2021, Idea Feasibility
Week 2 – Nov. 4 – Competitive Analysis, Constraints and Channels
Week 3 – Nov. 11 – Value Proposition and Business Plan
Week 4 – Nov. 18 – Food Science, Recipe Development
Week 5 – Nov. 25 – Sanitation and Food Safety
Week 6 – Dec. 2 – Circularity and Sustainability in Food
Week 7 – Dec. 9 – Food Packaging and Nutrition Labeling
Week 8 – Dec. 16 – Branding and Marketing Your Food Product
Week 9 – Jan. 6 – Financial Feasibility and Profitability
Week 10 – Jan. 13 – Food Product Sales and the Art of Pitching
Week 11 – Jan. 20 – Food Labeling Software
The program, which will be conducted virtually using Zoom, starts October 28 and runs until January 20 every Thursday between 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. There are two weeks off for Christmas and New Year. For more information, visit https://edo.simcoe.ca/agricultural-resources.
Sector experts from the Food Venture Program will lead each of the 11-week sessions. Participants will receive more information closer to the program start date.
“Supporting our agri-food entrepreneurs in developing, expanding and growing their businesses plays a key role in the economic prosperity of our communities. The Food Venture Program connects businesses with the right tools, skills and connections needed for agri-food entrepreneurs to thrive," says Janice Jackson, Bruce County Warden.
Space is limited for this program and those interested in participating will need to submit an application by October 11, 2021. Successful participants will be notified by October 19 if they have been selected to participate in the program. Applications are available at https://hbec.wufoo.com/forms/kg4vxrl145hdqo/.
“Food production is and always has been at the heart of innovation and a key economic driver in Grey County. We are pleased to support our agri-food entrepreneurs to develop, refine, and scale their businesses for success with the Food Venture Program, which will offer all the tools a food business needs to thrive through access to leading industry experts,” says Selwyn “Buck” Hicks, Grey County Warden.
source: media releases
