Workshop to explain startup process for specialty food businesses
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – People interested in starting their own specialty food business can receive information and tips at an April 12 workshop.
"An Introduction to Starting a Specialty Food Business in Indiana" will be held at the Indiana Farm Bureau office, 225 S. East St., Indianapolis, and will present a comprehensive overview of the startup process for food businesses in Indiana. Topics include food safety, business planning, entrepreneurship, marketing, and product and process development.
"This is a great opportunity to meet with professionals who will discuss everything from general concepts of starting a food business to specific regulations," said Maria Marshall, associate professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University. Marshall will speak on business planning and marketing. "It's rare to have all of those different topics presented in one day."
The title of the workshop uses the term "specialty foods" because many small-business owners want to focus on one or two specialty items, such as organic foods or homemade pet treats, Marshall said. But the information presented in the sessions applies to any kind of food business.
Two other workshop speakers are from Purdue University: Katie Clayton, food science extension outreach specialist, and Steve Smith, food science pilot plant manager. The workshop's keynote speaker is Jenny Cleave, founder and owner of Simple Taste Inc., which specializes in gluten-free baked goods.
Other speakers are Sharon Farrell of the Indiana State Department of Health and Cissy Bowman of Indiana Certified Organic.
Registration costs $100 per registrant and includes lunch, refreshments and a three-ring binder of information. Application and payment must be mailed by April 5 to Marsha Pritchard, Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, 403 W. State St., West Lafayette, IN, 47907. For more information, contact Pritchard at 765-494-0889 or mpritcha@purdue.edu.
The workshop is sponsored by Purdue's departments of agricultural economics and food science and the Indiana State Department of Health.
Writer: Jessica Merzdorf, 765-494-8402, jmerzdor@purdue.edu
Source: Maria Marshall, 765-494-4268, mimarsha@purdue.edu
Related website:
Purdue Extension
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
Agriculture News Page