Entrepreneurship Through Community-Based Food Processing Centers Mary Pat Carlson Shared-Use Food Processing Facilities….Consultant

Farm Market Kitchen Incubator

Shared-Use Food Processing Facilities • Commercially, state approved kitchens shared by a variety of food entrepreneurs – Specialty Food Businesses – Canners – Chef – Caterers – Bakers – ….the list goes on….

Encouraging Entrepreneurship Food Processing Business Incubation • There are many types of shared-use kitchens….not all are business incubators.

• Business Incubators provide not only access to facilities, but also business assistance and technical support...”hand holding”.

• Business incubation can be actual facilities…or incubation without walls.

Models of Food Processing Business Incubators • Models vary from community to community – University based – Government based – Community based – Faith based – Non-Profit – For- Profit – Coop – Virtual – Business Incubator Model ………..and more

The right fit for the community

• Assess community needs • Draw on existing resources • Target the needs of the entrepreneurs • Build a network of strong partners • Be actively connected to the community

Growing Businesses….

• Start up stage… often entrepreneur with a “dream” • Providing targeted training, support, and one-on-one coaching helps move from dream to reality.

• Realty means they are a real business and need to function like a “real business”!

Food Processing Businesses…creating jobs • From “start-up” to becoming a “real business”…often results in expanded job creation – Direct job creation…production assistance, marketing and distribution partners….. – Indirect…packing, labeling, ingredients… • Encourage the concept of buying local as a value adding concept

Wisconsin’s Growing Network of Shared-Use Food Processing Centers • Ten years ago…..3 facilities • Today….15 and counting – Rural – Urban – Start-Up Businesses – Co-Packing Facilities

Success & Job Creation

• Wisconsin has a very strong network of Business Incubators and are recognized nationally for encouraging and supporting businesses….resulting in job creation.

• The Farm Market Kitchen has worked with over 100 businesses since 2002… • Example of success….Nutorious Nuts – International Business Graduate Finalist

Food Processing…not just food

• Creative, Innovative, artistic,….food is a component of self and community expression • Draw on the culture, history, emotion of food to add value to products created and the community/region the food is created.

• Most food processing entrepreneurs are very artistic…creative….and passionate about their “creations”….use this to promote your community/region.