Friday, March 15, 2013

Workshop Helps Entrepreneurs Cook Up a Home Food Business

Midwestern entrepreneurs interested in starting their own food business can learn how to begin and grow their enterprise at a Purdue Extension workshop in Indianapolis.

"An Introduction to Starting a Specialty Food Business in Indiana" will be held April 25 from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Indiana Farm Bureau offices, 225 S. East St. Sessions will cover a variety of topics, including business planning, marketing, entrepreneurship, product development and packaging, as well as issues specific to food businesses, such as food safety, food regulations and organic products.
 
Featured presenters will include Sharon Farrell of the Indiana State Department of Health and Cissy Bowman and Jessica Ervin of Indiana Certified Organic.
 
Other presenters will be Purdue's Katherine Clayton, food science Extension outreach specialist; Maria Marshall, agricultural economics associate professor; and Steve Smith, managing director of the Food Science Pilot Plant and Sensory Laboratories.
 
"This workshop is a great introduction to all of the issues that you're going to have to deal with before you start a food business," Marshall said. "The food industry is very competitive, and this workshop will help you make sure you know what you're getting into."
 
Registration is $100 per person and is due by April 17. For more information or to register, click here or contact Marsha Pritchard at 765-494-0889 or mpritcha@purdue.edu.