Cottage to Commercial: Ingredients for a successful food business

Cottage to Commercial training will help you understand how to turn your food business idea into a commercial reality.

Upcoming food business planning classes will help entrepreneurs learn to turn their food business idea into a reality.
Upcoming food business planning classes will help entrepreneurs learn to turn their food business idea into a reality.

Michigan State University Extension and MSU Product Center educators will conduct food business planning classes April 10 in Allegan, and April 29 in Niles, Michigan.

The two-hour session will deal with basic food processing, regulatory requirements, business development resources and related topics. The program targets individuals who are interested in starting a licensed, commercial food business.

The MSU Product Center helps aspiring entrepreneurs and existing businesses to develop and launch new product and service ideas into food, agriculture, bioenergy, and natural resources markets. A state-wide network of Innovation Counselors is available to counsel individuals interested in starting related business ventures. Last year the MSU Product Center assisted 647 clients with business planning.

The Allegan session will be held 3-5 p.m. Thursday, April 10 at the Allegan County Human Services Building, 3255 122nd Avenue, Allegan, Michigan. The fee is $20 and participants may register online through April 8. For more information, call 269-944-4126.

The Niles session will be held 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, April 29 at the Niles Entrepreneur & Culinary Incubator (NECI) 219 North 4th Street/2nd Floor, Niles, MI 49120. NECI, a program of Niles Main Street, is designed to help local entrepreneurs start and grow food businesses. There is a $25 fee. Make checks payable to Niles Main Street, and mail to 333 N. Second Street Suite 303, Niles, MI 49120 by the deadline of April 25, 2014. For more information call NECI at 269-687-4332. 

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