Back to All Events

Workshop: Starting a New Food Business


  • Georgia Museum of Agriculture 1392 Whiddon Mill Road Tifton, GA, 31793 United States (map)

This class will provide you with a variety of services (both technical and educational) that are available to those hungry minds who decide to launch their dream food into a food business. A team of experts from the UGA Food Science and other programs including FoodPIC, The Georgia Department of Agriculture, the Small Business Development Center and more will provide you the comprehensive assistance tailored to your specific food business needs. Assistance includes:

  • Product & Process Development

  • Label & Nutritional Facts Development

  • Information on Facility Licensing and Regulatory Compliance

  • Product Classification and Process Approvals

  • Resources for Co-packing facilities

  • Packaging design and Sensory Testing

  • Ingredient Technology and Functionality

  • Food Safety and Sanitation


Course Outline

Day 1

  • Product Development and Business Planning

  • Welcome and Introduction

  • Roadmaps for the Food Entrepreneur?

  • Food Product Development for the Food Entrepreneur

  • Product Development-Group Activity

  • Product Development

  • The Business Side of Starting a New Food Business

  • Marketing Opportunities for Small Businesses in Georgia

  • Georgia Grown Program

  • *Optional Chef Demonstration

 

Day 2

  • Regulations and Food Safety

  • Flavor of Georgia Program

  • Technical Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Leveraging University or Georgia Resources

  • Marketing Your Product

  • An Overview of GDA Regulation

  • An Overview of FDA Regulation

  • An Overview of Intellectual Property for FoodEntrepreneurs

  • Co-Packing


Learner Outcomes

After attending this class you will know all of the things that every new food entrepreneur should consider: 

  • Product and Process Development – How do you develop your recipe into a commercial market ready food product? What are important steps of making, packaging, and storage of your product?

  • Food Regulation – What regulatory standards you will need to follow and what agencies (GDA, FDA, USDA) govern your food business? How certain regulatory provisions of USDA/FDA will affect your business?

  • Food Packaging and Labeling – What are your food packaging options? What is the basis of selecting glass, plastic, or metal containers? What goes on my labels and is required by regulations on a food label?

  • Food Safety Issues – What are the basics of food safety?

  • Target Market – What are your target market options? What is market research and how do you use it?

Notes

Registration fee is $125.

Class will be held at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture located at 1392 Whiddon Mill Road, Tifton, GA 31793.  Check-in will begin at 8am and the program will begin at 8:30am.  

Lunch and materials are included in the registration fee.

This training and education program is supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2018-70027-28585

A Public Service and Outreach Unit of the University of Georgia. Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All programs of the UGA SBDC are open to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.