Food For Profit Training

Have you ever been told that your favorite homemade bread, or salsa, is “good enough to sell?” Do you have additional fruit or vegetables from your farm or home garden that you would like to make into a commercial product? 

Food for Profit is a one-day workshop designed to help you work through the maze of local and state regulations, food safety issues, and business management concepts that all must be considered in setting up a commercial food business.  The course will be held at the Prince George’s Soil Conservation District, 5301 Race Track Rd, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 on Thursday, November 16, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  This session of Penn State Extension’s popular course has been specifically adapted to Maryland’s food production regulations, food entrepreneurial resources, and marketing opportunities.

How Can Food for Profit Help Me?

Food for Profit will take you step-by-step through the entrepreneurial process.  It will provide you with the information and skills to assess if your idea will be something that will sell at a profit.  Conducting a feasibility study (to see if yours is a good business idea), performing marketing research, and beginning to draft a business plan are a few of the concrete tools taught by certified instructors and business experts.  By attending this class, you can learn how to evaluate the opportunities on paper before you look for funding or take action (saving money and time).

Registration Information:

Food for Profit tuition is $45 per person which includes all materials and lunch. 

Registration is through the University of Maryland Extension Eventbrite on-line system here(link is external) or via snail mail using the registration form.  

Please make checks payable to: PGC EAC (Prince George’s County Extension Advisory Council)

Mail payment and registration form to:

University of Maryland Extension
Prince George’s County
Attention: Norma Fitzhugh
6707 Groveton Drive
Clinton, MD 20735

Registration deadline - Monday, October 30, 2017

Questions?: Contact Kim Rush Lynch at kimrush@umd.edu or 301.868.8780.

Agenda Topics:

Guiding food entrepreneurs through the initial steps to start a business, this class combines 
educational presentations, guest speakers and a highly interactive learning environment to address:

• Welcome & Introductions
• Rewards and Challenges of Food Business
  The challenges and advantages of owning a food related business.
• Legally Speaking
  Learn the role that DHMH will have in your venture—a chance to talk about licensure and the inspection process.
• Safe Food Handling
  How extra attention paid at a few specific points in your operation will save time for you, and improve the quality of your product.
• Developing a Game Plan 
  A business idea must be doable, marketable, and profitable. Your business plan will provide a forecast about the feasibility of your venture.
• Start-up Support
  Business resources
• Niche Marketing (Finding a Niche) 
  Learn to accurately target your first and best customer; using the four P’s of price, product, placement, and promotion.
• Packaging your Product 
  How to package, selecting functional containers that are pleasing to the consumer eye. Food labeling requirements are also covered.
• Pricing your Product 
  A discussion of good pricing formulas and strategies—and a chance to practice using the tools that ensure the price that you arrive at is right!
• Share Your Next Steps! & General Questions (a short participant survey)