UGA’s Small Business Development Center and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences partnered in October to help food entrepreneurs learn how to develop and market their products.

Participants learned key steps in commercializing food items, such as determining a target market, developing processes for increasing recipes, learning key packaging and labeling standards, understanding the role of co-packers and identifying key regulations and food safety requirements for packaged foods. They also learned about Georgia Grown, a state program that helps new agribusinesses grow and thrive.

“Starting a New Food Business,” was geared toward professional and home-based cooks, in addition to food entrepreneurs, said Rob Martin, area director of the UGA Small Business Development Center’s Albany office.

“We have so many talented food entrepreneurs in Southwest Georgia, and we would love to support them in taking their products to the next level,” Martin said. “This class offers the business foundations and connections these entrepreneurs need to have a successful start.”

Martin led the workshop with Anand Mohan, associate professor in the UGA College of Ag’s Department of Food Science and Technology.

If you are interested in food science, the Office of Online Learning offers an online Master of Food Technology through the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and an online Master of Science in Foods and Nutrition program through the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Interested? Sign up for notification of additional workshops here. 

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