National Food Entrepreneur Program

Maximize your business opportunities with the business strategy, analysis and consultation expertise of The Food Processing Center. Whether your firm is in the idea stage, stuck in neutral or expanding, The Food Processing Center can help you optimize the revenue and profit of your firm.

Launched in 1989, the National Food Entrepreneur Program has helped thousands of entrepreneurs nationwide realize their dream of starting a food company. As a new or potential food entrepreneur, it is often difficult to find an accurate source of the information necessary to successfully launch a business in the food industry. Ensuring a food product survives and prospers in a highly competitive marketplace requires informed decisions, careful planning, and precise execution.

We can help you through all the steps of creating a food business - and perhaps most important - help you use your time wisely and avoid costly mistakes. From understanding the basics of creating a food business to individualized step-by-step assistance to the marketplace, the National Food Entrepreneur Program is the place to start.

This unique and comprehensive program begins with the one-day Recipe to Reality seminar, presented in person or on demand. The seminar provides entrepreneurs with a basic understanding of the issues crucial to deciding to start a food business.

Following the seminar, affordable, confidential services are available to those participants who decide to launch their own food business. In Product to Profit, our team of experts will help you navigate every step of the way by providing comprehensive assistance tailored to your specific business venture. All services can be provided long distance meaning you never need to come to our location to receive our comprehensive business assistance.

View testimonials from entrepreneurs that have utilized the National Food Entrepreneur Program.

Recipe to Reality

The one-day Recipe to Reality seminar is the first step in developing a non-alcohol food business. It is specifically designed to provide entrepreneurs with an understanding of the key issues they will need to consider when starting a food business. Participants include individuals interested in marketing a family recipe, individuals, with a product idea or concept, producers considering adding value to an agricultural product, and restaurateurs or chefs exploring the manufacturing of a house specialty.

Recipe to Reality provides a general overview of the many issues involved in developing a food manufacturing business. Seminar topics address important questions that every entrepreneur should consider:

Market research and selection - What are your target market options? What is market research and how do you use it?
Product and process development - How do you commercialize your recipe? What are your processing facility options?
Food regulatory issues and agencies - What agencies govern the food industry? How do the food regulations affect your business?
Packaging and labeling - What are the required elements of a food label? What claims are allowed on food labels?
Pricing and cost analysis - How do you determine a competitive price for your product? What other business costs do I need to consider?
Product introduction and sales - How do you introduce your product to the marketplace? How do you create sales?
Promotional material package - How do you create your promotional message? What should your promotional package include?
Food safety and sanitation - What are the basics of food safety? What are the microbiology concerns for food products?
Business structure - How should you structure your business? How should you protect your business?

By participating in Recipe to Reality, entrepreneurs gain in one-day information that could take months to research on their own. They will acquire valuable knowledge on the basics of starting a food business. The seminar helps attendees understand the challenges of starting a food business and allows them to make an informed decision as to whether developing a business is the right choice for them.

Product to Profit

Following the Recipe to Reality seminar, confidential services are available to those participants who decide to launch their own food business. In Product to Profit, our team of experts will help you navigate every step of the way by providing comprehensive assistance tailored to your specific business venture. Assistance includes:

Business Development
Product & Process Development
Label & Package Development
Regulatory Compliance
Product Pricing
Processing Facility Location
Promotional Tools & Strategy

All services are provided long distance. In other words, it is not required that you come to our location to receive comprehensive business assistance.

Information for Resource Providers

I have a great idea for a food business; where do I start?

The National Food Entrepreneur Program can help resource providers answer that question!

Do you have entrepreneurs in your community who would like to start a food company?
Do existing small food manufacturers seek specific food-related business assistance from you?
Would you like a resource that provides entrepreneurs with everything they need to start a food business?

If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, please refer these companies to the National Food Entrepreneur Program or consider bringing the program to the entrepreneurs in your community or state. Organizations and agencies from throughout the country can contract with The Food Processing Center to provide the program to their entrepreneurs. This is an efficient and cost-effective method to provide assistance and to reap the economic impact of new business growth. Please contact the program manager to discuss available options in more detail.