Photo: The Gambrel Barn at Country Heritage Park
Local food producers have an opportunity to expand their business next week!
Halton Region is presenting a two-day workshop that will provide farmers and local entrepreneurs with the fundamentals to help get started or grow an existing business. Whether you’re a home-based business, a producer looking to offer value-added products, or a small food and beverage start-up/manufacturer looking to achieve success, this event is for you!
Here’s what the two days look like:
Day One – Tending to Vending
Learn directly from industry experts, government representatives, and food entrepreneurs about how to put local foods onto Ontario consumers’ plates. Topics include:
- Marketing channel opportunities
- The basics of food regulations and inspections
- Costing and pricing for profit
- The latest in food trends
Agenda:
- Welcome remarks
- Marketing Channel Opportunities Primer
- Marketing Channels
- Halton Business Profiles
- Understanding the Basics of Food Regulation
- Regional Public Health
- Provincial Regulatory Compliance Unit
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- Lunch
- Tour of Country Heritage Park Commercial Kitchen
- Costing and Pricing for Profit
- Costing and Pricing/Break-Even
- Understanding Margins
- Food Trends
- Foodland Ontario
- Canadian Food Innovation Network
Day Two – Uncovering the Possibilities
Build on your knowledge by hearing from representatives from large grocery chains, distributors, independent retailers, industry experts, and government staff to understand how you can get your product on the shelf. Topics include:
- Labelling and packaging requirements and sustainable packaging.
- Cost-effective marketing tactics and how to effectively use social media.
- How to use artificial intelligence to assist your business.
- Funding opportunities and government resources that can help stretch your investments.
Agenda:
- Welcome remarks
- Getting Your Product Listed
- Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness
- Perspective of a Large Grocery Chain
- Perspective of a Distributor
- Perspective of an Independent Grocer
- Labelling and Packaging
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- Packaging
- Lunch
- Tour of Country Heritage Park Commercial Kitchen
- Social Media and Marketing Tactics
- Social Media and Marketing Tactics
- Artificial Intelligence to Support Your Business
- Funding Programs and Other Resources
- Provincial Funding Opportunities
- Other Resources
- Wrap-up
It starts on Thursday, October 17th at Country Heritage Park, located at 8560 Tremaine Road in Milton. It starts at 9:00 a.m. and runs until 4:30 a.m. Day two will take place the following day.
Tickets cost $35.92+HST for one of the two days, or $59.14+HST for both. To register, click here.
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