Heritage Food Startup Series

The Heritage Food Start-up Lab on February 11th is for food entrepreneurs, farmers, and food artisans interested in incorporating heritage foods into their new business concept and developing their idea into a business. The terms ‘heritage’ and ‘artisan’ are explored to better understand these trending concepts as authentic vehicles for creating more sustainable food products that generate profit while valuing people, culture, and the environment. Successful local heritage food business owners share lessons learned along their paths. Participants learn practical steps to create and launch a food business, and how to avoid pitfalls and follow successful practices. They are provided resources for startups and small businesses, and a primer on food safety regulations. The workshop concludes with networking and an expo of startup resource providers.

The Heritage Food Startup Design Studio on February 18th teaches participants how to conduct market research in order to project consumer demand and price their product for profitability as they develop their concept to prototype stage. It provides proven templates and innovative business design principles for crafting a solid business plan to sustain growth, and the knowledge necessary to prepare for marketing and selling their product in a retail environment. The workshop concludes with a tour of a commercial kitchen and networking.

The Heritage Food Startup Challenge on February 25th assists early-stage heritage food entrepreneurs prepare to pitch their concept to customers and investors. It helps them develop and practice their pitch decks, and provides a platform to test prototypes with the public. A panel of food business professionals judge a pitch contest at the end of the workshop, and the winner gets free tuition for additional startup training by Startup Tucson and automatic entry into the food business category of the TENWEST Ideafunding Pitch Competition.