Launching Your Value-Added Food Business: An Introductory Workshop!
Are you thinking about creating a Value-Added Product (VAP) but unsure where to start? What exactly qualifies as a value-added product, and who determines its value? Can you sell it, and what factors should you consider before launching a value-added business?
Join our workshop introducing the course “Starting a Value-Added Local Food Enterprise,” designed for both new and experienced farmers looking to diversify their operations. The course is divided into five modules that cover everything from understanding what makes a product “value-added” to conducting market research, product development, branding, and managing your enterprise. Each module features expert insights, helpful resources, and guided assignments to help you create a successful value-added product plan.
This self-paced, flexible course allows you to learn at your own speed, revisit topics as needed, and apply new ideas as your enterprise evolves. Produced by the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project and the Massachusetts Agricultural Innovation Center, the course offers practical tools and real-world guidance to help you succeed in value-added production.
About the Presenter:
Maura Rapkin. Maura is a New York City chef, regenerative-trained farmer, and small business owner guided by principles of community engagement and enlightened hospitality. She is passionate about conceiving solutions for a socially just, equitable, sustainable, and environmentally conscious food system.
She started her career in 2011 as a sustainability-oriented chef in New York. She worked as a chef and manager in hospitality businesses including Michelin-rated restaurants The Modern and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, internationally renowned Breads Bakery, and premier catering company Abigail Kirsch.
After receiving her Masters, Maura founded Napkin LLC, a mission-driven consulting company, when she saw a need emerge for lean, agile, and sustainable business solutions in the food and agriculture sectors. With Napkin, Maura has been able to expand her impact working with stakeholders to build a more equitable, environmentally conscious, and hospitable food and ag industry.
Maura received her MBA and Masters in Food Studies from Chatham University’s sustainability program and a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies and Film Studies from University of Rochester.