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MidAtlantic Women in Agriculture Webinar- Starting a Specialty Food Business in Maryland


8/23/17:  Starting a Specialty Food Business in Maryland

Consumers are attracted to specialty foods because they have the image of them being “homemade” from natural ingredients, uniquely packaged, or specially prepared. Many specialty foods are not really “new” products. Instead, they often consist of variations or unique combinations of existing products. Your “Jammin Jelly” is not a new product, but an improvement on an existing product with a new name and, perhaps, a new style of packaging.

Simply being a good cook with an improved idea will not ensure good, safe products for commercial marketing.   In Maryland, with the exception of certain products and set quantities, you cannot manufacture your product in a residential kitchen. Most processed or value-added foods must be manufactured in a licensed commercial kitchen. You must comply with Federal and State regulations regarding the preparation of food products, regardless of the size of your business. Food safety is a key issue in all food processing.

Specialty food processing often uses locally grown or sourced ingredients. Locally produced, specialty foods have an important market opportunity because they:

-Increases the food entrepreneur’s share of food dollars by eliminating middlemen

-Enhances profitability and viability

-Expands consumer access to fresh, whole, foods

-Builds the local economy, creates jobs

-Contributes to community culture and cuisine, quality of life, tax revenues

-Reducing food miles, conserves energy

But, what’s involved in starting a specialty food business in Maryland? Before you advertise your first product, or apply for a food processing license, you’ll need to determine if you have a marketable product. This webinar examine the “Go, No Go “ Decision processes for starting a specialty food business in Maryland.

For more information and to register: https://wiawebinars.eventbrite.com

For upcoming and archived webinars: http://extension.umd.edu/womeninag/webinars

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This technology is supported in part by New Technologies for Ag Extension (funding opportunity no. USDA-NIFA-OP-010186), grant no. 2023-41595-41325 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Extension Foundation. For more information, please visit extension.org. You can view the terms of useat extension.org/terms.

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