Interested in Starting a Food Business? From Catering to Preserves

This month’s Green Drinks will be especially informative for those of you interested in creating a local food business or those who would like to meet other business representatives in the local food industry. Based on a recent suggestion, we will be discussing the new Cottage Industry law, as well as shared commercial kitchens, and the process it takes to get products into farmers markets and restaurants.

Green Drinks is held the third Thursday of every month starting at 7pm.

In order for us to fully understand the new Cottage Industry Law, which allows some small-scale food production for farmers markets to take place at the home, LuAnn Duncan will be joining us.  She is the Orange County Nutrition Agent and her focus is on nutrition, health, and food safety. http://orange.ifas.ufl.edu/faculty.html#LuAnn_Duncan

While the new Cottage Industry Law is a huge break-through, shared kitchens can bring almost any small food business to reality.  Talking with us this month we will also have Joshua Weinberg from the Kissimmee Kitchen Share, where their mission is “to provide culinary entrepreneurs with the tools and resources to build their dream business and succeed in today’s marketplace.” http://www.kissimmeekitchenshare.com/

Once the food is made, the next step is getting it to market.Gabriela Othon Lothrop the director of the Audubon Park Community Market will be sharing the ins and outs of getting into local farmer/community markets.   The Audubon Park Community Market is truly local market, supporting local artisans, farmers, ranchers, chefs, musicians, and so many more.  These authentic markets are springing up all over town, so come find out what it takes to get a space. http://audubonparkmarket.com/

The Green Drinks session is hosted by Emily Rankin, Founder of Audubon Park Community Market, Co-Founder of Ourlando and Proprietor of Local Roots Farm to Restaurant Distribution.