Small Business Assistance and Services
You have a dream to scale your recipe. We can help.
CIFT provides technical direction regardless of the stage of development for your product. Our team provides direction on labeling, licensing, product development, food safety, shelf life, nutritional labeling, and much more. Through specialized training to extensive networking with industry professionals and ultimately access to a production facility, your product could be launched into numerous markets.
How we do it
Small Business Development Services
Small Business Assistance
CIFT has worked with small and startup companies since the center's inception in 1995. In conjunction with the Northwest Ohio Cooperative Kitchen (NOCK), CIFT provides product development guidelines, resources and marketing direction to entrepreneurs involved in the production of value-added food products. Technical capabilities, including nutritional analysis and shelf-life stability testing, ensure that the products are produced safely and properly.
CIFT hosts numerous educational programs at the NOCK facility that show participants how to establish a commercially viable food business. Our food technology center also helps food-based entrepreneurs with regulatory compliance involving local health departments and the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Information on packaging options, sourcing of ingredients and labeling offer a portfolio of knowledge to start up enterprises. One-on-one consultations with CIFT business advisors provide help with defining a viable plan to establish a profitable food business venture.
The NOCK
The NOCK provides an affordable venue in which to develop a concept into a commercially viable food product. The commercial kitchen facility combines business and technical assistance with production equipment to bridge the gap between an idea and reality.
We work with
- Restaurant Owners
- Food Trucks
- Caterers
- Start ups
The ability to network with other entrepreneurs (who come from all across Ohio), access information and take advantage of production capacity - all in one spot - minimizes the risk for a new food business venture.
For additional information, visit the Agricultural Incubator Foundation's site.
Ohio Signature Food Contest
Watch the broadcast and learn more about the other finalists.