Small Business and Food Entrepreneurship Events

Specialty Food Seminar with Annie Christopher and Peter Backman of Annie’s Naturals

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Craftsbury Public Library, Craftsbury Common, VT

9am-12pm

Join Annie Christopher and Peter Backman, founders of Annie’s Naturals and successful entrepreneurs, in the beautiful Craftsbury Public Library to learn about product development, label design, container choice, cost, distribution and marketing for the specialty food market.

Annie has a BA from Colorado Womens College in 1964 and an A.S. from New York City College of Technology in Hotel and Restaurant Management in 1983 with an emphasis on Culinary Arts. Peter worked as a farmer in his early twenties on the family farm and became a salesman for the family printing company Capital City Press and worked for 15 years in sales in the printing industry. Annies Naturals was founded in 1984 by Annie and was located in North Calais at the family homestead. Peter joined the company in 1990 to oversee Sales and Accounting. They were partners in the business and oversaw many aspects of the company together until it was sold in 2005

Bringing Your Product to Market: Specialty Food Product Development

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Sterling College Houston House, N. Craftsbury Rd, Craftsbury Common, VT

8:30am - 4:30pm

Join two experts in food development, product placement and marketing. This full-day comprehensive workshop with Cathy Bacon and Molly Creelman will include topics like market research, goals and objectives, where to sell, competitive analysis, product testing and refinement, packaging, labeling and pricing and margins. If you are selling or plan to sell your products, this seminar is not to be missed!

To sign up or for more information, please visit the Vermont Small Business Development Center site or copy and past the following url into your browser window: http://vtsbdc.centerdynamics.com/workshop.aspx?ekey=20310010

Cathy Bacon, founder of Cathy Freedom Foods, LLC operates a Randolph based food development center that supports consulting through co-packing services since 2008. For the previous 20 years Cathy operated a specialty food company focused on using locally produced ingredients. Active in supporting local, regional and national sales and marketing of Vermont products, Cathy worked with local food producers supporting kitchen to market activities. Cathy’s credentials include serving on a number of community boards as well as the VT Specialty Food Assoc., VT. Grocers Assoc. and VT Handcrafters.

Molly Creelman’s professional experience ranges from government, marketing and education. Molly campaigned for Gov. Jeanne Sheehan and served as her Director of Scheduling. Using her public figure experience, Molly subsequently was a senior sales executive at a national event marketing and advertising company. She created, budgeted for and sold interactive marketing programs for food brands within national companies including: Kellogg's, Campbell's, Procter& Gamble Co. and Coca Cola. Partnering her clients with Nascar events, NFL games, Spring Breakers on location and pop star concert tours, Molly has direct experience with product placement, sales, marketing and co-branding synergies for food brands. Molly taught both United States and European History before starting Miss Molly's Provisions.

The Center for an Agricultural Economy is an equal opportunity provider and employer. We would like to thank USDA Rural Development for making this possible.