Every day a new recipe is invented, perfected, modified, shared, traded, or held with the upmost secrecy. A dash of curiousity or a teaspoon of courage drives inventors to present their recipe at the most subjective lab around: your palate. And as flavours, health and environmental awareness becomes a part of consumers’ mindsets, you suddenly realize your grandma had it right all along. 

Specialty foods, slow food and farm to table movements are here in full force. With revenue in the billions, and an annual growth of 3.2% per year , specialty food stores are now staples in every community often selling locally produced recipes. Fearless DIYers and savvy foodies are taking up whisks and diving into the world of entrepreneurship testing their products at farmers’ markets and long table dinners. 

Fostering these networks of food entrepreneurs is often done through Business Incubators – spaces and learning environments that take entrepreneurs through the process of running a business. 

In 2011, The City of Campbell River published Agriculture Now: Growing a Strong Agricultural Sector in Campbell River where it was identified that the City could strive to be 10% self-sufficient in food production and attract new businesses in food processing value added products, local food, niche and artisan foods. Local food and agriculture systems can strengthen the local economy through investment and job creation and reduce some of the vulnerability to rising energy prices and global food production disruptions from climate change. We hope to revisit this vision and invite you to bring your idea and be part of the Food Business Incubator here in Campbell River! Together, can we pique the community’s appetite?

Come learn about the Food Business Incubator and what it takes to be a food entrepreneur at the following events:

Calling all Food Innovators: Food Incubator Lunch & Learn

When: Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Time: 11:30am – 1:30pm

Location: Enterprise Centre, 900 Alder Street

RSVP: invest@campbellriver.ca

Light lunch provided

Building a Food Business: A Fireside Chat

On August 1^st, come to a speakers panel to hear from Food Entrepreneurs that have made it in the food industry and all the challenges they have faced and learned to overcome. 

When: Thursday, August 1, 2019

Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Location: Campbell River Museum

RSVP: https://crfood.eventbrite.com or invest@campbellriver.ca

Snacks provided

All the events are free to attend and open to all. To learn more follow our facebook page or connect with us at invest@campbellriver.com.