MADISON — The Food Finance Institute (FFI) recently welcomed the our first (of three) cohorts of businesses into its 2024 Fellows Program. This is year three of FFI’s Fellows Program and year eight of providing programming designed to accelerate food-focused business growth.
FFI’s Fellows Program serves 45 businesses, 30 of whom are from Wisconsin, in two food brand cohorts that run consecutively for two 6-month periods and one Technology, Agriculture and Processing (TAP) cohort that runs from April through September.
The winter Food and Beverage cohort begins in January and features ten businesses from Wisconsin and five from across the nation.
- NETZRO, SBC – Minneapolis, MN. A leader in sustainability and the circular economy by eliminating food waste and expanding the food supply chain.
- Bold Spoon Creamery – Park Hills, MO. Challenge your idea of gourmet ice cream with our rotating catalog of unique flavors: delectable combinations of locally sourced ingredients to create intriguing ice cream flavors you will love.
- SuperCharge! Foods – Madison, WI. SuperCharge! has mindfully selected the most nutrient-dense Microgreens! to grow with our proprietary SuperCharge! process, in order to deliver holistic, nutritious goodness to the People
- Siembra Seattle – Seattle, WA. A Peruvian & Colombian pop-up restaurant in Seattle, serving local and organic ingredients—always made with love.
- Forward Beverage Co. – Wausau, WI. Crafted with real juice, natural extracts and flavors; the look and feel of a finely crafted cocktail without the alcohol.
- Finni’s Finest – Milwaukee, WI. Whether it’s by choice or necessity, not all individuals or families can consume a traditional diet without thinking about every ingredient. We produce healthy, plant-based foods that are always gluten free, dairy free, and made with love, right here in the USA.
- Sweet Tahini, LLC – Needham, MA. Focusing on ancient ingredients such as tahini, dates, nuts, seeds, and spices, the brand brings to the market snacks and desserts that boost health benefits, a plant-based and less sweet alternative to comfort food, and flavor experiences rooted in Middle Eastern history and cultures.
- Captain’s Chocolate Co. LLC – Neosho, WI. Bean to Bar Organic Chocolate: eco-friendly, sustainable, and naturally sourced in Costa Rica
- Uffda Kombucha – Superior, WI. Uffda Kombucha is made with all organic ingredients and a unique blend of cultures, resulting in a refreshing and probiotic-packed drink.
- Uncommon Grounds Specialty – Appleton, WI. Distinctive coffees that sustain communities and offer excellence in the cup.
- Kays Curries – Boston, MA. Meals that are all natural with no preservatives and cater to most dietary restrictions – vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-free, and sesame-free.
- Style Pop Café – Milwaukee, WI. Organic and fair-trade light roast coffee, craft- coffee creamer made with organic and natural ingredients in either dairy or non-dairy.
- Supper Club Fine Foods – Oconomowoc, WI. Offering 4 flavors of Supper Club inspired ranch dressings. Proudly made in Wisconsin by ranch and cheese curd lovers.
- Clario Farms – Sturgeon Bay, WI. Clario Farmstead Pasta is made with sustainable, responsibly produced ingredients that are grown by us, our network of local farms or certified organic producers.
- Enlightened Brewing Co. – Milwaukee, WI. Enlightened is a production brewery, taproom and event space with a full line of craft, micro-brewed beers.
The Fellows Program, funded by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), combines a modified version of FFI’s foundational financial management boot camp with one-on-one coaching calls and peer group meetings. The program is supported by FFI industry experts like Eurofins (Food Safety), Supply One (Packaging), Ogden, Glazer, + Schaefer (Law), Catapult Commercialization Services, Summit Credit Union, Farm Credit, Tribe 9 Foods, Compeer Financial, Real Food Brands, and Quigistics.
FFI’s Fellows Accelerator program has worked with over 100 companies since 2015. As of 2022, 50 reporting companies, three years after programming, have attracted $1.1 million in grant funding, $11 million in debt funding and $17.5 million in equity funding. In addition, over those three years they have generated over $100 million in business/sales.
Read more about the overall Fellows program at https://foodfinanceinstitute.org/grow-your-food-business/ffi-fellows-program/
About Food Finance Institute
The Food Finance Institute (FFI) leverages and supports a collaborative network of professionals focused on building and funding profitable businesses in the food, beverage and value-added agriculture sector. Through training, coaching, resources, tools and mentorship, FFI fulfills its mission of making sophisticated financial technical assistance available to growing enterprises. In addition, FFI is the home of the Edible-Alpha® brand. Edible-Alpha® is a digital resource hub that includes the Edible-Alpha® podcast and our insights newsletter. FFI is part of the University of Wisconsin System’s Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship. www.foodfinanceinstitute.org
