We’re thrilled to welcome 15 food businesses into the 2026 FFI Fellows Program as of January 2026!
This program provides free training and consulting to 45 food-focused entrepreneurs each year to help them succeed. Fellows get the expertise and support they need to grow and scale, with an investible business model and financing strategy unique to their business.
The first cohort of 2026 includes these 15 food and beverage businesses, 10 from Wisconsin and 5 from across the nation:
- A Wandering Fire: Artisan Pizza & Catering – St. Croix Falls, WI. 5-star catering, crafting made-from-scratch pizza, starters, and desserts using the finest locally sourced boutique ingredients.
- Amza Superfood – Portland, OR. Vibrant Tibetan-inspired snacks, nourishing Tsamba breakfasts & flaxseed butters. Ancient nutrition reborn as modern fuel, crafted to uplift wellness, culture, and everyday joy.
- Canna Bloom Farmacy LLC – Hartford, WI. Vertically integrated company growing, processing, and making hemp-derived beverages and edibles.
- Complex Coffee Roasters – Menasha, WI. Premium canned coffee products: black coffee, oat milk latte, and 2 versions of coffee squeezy: coffee lemonade!
- East View Coffee Company – Kenosha, WI. Ethically sourced specialty coffee, fresh pastries, chocolate, and community-focused offerings, all crafted with care to support farmers, the environment, and our community.
- Mister Burns LLC – Baileys Harbor, WI. Hot sauces, honey BBQ’s, salsas, and novelty nosh with a focus on flavor over heat.
- My Aunties Kitchen – Milwaukee, WI. Fresh, fast Asian street food served from our food truck: dumplings, noodles, bowls, and bold sauces inspired by vibrant street market flavors.
- Norsland Lefse – Rushford, MN. Fresh lefse and Uffda Chips sold through grocery stores, plus Scandinavian specialty foods offered online and in our café, including cheeses, herring, and seasonal items.
- OMG! Pretzels – Plymouth Meeting, PA. Award-winning, authentically-aged and seasoned sourdough pretzel nuggets.
- Prairie Gold Organics – Oconomowoc, WI. Providing organic, pasture-raised eggs, wool blankets, hats, sheepskins, and lamb to environmentally minded, health conscious families in southeastern Wisconsin.
- Rhythm Bakery – Viroqua, WI. Sourdough breads, crackers, and pastries made using exclusively locally grown ingredients.
- Unbothered Foods – Kansas City, MO. Deliciously fermented sourdough crackers, harnessing the magic of fermentation to create a tangy, crunchy snack that leave taste buds happy and bellies unbothered.
- WHIPZI – Las Vegas, NV. Flavored and colored powdered sugar made with plant-based ingredients. All natural, gluten free, and vegan friendly.
- Whole Harvest Meats – Waterford, WI. Locally raised, pastured meats, cheese, and produce and locally sourced and crafted convenience foods, all without chemicals, dyes, preservatives, nitrates, or seed oils.
- Zeda Cranberry Company Inc. – Warrens, WI. 100% cranberry cold-pressed juice.
The program kicks off this month with a food business finance course and culminates in four months with an investor pitch. Entrepreneurs participate in regular virtual meetings with their cohort and in 1-on-1 sessions with their FFI coach. Training and consulting cover all areas of food business, including marketing and branding, sales, operations, accounting, finance, and food safety. This program is FREE and open to any food-focused entrepreneur in the United States.
This national program serves food, beverage, technology, value-added agriculture, and processing businesses. There are three cohorts each year, starting in January, May, and September. The application is online here and takes about 30 minutes to complete. Applications are accepted year-round, with review periods in December, April, and August.
The FFI Fellows Program is supported by FFI industry experts including P2R Group, Craveity, Real Food Brands, Compeer Financial, Ogden, Glazer, + Schaefer (Law), Summit Credit Union, Catapult Commercialization Services, Eurofins (Food Safety), and Farm Credit.
The Fellows program has worked with over 197 companies since 2015. As of 2024, participating companies have attracted $6.8 million in grant funding, $16.5 million in debt funding and $17.2 million in equity funding. In addition, they have generated over $123 million in business/sales.