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Turn your idea into a commercial-ready food product with support from food industry experts, OSU’s Food Innovation Center, and New Seasons Market.

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Have your friends or family ever told you that you should sell your special sauce, cookies, or other culinary creation? Are you a restaurant owner who's ready to take one of your recipe creations to the commercial market?

If you're ready to get your recipe on grocery shelves but have no idea where to begin, Getting Your Recipe to Market is for you.

There are many things to consider when starting a food product business: packaging, labeling, marketing, costs, and more. Imagine starting a food business with confidence, knowing you have thought through all the steps necessary to launch into the marketplace.

Getting Your Recipe to Market is a unique 12-week training program that will help you turn your idea into a commercial-ready food product.

We've partnered with food industry experts, OSU’s Food Innovation Center, and New Seasons Market to take you step-by-step in producing, promoting, and selling your product.

Getting Your Recipe to Market gives you the skills to:

  • Understand industry essentials, and avoid common mistakes. Our program is designed to teach you the ins and outs of the food industry and help you avoid costly mistakes. Food industry experts will teach you how to produce, promote and sell your product. Learn about product development, food science, packaging, distribution, and more.
  • Connect with and gather insight from local food professionals. In each session, you'll meet experts working in the food industry such as grocery buyers, co-packers, food scientists, packaging experts, regulators, and more. You'll also have your product reviewed by New Seasons Market buyers.
  • Prepare for the commercial market. We'll cover core marketing principles for promoting a consumer food product, giving your product the best chance to succeed. Learn how to calculate costs of goods sold (COGS), conduct break-even analysis, and other financial keys to creating a profitable product.
  • Get one-on-one help in building your food product business. We're here for you as you launch your product and continue to grow your business after the program. Your advisor will work with you to develop an action plan and provide guidance in making key business decisions.

What to Expect

Each week we'll bring in subject-matter experts to teach on important areas. Each session is 3 hours long.

Subjects Include

  • marketing
  • product costing and pricing
  • food science & safety
  • licensing & regulations
  • producing in a commercial kitchen or with a co packer
  • brand development
  • label compliance
  • selling to grocery buyers
  • selling in farmer’s markets
  • alternative sales channels
  • distribution
  • food business law
  • and more!

For a detailed course outline, complete the form on this page.

Getting Your Recipe to Market is more than just a class. It's a comprehensive training program that includes:

  • A 30 minute meeting with New Seasons Market buyers to pitch your brand and present your product(s).  You will receive valuable feedback and the opportunity to have your products placed into the New Seasons stores.
  • One-on-one business advising.
  • Complimentary access to Business Design Series, SBDC’s business planning course.
  • Supportive learning through your cohort/peers.
  • Access to business advisors with a wide range of backgrounds and expertise.

Join over 300 individuals who have completed this program since 2006.

Alumni Success Story - Tan Tan Foods

Tan Tan Products  Tan Tan Family

Lisa Tran of Tan Tan Foods says, “Everything from the first day of class has built the solid foundation on which my products and subsequent business has been built upon. The mentorship and networking opportunities have been invaluable! The connection we made to New Seasons Market through the program led to other retail opportunities. Currently, we are in close to 400 stores, the bulk of which are the Safeways and Albertsons in Oregon, Washington and Northern California.” - Read more about Tan Tan’s success here!

“The education that I received in the GYRM class was eye opening and invaluable. It gave me the information that I needed to start this business off on the right foot, as well as connecting me to resources and contacts that set the path toward profitability.” -- Marilyn Roseburrough, Kember’s Gluten Free

“That class was exactly what I needed when I was starting out. I had no idea that I’d have to learn things like how to convert a recipe to a scalable formula, or how to find contract manufacturers and distributors. In a few short months, I have been exposed to everything I needed to know to get started with my food business. Getting Your Recipe to Market and ongoing business advising have been critical pillars in the creation of my business. Without it, I most likely wouldn’t be in business. I probably wouldn’t have even known where to start.” – Josh Fegles, Jude’s Foods

“Having an advisor each step of the way has been awesome! Learning new business practices, and having the opportunity to implement them with direction, has helped me to continue to grow my business profitably." -- Betsy Walton, Our Favorite Foods LLC

“In the end, the program really paid for itself because it saved us money in mistakes that we would’ve made.” -- Junea Rocha, Brazi Bites

Who should enroll in Getting Your Recipe to Market?

Getting Your Recipe to Market is good fit for you, if:

  • You have a complete and consistent recipe.
  • You have no retail sales.
  • You have time to dedicate to class, advising, and the work.
  • You want to make your food business idea a reality.

The Investment

Time:

  • Getting Your Recipe to Market is a 12-week training program that includes 36 hours of virtual instruction. Every session is 3 hours long.
  • You will participate in the New Seasons evaluation.
  • Expect to spend time outside of the classroom and in your advising sessions to work on different aspects of your business.

Financial:

  • Tuition for Getting Your Recipe to Market is $1,995
  • A second person from your business can attend for $1,000
  • Payment are made through Portland Community College, payment plans are available if you register early
  • Limited tuition sponsorships are available through our community partners. Fill out the form above to learn more. 

The Return:

  • The knowledge and confidence you need to launch your food product business.
  • Opportunities to make your product known, including:
    • New Season's Market product evaluation
  • Resources for ongoing learning and growth, including:
    • Specialized business advising
    • Access to future Getting Your Recipe to Market classes

How to Enroll in Getting Your Recipe to Market

You must request a guided interview to ensure the program is a good fit for you. Complete the form on this page to schedule a guided interview.

The Next Training Program Starts April 1, 2025

Want more information? Complete the form on this page to get a detailed course outline and to schedule a guided interview.

 

rev 08.01.2022