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Agribusiness and Food Specialty Centers
 

What does the Agribusiness and Food Specialty Center Do ?

1. The Center offers one-on-one consulting specific to organic, natural and specialty food issues, and assists agribusiness entrepreneurs to access industry research.

2. The Center Schedules regular educational programs, presentations, and speakers geared toward agribusiness and specialty food markets, including ServSafe training for food handlers.

3. The Center acts as a one-stop-shop to link you to USDA, agricultural extension agents, research entities, marketing and industry statistics, and product testing labs, as well as partners with Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program, Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission, and key associations to best address the needs of individuals who wish to take a product to market.

4. The Center follows your progress along six phases from idea development to product commercialization.

* Idea Development: analyze product need, profitability, market. Assist with referrals for prototype development.

* Taste Panel and Consumer Sampling: evaluate product color, texture, flavor; linkage to outside consultants, PennTAP and other expertise.

* Shelf-Life: contract with independent consultants/labs for shelf-life testing.

* Packaging / Labeling: research packaging models and proper ingredient labeling.

* Production and Test Marketing: select manufacturing process; introduce product to limited target area.

* Commercialization Process: wider product distribution and manufacturing.

We will link you to the agencies who will help you get your product to market, monitoring your progress along the way !

 

Other Agribusiness assistance:

The Center assists with business and marketing plan development, loan packaging and links to capital formation for proposed ventures.  Experienced staff consultants can also help you in the following areas:
 

  A.  Start up cost analysis

  B.   Industry research

  C.  Strategic planning

  D.  Product positioning

  E.   Loan packaging

 

So what does all this cost?

Because the Agribusiness and Food Specialty Centers are funded by a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, there is no cost for the one-on-one assistance you will receive by staff consultants in many areas.  Registration fees are associated with training and educational programs and there are, typically, fees associated with product testing, packaging, shelf-life testing and labeling, which often use outside consultants and labs.  The Center will work with you and its referral partners to ensure that you understand any costs before you incur them.

Where are the Centers Located?

The main Center hubs are located at the University of Scranton SBDC, and the Pennsylvania College of Technology, Wellsboro Branch Campus.  Clients from the Bradford and Tioga area can visit the Agribusiness Center in Wellsboro.  Clients from Lackawanna, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties can meet a staff consultant either at the University of Scranton location, or at Keystone College in LaPlume.  For more information, contact the Center of your choice below.

Scranton:  (570) 941-7588 or 800-829-7232

Contact:  Maria Montenegro or Elaine Tweedy

The University of Scranton SBDC

800 Linden Street, Scranton, PA 18510

 

Wellsboro:  (570)  724-7703

Contact:  Susan Dillon

The Pennsylvania College of Technology

Wellsboro Campus, 12880 Route 6

Wellsboro, PA 16901

A Program of The University of Scranton Small Business Development Center. In partnership with the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission, PennTAP,  and Keystone College. Funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission PA-15725-07.

This program serves Bradford, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming counties.