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January 11, 2019. Tillamook County, Oregon. Got an idea for a food product? Sign-up for our Recipe-to-Market workshops. A Business Oregon grant makes a low-cost workshop possible to learn food product safety, business planning and marketing for food entrepreneurs.
Tillamook County is home to several national and regional food brands: Tillamook Cheese, Tillamook Country Smoker, Werners, Pacific Seafoods, Pelican Brewing, deGarde Brewing and Jacobsen Salt. There is room for more, and one way to get a food idea to market is through the newly revamped Recipe to Market program, which will be held in Tillamook County Feb. 20, 21 and 22, 2019. In addition, OSU Extension will hold a free Farm-Direct class on Feb. 2.
“Local foods are a big draw; more and more visitors are seeking out food experiences when in Tillamook County and on the Oregon Coast,” said Nan Devlin, tourism director for Visit Tillamook Coast. “Not only do guests want to taste, catch, harvest, sip and cook local specialties while here, but they want to buy food as gifts, and order more once they get back home.”
Partners for Rural Innovation has collaborated on restarting the Recipe to Market program. With assistance from a Business Oregon Rural Opportunity Initiative grant, workshops on Farm-Direct essentials, food safety and production, business development and marketing will be held in Tillamook County at a substantially reduced cost.
In the past, this program has cost $400; however, because of the grant from Business Oregon the two-day program is just $50, and the Farm-Direct Essentials workshop is free. Register at https://tillamookcoast.com/recipetomarketFood entrepreneurs throughout the Oregon Coast are welcome to take part.
“If you are thinking about developing a food product, have one underway, or already have a food product and want to learn more or update your skills, this is a good time to sign-up for Recipe to Market,” said Devlin. “At just $50, it’s very affordable.”
On Feb. 2, Kelly Streit, of OSU Extension Service in Clackamas County, will lead a Farm Direct “Field to Market” essentials workshop for small farmers wanting to create products for onsite sales. It will be held at the Partners for Rural Innovation Building, 4506 Third Street, Tillamook, from 10am to 2pm. Lunch will be served.
On Feb. 20 and 21, Sarah Masoni, known as the woman with the “million-dollar palate,” will bring her renowned Food Safety and Preparation program to Tillamook. This important class is usually held at Portland’s Food Innovation Center, but instead, Masoni will hold the one-day workshop on Feb. 20, and repeated on Feb. 21, at the 4-H building at Tillamook County Fairgrounds. Participants can sign up for either day.
On Feb. 22, the second part of the Recipe to Market program will be held at the Partners for Rural Innovation building at 4506 Third Street, right across the street from the 4-H center. This one-day workshop will include information and assistance with business planning and marketing, as well as a panel discussion with locals who have brought a food product to market.
Each one-day Food Safety and Production workshop from the Food Innovation Center is limited to 20 people, for a total of 40. The business and marketing workshop will bring everyone together in an interactive session.
Business planning will be facilitated by Arlene Soto, director of the Small Business Development Center, and marketing will be taught by the staff of Visit Tillamook Coast. There will also be information shared about financing and loan opportunities. In addition, a Spanish-language version of the Recipe to Market program will be offered in early spring if there is interest in the community.
Register at: https://tillamookcoast.com/recipetomarket
For more information, call or email Nan Devlin at 503 842-2672 or nan@tillamookcoast.com
