What: Sixth annual Making It In Michigan Conference and Premier Specialty Food Show 

When: Tuesday, November 12th from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Where: Lansing Center

The one-day event features morning educational sessions that will bring together leading Michigan experts to help guide attendees in refining and growing their businesses in the following areas:

• It’s about the product in the package: moving past the starter recipe into explosion, food safety and sourcing ingredients and selecting the appropriate co-packer at the right time

• Growing your specialty food business even further: alleviating the growing pains associated with accelerated business growth and strategizing your entry into retail sales

• Marketing Your Food Product: designing your product label and retail sales tools and minimizing confusion about your product packaging by correctly assessing your product needs

• Keeping the regulatory requirements in check: obtaining legal protection for your business and your product – essential vs. suggested elements including patents, trade secrets and trademarks and getting food product licensing by the State of Michigan – existing foodservice operation expansion or new food business launch

The $79 per person conference registration fee includes breakfast, lunch, and educational sessions, digital copies of all presentations and reference materials and admission to the Marketplace trade show.

The Marketplace trade show in the afternoon will feature over 150 new and existing businesses that will be showcasing their Michigan-made food and agricultural products to the general public and Michigan-based food buyers. The trade show is free to the general publi    

Conference participants will also have time to network with the winners of this year’s MSU Product Center awards and learn from their success stories. Awards will be presented for the Best Barrier Buster, Start-up to Watch and Entrepreneur of the Year. MSU Product Center innovation counselors and staff members, Product Center clients, business consultants, regulatory officials and food and farming groups will also be available to provide in-depth information and counseling.

More information is at www.productcenter.msu.edu/miim/. Those interested in attending can also call Greta McKinney at 517-353-7185 or send an email to mckin134@msu.edu.