Maker Prep Course

Learn to do business in the food industry in six months

Winter Show Registration

Calling all early-stage food entrepreneurs!

Your ideas and your passion are key to the specialty food industry’s continued growth, and the Specialty Food Association wants to help you turn your product and story into success. 

Maker Prep is a six-month course on doing business in the food industry, comprising both immersive in-person sessions at the Fancy Food Shows and self-paced learning with expert coaching support. 

Together, we shape the future of food.

What’s Included

Member Pricing - $199  /  Non-Member Pricing - $499

  • One-year Tier 1 membership (for non-members)
  • Badge for two Fancy Food Shows, the kick-off Show and graduation Show for your Class
  • Slides and recordings from the in-person Maker Prep sessions
  • Course touchpoints:  
    • Knowledge building – access to online educational materials for duration of course
    • Class discussion – a dedicated closed group chat for brainstorming, questions, and ideas
    • Strategic prompts – regular opportunities to apply concepts to participants’ businesses
    • Coaching sessions – monthly gatherings to talk with industry experts


The Class of Summer 2025 Is Now Open! 

This cohort will be capped at 100 participants. Enroll today to secure your spot.

Members - $199 / Non Members - $499

Please Note: Enrollment in Maker Prep must go through the 2025 Winter Fancy Food Show registration process. Click below to start your registration. You will be able to select a Maker Prep Course option and will only pay one fee for enrollment – your Show registration is included in the Maker Prep price! Enrollees are encouraged, but not required, to attend the Maker Prep sessions at the Winter Fancy Food Show to gain valuable insights and networking opportunities.


Get Started



How the Course Works

Kickoff celebration at the Fancy Food Show 

New Maker Prep Classes gather in person at the Fancy Food Show for a meet & greet event.

Throughout that Fancy Food Show, participants take part in immersive workshops introducing them to forthcoming course topics and other foundational knowledge. Enrollees may attend the workshops virtually if they can't make it to the Fancy Food Show.

Participants also tour Fancy Food Show hotspots and get an idea of what to expect when it they're ready to exhibit.  


Guided online learning & coaching

SFA provides materials, class discussions, and prompts every two weeks, as well as monthly coaching sessions. Participants may work at their own pace. 

The schedule of topics and coaching sessions can be viewed in the SFA Learning Center.  

Throughout the Course, participants can connect with one another through a dedicated LinkedIn Group.  

Graduation at the following Fancy Food Show 

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be celebrated in a ceremony at the next Fancy Food Show, along with a special display opportunity for their products. 

Participants qualify for graduation by completing 75% of the Course. Additional perks for graduates will include priority access for SFA’s mentorship program and pitch competitions.

  • "The Maker Prep program came at the perfect time for me as I was getting ready to launch my food business. Beyond the helpful coursework and coaching sessions, the program was great for expanding my CPG network and for building relationships with other founders in my cohort."

    -Rawia Abdelsamad, The Levantine Kitchen LLC 

  • "I highly recommend this program to anyone who is serious about launching a brand in the Specialty Food space! The access to a network of buyers, brands and vendors in the space and the detailed coursework of every important part of the business have been most helpful to me."

    Shyela Malani, Muria Foods 

  • "As a startup founder with limited time, I love that I can complete the course at my own pace... Through education and the community SFA cultivates, I know I can move forward with confidence in my startup journey." 

    -Caroline McGinley, La Gringuita Cookies 

  • sfa maker prep
    The Makers Prep Kickoff at the Fancy Food Show was STELLAR, and the SFA wasted no time in delivering high-quality, actionable content. I was impressed and energized by what I learned and the connections I made. I'm excited for the months ahead in the program, and I already feel like I made a worthwhile investment. 
    — Lexx Mills, Revvl 
  • sfa maker prep

    The first two days have already exceeded my expectations. I’ve already implemented a handful of lessons learned in our salad dressing business, Big Mama's Foods. Kudos to the team that launched this program at the Specialty Food Association. I’m excited for all the learning opportunities over the next six months!

    — Ethan Shapiro, Big Mama's Foods

  • sfa maker prep

    The people in this group are in a variety of specialty food journeys but they get it and it's empowering. The speakers gave me more information than I could have ever looked for on my own in those 2 days of sessions alone and the openness of industry experts to share their knowledge was an indescribable feeling. 

    — Grace Ureña, Un Chin Seasoning Co. 


Online Course Touchpoints 

Knowledge Building via Content in Maker Prep 

Participants access all educational course materials online through the SFA Learning Center. A link to log in and set up an account will be provided, after which participants will have unlimited access to the web-based online learning platform.  

Course materials will include text, videos, and graphics to help explain foundational concepts around developing a successful specialty food business.  



Class Discussions via LinkedIn Group

For each Course topic, SFA provides participants with a prompt to consider and discuss as a group. These discussions take place in a closed LinkedIn Group, where the Class can suggest ideas, ask questions, and get helpful feedback from one another.  

Strategic Prompt Exercises 

Participants get the chance to apply the ideas, insights, and guidance provided around each Maker Prep topic to their own businesses.  

From choosing strategic flavor combinations based on consumer trends to considering emerging e-commerce platforms and all the topics in between, the strategic prompt exercises allow participants to put their ideas on paper, reflect on the knowledge they’ve gained, and pressure-test their assumptions and plans in new ways. 

Coaching Sessions with Industry Experts 

Each month, a food-industry veteran will join the Maker Prep Course Class for a coaching session via Zoom. These sessions will be loosely focused on the two most-recent Course topics, with many of the speakers who created the educational content serving as coaches. 

Participants are welcome to bring up topics from class discussions, seek feedback on their personal explorations work, or ask other questions of industry experts who know what it’s like to start, grow, and expand a food business. 


Sample Course Schedule

KickoffImmersive sessions at the Fancy Food Show 
Section I 
Product Development 
Food Safety 
Co-Packing 

Break / Catch-Up 
Section IIBranding
Funding Your Business
Pricing & Trade Spending 

Break / Catch-Up
Section IIISupply Chain & Logistics 
Trade Channels
E-Commerce

Break / Catch-Up 
Section IVSelling

Break / Catch-Up
Section VWorking with Distributors
Marketing

Prep for the Fancy Food Show 
GraduationReconnect at the Fancy Food Show