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
- One-year Tier 1 membership (if not a member already)
- Badge for two Fancy Food Shows, the kick-off Show and graduation Show for your Class
- Slides, recordings, and workbook 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.
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!
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.
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.
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
| Kickoff | Immersive sessions at the Fancy Food Show |
| Section I | Product Development Food Safety Co-Packing |
| Break / Catch-Up | |
| Section II | Branding Funding Your Business Pricing & Trade Spending |
| Break / Catch-Up | |
| Section III | Supply Chain & Logistics Trade Channels E-Commerce |
| Break / Catch-Up | |
| Section IV | Selling |
| Break / Catch-Up | |
| Section V | Working with Distributors Marketing |
| Prep for the Fancy Food Show | |
| Graduation | Reconnect at the Fancy Food Show |