The SFA presented “The Basics: The Business of Specialty Food,” which has been held in traditional classroom settings at the Fancy Food Shows, virtually, for the first time in November. The workshop is designed to help current and aspiring SFA members learn the fundamentals of their specialty food business.
“The Basics Live Online: The Business of Specialty Food” was presented over two days by a team of specialty food producers and leaders of the SFA. New SFA member, Joe Fischer, founder of Zeno Functional Foods, and inventor of SOBAR, a protein bar that slows the absorption of alcohol in the body, has a background in the biopharmaceutical industry. He attended The Basics to learn how best to expand distribution of the bar that is sold exclusively online.
“I know more about how to develop and test products than how to market them and get them into stores,” he said. “The SFA program really helped me learn about working with brokers and distributors and how to approach retailers and foodservice buyers.” Fischer liked the accessibility of the online format and that people could go in and out of the sessions depending on their schedules. Session recordings were made available after the event to attendees.
Will Knox of The Knox Company, which focuses on restaurant real estate and concept development, attended The Basics for help with an e-commerce concept involving specialty foods made with ingredients sourced from California’s Ojai Valley. He was most interested in e-commerce and finance presentations. “I don’t think there is any substitute for experience, which these teachers have,” he said. “It was like attending a master class. I found the roster very informative.”
The next The Basics Live Online will take place February 2 and 3. More information can be found here.
Related: The Basics: The Business of Specialty Food Video Package; Buyers Explore Thousands of Specialty Foods at Specialty Food Live!