The Northwest Innovation Center is getting almost $500,00 for a new food security program.
The money is from FedNor and is part of a three-year program called FEAST for short, or Food Enterprises Advancement and SME Transformation.
Richard Gemmill is the Executive Director of the Innovation Center and says they will be working with the Seven Generations Institute.
“We’ll be working with those clients in the kitchen space, but also helping support them behind the scenes on business planning…financial planning,” explains Gemmill.
“Maybe, some of these folks are having a hard time finding the money or the resources to buy a piece of equipment. This program will allow you up to $5,000 in grant funding.”
Gemmill says this is a three-year project that will use some of the facilities at Seven Gens.
“Providing some space so those local entrepreneurs, who are looking to develop a new product, or develop a new product line, or just need production space to actually to make 1,000 units rather than 500 or 200 in their own kitchen. How do they size up? They (Seven Generations) are giving us some space there.”
Up to 20 small and medium-sized enterprises across the region will have access manufacturing space, a commercial kitchen, refrigerators, packing and storage facilities through the partnership with Seven Gens.
The idea is to create a regional food hub and increase food exports and business growth.
