Increasing Sales with Frozen Farm Produce

8900 U.S. 14,Crystal Lake IL 60012

26 October, 2021

Description

Have you considered freezing farm produce to expand your sales season? Learn about one processor who is doing just that in Northern Illinois Since 2019, The Business of Food has helped local farmers develop ways to increase their sales and reduce waste. Their primary method has been by freezing sweet corn that is sold at farm stands both during and after the harvest season. This presentation will detail the program they offer, now in its third season, explain the process, what they have learned from a procedural and financial perspective, and the vision for scaling the operation to increase access for additional farmers and freezing of different suitable crops. Sybil Ege speaker bioSybil Ege was in corporate America in the Information Technology field for 30 years, managing large teams in the development and implementation of complex software systems. She also managed the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Elgin Community College from 2011 - 2016, and was a small business owner herself. In 2016, Ms. Ege started Oracle Business Planning, a consulting service focused on financial and business planning with many clients in the northwest suburbs, including several Next Level Northwest (NLNW) clients. In early 2019, Ms. Ege and her partner John Richards started The Business of Food, LLC. in Sycamore, IL, an enterprise dedicated to local food entrepreneurs and the farming community. The business consists of several integrated business units: a shared kitchen facility that serves as an incubator for aspiring entrepreneurs, a harvest manufacturing capability to freeze sweet corn (primarily), and food-based counseling/educational services.