Food Business Initiative

Building profitable Wisconsin food businesses in partnership with the Food Finance Institute.

Our Food Business initiative’s mission seeks to provide food entrepreneurs with the technical assistance necessary to create and grow financially viable businesses.

We do this work through: 1) providing training and resources to Wisconsin food entrepreneurs and the consultants who work with them and 2) creating long-lasting one-on-one technical assistance and consulting relationships.

Build your food business

Food Business Scenario Planning

This three-day workshop aims to help food and beverage companies develop strategies and decision-making skills in the midst of unprecedented levels of uncertainty by providing the clarity and focus they need to navigate changes in markets, operations, and finance.

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Technical Assistance and Consulting

Are you a Wisconsin food business looking for help navigating the food industry, growth, and market trends? Are you in need of improving your business model, accounting or financial reporting, documenting your business to support fundraising, or preparing to pitch your business to lenders and investors? Whether you need to find the business model that works for you, raise money, or navigate the industry or market trends we are here for you!

Food-focused Consultant Training

FFI has trained a group of food-focused consultants. If you are interested in being notified when new sessions of this training are scheduled please contact us.

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View our list of trained consultants

Food Business Boot Camp

Boot Camp is here to help you avoid distractions when starting or growing your food business. This intense training is meant to keep you prepared through your journey in an ever-changing food and beverage business landscape.

If you are interested in attending or hosting a boot camp contact us!

Read more about our Boot Camp Model

FFI’s Consultant Training provides excellent insight in helping you understand the complexity within today’s food industry; what it takes to start, launch and grow a food business; as well as guiding the conversations when working with banks to finance your client’s growth aspirations. Tera’s expertise and experience clearly comes through in the form of case studies, examples and actionable tools, resources and templates you can use with your clients. Additionally, metrics and benchmarks are provided to help you steer your clients towards profitability and success.

David Stauffacher

FFI Certified Consultant | Business Consultant for SBDC at UW-Green Bay

The operating metrics dashboard for the company I currently work for is built off a proforma that I took from an FFI training years ago. Earlier in my career I worked for a start up and we had no time to think about money and thus we never slept. FFI’s tools and trainings have helped enable me to live in the numbers in my current business, which is the only way I am able to close my eyes at night and not be afraid that someone is going to bounce a check – that doesn’t mean that some nights I can’t sleep because I know someone is going to bounce a check – but either way I know and can manage my business accordingly. I continue to apply what I learned from FFI and use the tools, templates, and resources shared to this day.

Will Gray

FFI Certified Consultant | Back Pocket Provisions