A new program in York Region is designed to help entrepreneurs find their footing in the food space.
The 14-week hybrid Agri-Food Start-up Program partners entrepreneurs with local organizations like the Foodpreneur Lab, Syzl, York Region Food Network, and the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation, and Boreal Farms.
“The program is designed to help address barriers in the food sector,” Meena Hassanali, program manager of rural and agri-food initiatives with the Regional Municipality of York, told Farms.com. “These include access kitchen space or the right equipment, financing, and business planning.”
The two-year program will take a 10-person cohort in 2025, and another 10 people in 2026.
The Foodpreneur Lab is the delivery agent for the program’s learning modules.
“We provide the skills and the knowledge to help food entrepreneurs navigate a very complex food ecosystem,” said Janice Bartley, the founder and executive director of the Foodpreneur Lab.