October 28 – 29th, 2024 FEED Summit IN-PERSON CONFERENCE Milwaukee, Wisconsin Venue: Milwaukee Youth Arts Center (325 W Walnut St, Milwaukee, WI 53212)
See the LOGISTICS page for information about accessing the conference app!
Register here for the only statewide conference in Wisconsin for early-stage Food and Farming Businesses.
The FEED Summit is on October 28-29, 2024, at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center (325 W Walnut St, Milwaukee, WI 53212).
Join us for business workshops, networking sessions, great local food, and field trips to Milwaukee food businesses!
About Us
The Community Food Systems Program’s Food Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development (FEED) Initiative is a statewide program that promotes food entrepreneurship training and network development for value-added producers and individuals facing structural barriers to food entrepreneurship.
See all Extension Educators and Specialists who work in the Community Food Systems Program area on our People page.
Thanks to our collaborators!
Are you interested in collaborating? Contact Jessica Jane Spayde to set up a time to chat!
Who Should Attend?
ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS in the IDEATION Phase
Entrepreneurs in the ideation phase generally have a great idea, have a skill, or have a key resource or property, but haven’t started selling their goods or services yet.
EARLY ENTREPRENEURS in the STARTUP Phase
Entrepreneurs in the startup phase are generally producing goods or services and selling them to customers. They might not be profitable yet, and might be trying to grow their business. This includes many food and farming businesses in their first 5 to 10 years in business.
Entrepreneurs will learn how to start or grow their business through sessions focusing on different parts of business model development. Each session will have speakers who are business experts in the food and farming industry and/or Wisconsin food and farming entrepreneurs who will share their business stories.
Build Business CONNECTIONS
Entrepreneurs will connect with business consultants, service organizations, and other entrepreneurs through interactive sessions,networking activities, and through 1-1 conversations throughout the 2-day conference.
MARKET Your Business
Entrepreneurs have the opportunity to promote their business during the Entrepreneur Showcase session, and be able to speak 1-1 with hundreds of other entrepreneurs and business industry experts.
Keynote: Loving Your Business, Loving Your City: Celebrating a Passion for Entrepreneurship Keynote Speaker: Alesia Miller, Founder of Soul Brew Kombucha in Milwaukee, Wisconsin The 2024 FEED Summit Keynote speaker is Alesia Miller, Founder of Soul Brew Kombucha in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Alesia will share her entrepreneurial journey, highlighting how her passion for healthy local food and entrepreneurship helped her start a kombucha company that has turned into an award-winning thriving food business.
Alesia Miller has been featured on WISN 12 News celebrating “Alesia Miller from Soul Brew Kombucha is Wisconsin’s first kombucha tea brewing company owned by a Black woman.”
Welcome and Introductions by: Solana Patterson-Ramos, Executive Director of Milwaukee Food Council, and Jessica Jane Spayde, Food Entrepreneurship Specialist at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension.
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
NETWORKING Break
10:30 – 11:30 AM
BREAKOUT Session 1 ✹ Business Model Canvas – Problem & Solution with Stephanie Plaster, Extension Farm Management Outreach Specialist at University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.Learn the first part of the Business Model Canvas tool: “Problem and Solution.” At the end of this session, you’ll be able to answer: What is your customer’s problem and how does your business solve their problem? Breakout Room 1: Shostakovich.
✹ Grants Workshop: Creating a Winning Proposal with Margaret Krome, Policy Program Director of Michael Fields Agricultural Institute. Learn how to scope your business idea into a winning proposal. Facilitated by Diane Mayerfeld, Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator for University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension. Breakout Room 2: Sondheim.
✹ Food Safety Requirements in Wisconsin: An Overview with Charlie Bloom, DATCP Licensing Specialist. Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection specialists explain how to navigate the food safety requirements for your food or farming business. Facilitated by Addison Vang, Community Development Educator at University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension. Breakout Room 3: Martha Graham.
✹ Food Justice 101. Learn the basics of food justice issues in the food system; how we got here, and what is currently being done to make it work for everyone. Facilitated by Solana Patterson-Ramos, Executive Director of Milwaukee Food Council. Breakout Room 4: Shakespeare.
✹ Meet with a Consultant, Exhibitor Hall: Copland Hall.
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
NETWORKING Lunch with EXHIBITORS, Exhibitor Hall: Copland Hall
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
BREAKOUT Session 2 ✹ Imagining Food Systems. This is an interactive workshop to learn about the food system and imagine a better one. Facilitated by Solana Patterson-Ramos, Executive Director of Milwaukee Food Council. Breakout Room 1: Shostakovich.
✹ Grants Workshop: Grant Opportunities for Value-Added Farming in Wisconsin with Andrew Bernhardt, Diane Mayerfeld, Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator for University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension and Judy Clendenning. What grant opportunities exist in Wisconsin for food and farming businesses? Breakout Room 2: Sondheim.
✹ The Importance of Financial Statements Beyond the “Shoebox”,with Mike Hetzel. WWBIC experts will share the importance of the Profit and Loss Statement, Cashflow Statement, and Balance Sheet for new entrepreneurs. Breakout Room 3: Martha Graham, Facilitated by Addison Vang, Community Development Educator at University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension. Breakout Room 3: Martha Graham.
✹ Building Educational Opportunities for Agritourism Startups with University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension specialists Maggie Cornelius, Stephanie Plaster, Extension Farm Management Outreach Specialist, and James Pyecroft, Food Entrepreneurship and Local Market Development Outreach Associate.This presentation will outline the new curriculum that Extension and partners are building to help new agritourism ventures in Wisconsin. Breakout Room 4: Shakespeare.
✹ Meet with a Consultant, Exhibitor Hall: Copland Hall.
2:00 – 2:30 PM
NETWORKING Break
2:30 – 3:30 PM
BREAKOUT Session 3 ✹ Northeast WI Farmers Market Coalition – Collaboration & Promotions, with Leah Weycker, Lamyai Phaxay-Kizzee, and Allie Thut. Market managers in the Coalition will discuss their unique markets, and also share the process and results of working on promotions projects. Facilitated by Katie Hassemer. Breakout Room 1: Shostakovich.
✹ Grants Workshops Extra Time. For those who have additional questions about writing proposals for value-added farming grants, this room is reserved for you to work directly with the workshop providers. Facilitated by Diane Mayerfeld and Andrew Bernhardt. Breakout Room 2: Sondheim.
✹ Cost Projections with Peter Robertson. Do you know the difference between cost and price? How about cost of goods sold (COGS)? Learn more with Food Finance Institute Expert Peter Robertson. Facilitated by Christine Ameigh. Breakout Room 3: Martha Graham.
✹ Cooperatives 101, with Kelly Maynard. Cooperatives are a unique business model, offering both potential benefits to entrepreneurs and distinct challenges. Learn the fundamentals of what makes a business a cooperative; the diversity of examples we have in the food system; and the process to getting one started. Facilitated by Patrick Nehring. Breakout Room 4: Shakespeare.
✹ Meet with a Consultant, Exhibitor Hall: Copland Hall.
3:30 – 4:30 PM
Travel time – Continue networking and learning at the Local Food Tour & Networking Dinner!
4:30 – 6:00 PM
Networking Tour from Milwaukee Public MarkettoThird Street Market Hall, with Milwaukee Business Owners, Milwaukee Food Council, MKE Black, and UW-Madison Extension. Along the way, we will hear about the many opportunities and assistance resources that Business Improvement District and downtowns, like the Historic Third Ward and Milwaukee Downtown, have to offer the food entrepreneur.
BREAKOUT Session 4 ✹ Using Data and Collaboration to Extend your Market Reach, with Kristin Krokowski, Commercial Horticulture Eductor, UW-Madison Extension. Learn about collecting useful data, doing in person market research at the farmers market, how to use your data, and the value of collaboration in extending your market reach. Breakout Room 1: Shostakovich.
✹ Community Impact & Innovation, with Hundred Acre, Chris Corkery,Founder and CEO,and Mentoring Positives, Will Green, Founder and Executive Director, and TransCenter for Youth, Joey Zocher, Executive Director. Facilitated by Joseph Miller. From growing fresh salad greens for public schools at the unique urban farm at Hundred Acre to youth entrepreneurs making their own salsa and pizza through Mentoring Positives in Madison, food and farm entrepreneurs across the state of Wisconsin are finding innovative ways to improve value chains and strengthen community connections. Learn how innovations within their business models and youth engagement have led them to grow their impact. Breakout Room 2: Sondheim.
✹ Marketing 101, with Neal Linkon, Marketing Chair and Certified SCORE Mentor. Learn the basics of how people make purchasing decisions and how you can influence those decisions. You’ll also learn how to measure your results and pitfalls to avoid. Facilitated by Hannah Altimus, Breakout Room 3: Martha Graham.
✹ Subscription Services and Distribution Partnerships with Padmini Chintakayala, CEO of Nommli; Raj Peddapati, COO of Nommli; and Patrick Lagman, Founder & CEO of Maize. Want to learn more about subscription-based business models and distribution partnerships? Join this session with owners of two startups with creative revenue streams. Nommli is “Elevating meal subscriptions to cultural journeys,” with “Meals, books, movies, music and more from around the world delivered to your doorstep.” Maize provides an interactive farm to table experience for restaurants that highlights their local purveyors and ingredients, while streamlining local food discovery, communication, and promotion. Breakout Room 4: Shakespeare.
✹ Meet with a Consultant, Exhibitor Hall: Copland Hall.
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
NETWORKING Break
10:30 – 11:30 AM
BREAKOUT Session 5 ✹ The Southeast Wisconsin Farmers Market Collaborative Taste It Tent Project, with Ruth Weill, Dena Radtke, Dawn Carrillo, and Kerry Hoey. The market managers of Brown Deer, Jackson Park, Oak Creek and Riverwest Farmers Markets (Southeast Wisconsin Farmers Market Collaborative) will share their experiences with UW Extension and the FMPP grant in general, and the “Taste It Tent” project in particular. Facilitated by Emily Fons. Breakout Room 1: Shostakovich.
✹ History of Food Justice in Milwaukee, with Reggie Jackson. Join Reggie Jackson as he details racial justice progress in Milwaukee as it applies to food and farming entrepreneurs and food systems initiatives. Facilitated by Solana Patterson-Ramos, Breakout Room 2: Sondheim.
✹ Food Safety for Mobile Food Businesses with Charlie Bloom, DATCP Licensing Specialist. Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection specialists explain how to navigate the food safety requirements for your mobile food business.Breakout Room 3: Martha Graham.
✹ Legal Issues for Your Business: Legal Structures with Jeffrey Glazer. This session describes differences and similarities in business legal entity structures, including LLC, C-Corp, sole proprietor, and cooperative. Facilitated by Patrick Nehring, Exhibitor Hall: Copland Hall.
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
NETWORKING Lunch with EXHIBITORS
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
BREAKOUT Session 6 ✹ The Southwest South Central Wisconsin Farmers Market Collaborative Farmers Market Toolkit, with Shauna El-Amin and Kris Koch. The creation of a comprehensive toolkit by the SWSC WI FM Collaborative is a forward-thinking initiative that addresses the diverse needs of market managers, and serves as a model for other regions looking to enhance their local markets. Facilitated by Jenna Phillips. Breakout Room 1: Shostakovich.
✹ Value Propositions, Differentiation and Positioning with Jay Olson, Certified SCORE Volunteer. Learn how to bring value to the marketplace that extends beyond just meeting functional needs and surpasses parity expectations. The creation of value that is so compelling and scarce in your customer’s mind that it renders your competitors irrelevant and enables you to command a premium price. Facilitated by Hannah Altimus, Breakout Room 2: Sondheim.
✹ Legal Issues for Your Business: Contracts with Jeffrey Glazer.This session goes over contract types for food and farming businesses, including working with partners for co-packing, co-manufacturing, shared-use equipment. Facilitated by Patrick Nehring, Breakout Room 4: Shakespeare.
✹ Meet with a Consultant, Exhibitor Hall: Copland Hall.
2:00 – 3:30 PM
Networking with Entrepreneur Showcase & LOCAL FOOD EXPO Facilitated by James Pyecroft
3:30 – 4:00 PM
Conference Closing
4:00 – 5:00 PM
Travel time – Continue networking and learning at the Networking Dinner!
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Networking at a Local Food Establishment (TBA) Conference participants can have dinner on their own and continue networking!
EARLY BIRD PRICING Registering before October 7th, 2024.
A $350 value, and due to our generous sponsors, it costs you only $75 to attend this two-day in-person conference!
REGULAR REGISTRATION Registering after October 7th.
A $375 value, and due to our generous sponsors, it costs you only $85 to attend this two-day in-person conference!
Registration TYPES: Participant Registration. Select this option if you’re a food or farming entrepreneur who will be attending the FEED Summit. Speaker Registration. Select this option if you’ve been asked to speak, moderate, or present at one of the FEED Summit sessions. Volunteer Registration. Select this option if you’re on the planning team or helping with the FEED Summit.
Your company’s name will be listed in the FEED Summit DIRECTORY, which will also be posted on the UW-Madison Extension website – viewed by thousands of food entrepreneurs throughout the year!
Tagged by FEED Summit in social media posts.
FEED Summit Website – Your Company’s Logo Size: 1/5th page width.
Set up your table in Exhibitor Hall, with several hours of dedicated exhibit time to talk 1-1 with hundreds of food and farming entrepreneurs!
You are invited to participate in the Pre-Conference Networking Session for Business Support Organizations.
Your company’s name will be listed in the FEED Summit DIRECTORY, PLUS a 1/4 page promo in the directory, which will also be posted on the UW-Madison Extension website – viewed by thousands of food entrepreneurs throughout the year!
Tagged by FEED Summit in social media posts.
Your Company’s logo on the FEED Summit Website – Logo Size: 1/4th page width.
Set up your table in Exhibitor Hall, with several hours of dedicated exhibit time to talk 1-1 with hundreds of food and farming entrepreneurs!
You are invited to participate in the Pre-Conference Networking Session for Business Support Organizations.
Company name recognition and verbal “Thank you” at the Keynote
Add your swag to the conference bag.
Your company’s name will be listed in the FEED Summit DIRECTORY, PLUS a 1/3 page promo in the directory, which will also be posted on the UW-Madison Extension website – viewed by thousands of food entrepreneurs throughout the year!
Tagged by FEED Summit in social media posts.
Your Company’s logo on the FEED Summit Website – Logo Size: 1/3rd page width.
Set up your table in Exhibitor Hall, with several hours of dedicated exhibit time to talk 1-1 with hundreds of food and farming entrepreneurs!
You are invited to participate in the Pre-Conference Networking Session for Business Support Organizations.
Up to 1 minute to promote your business during the Keynote.
Add your swag to the conference bag.
Your company’s name will be listed in the FEED Summit DIRECTORY, PLUS a 1/2 page promo in the directory, which will also be posted on the UW-Madison Extension website – viewed by thousands of food entrepreneurs throughout the year!
Tagged by FEED Summit in social media posts.
At least 1 Social Media post dedicated to personally thank Your Company.
Your Company’s logo on the FEED Summit Website – Logo Size: 1/2 page width
Set up your table in Exhibitor Hall, with several hours of dedicated exhibit time to talk 1-1 with hundreds of food and farming entrepreneurs!
You are invited to participate in the Pre-Conference Networking Session for Business Support Organizations.
Up to 2 minutes to promote your business during the Keynote.
Add your swag to the conference bag.
Your LOGO to the conference bag.
Your company’s name will be listed in the FEED Summit DIRECTORY, PLUS a 2/3 page promo in the directory, which will also be posted on the UW-Madison Extension website – viewed by thousands of food entrepreneurs throughout the year!
Tagged by FEED Summit in social media posts.
At least 2 Social Media post dedicated to personally thank Your Company.
Your Company’s logo on the FEED Summit Website – Logo Size: 2/3 page width.
Set up your table in Exhibitor Hall, with several hours of dedicated exhibit time to talk 1-1 with hundreds of food and farming entrepreneurs!
You are invited to participate in the Pre-Conference Networking Session for Business Support Organizations.
Up to 5 minutes to promote your business during the Keynote.
Add your swag to the conference bag.
Your LOGO to the conference bag.
Your company’s name will be listed in the FEED Summit DIRECTORY, PLUS a FULL page promo in the directory, which will also be posted on the UW-Madison Extension website – viewed by thousands of food entrepreneurs throughout the year!
Tagged by FEED Summit in social media posts.
At least 3 Social Media post dedicated to personally thank Your Company.
Your Company’s logo on the FEED Summit Website – Logo Size: Full page width.
Set up your table in Exhibitor Hall, with several hours of dedicated exhibit time to talk 1-1 with hundreds of food and farming entrepreneurs!
You are invited to participate in the Pre-Conference Networking Session for Business Support Organizations.
Would you like to be an Exhibitor at Extension’s upcoming FEED Summit (previously known as the Edible Startup Summit) in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Oct 28-29th, 2024?
The FEED Summit is a two-day IN-PERSON summit dedicated to increasing Wisconsin food & farming entrepreneurship. During the summit, entrepreneurs will increase their knowledge of business fundamentals, build their support network of businesses and service agencies, and promote their business services and products.
Engaging with food & farming entrepreneurs has never been easier for you! Because the 2024 FEED Summit is IN-PERSON and has several scheduled NETWORKING activities, you will have the opportunity to engage with every participating entrepreneur!
ADDITIONALLY, please consider sponsoring participants so that we can offer scholarships to make this conference accessible to all Wisconsin’s food and farming entrepreneurs. Email Jessica Jane Spayde for questions.
FEED stands for Food Entrepreneurship Ecosystems Development, and is the major initiative that in Extension’s Community Food System Program. The Feed Initiative has two major education outreach components: the annual Fall Summit (FEED Summit) and an annual Spring webinar series (FEED Webinars).
Do you need accommodations to participate in the conference?
An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements. Please make requests for reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to educational programs as early as possible preceding the scheduled program, service, or activity. For communicative accommodations in languages other than English, please contact spayde@wisc.edu. For communicative accommodations based on a disability, please contact: spayde@wisc.edu for the public.
Tus Tswv Hauj Lwm Ntawm (EEO/AA), ntawm lub Tsev Kawm Ntawv Qib Siab (University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension) pab rau kev ncaj ncees txog kev hauj lwm thiab kev pab cuam, xws li nyob rau hauv Title VI, Title IX, thiab ntawm tsab cai Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) yuav tsum kom muaj thiab Feem 504 ntawm the Txoj Cai Kev Pab Rov Tsim Kho Uas Tau Teev Tseg. Xav thov kom ua txoj kev thov laj thawj thiaj li tau cov kev pab cuam ntxov li ntxov tau ua ntej rau li lub caij nyoog ntawm cov kev pab cuam, kev pab los yog dej num no. Rau kev sib tham pab cuam rau qhov lwm yam lus ntawm lus As Kiv (English), thov sau ntawv rau: spayde@wisc.edu. Rau kev sib tham pab cuam rau kev puas cev xws li tes taw, thov sau ntawv rau: spayde@wisc.edu.
Como empleador que brinda igualdad de oportunidades en el empleo y acción afirmativa (EEO/AA, por sus siglas en inglés), la University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, proporciona igualdad de oportunidades en el empleo y en sus programas, incluyendo los requisitos del Título VI, Título IX, la ley federal para personas con discapacidades en los Estados Unidos (ADA, por sus siglas en inglés) y los requisitos de la Section 504 del Rehabilitation Act. Para asegurar un acceso igualitario a los programas educativos, haga el favor de solicitar adecuaciones razonables lo más pronto posible antes de la fecha del programa, servicio o actividad. Para pedir adecuaciones para la comunicación en un idioma distinto al inglés, favor de comunicarse con: spayde@wisc.edu. Para personas del público que quiera pedir adecuaciones para la comunicación debido a una discapacidad, favor de comunicarse con: spayde@wisc.edu.
An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements.
Follow us to stay in the loop!