Extension to hold online workshop for aspiring food entrepreneurs
ORONO, Maine – University of Maine Cooperative Extension will offer Recipe to Market, an online workshop introducing aspiring food entrepreneurs to the basics of starting a specialty food business, from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026. The workshop is designed for Maine adults interested in developing their own food products and businesses.
UMaine Extension instructors will cover the specialty food industry, business fundamentals, product development, licensing and regulations, food safety and how to submit products to the University of Maine’s Food Testing Services. Products discussed may include canned shelf-stable foods such as jams, jellies, sauces and preserves, as well as fermented foods, dry mixes and confections. Instructors include Extension professor emeritus Louis Bassano; Extension professor emeritus of economics Jim McConnon; and food science specialist and director of UMaine Food Testing Services, Beth Calder.
The workshop costs $50, and registration is required by noon Monday, Nov. 16. Registered participants who cannot attend live may view a recording for two weeks after the workshop. Full refunds are available for cancellations made before Nov. 18. For more information and to register, visit the program webpage.
If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact Melissa Libby Babcock at 207.581.2788 or melissa.libby1@maine.edu by Nov. 13, 2026.
About University of Maine Cooperative Extension
As a trusted resource for over 100 years, Extension has supported UMaine’s land and sea grant public education role by conducting community-driven, research-based programs in every Maine county. UMaine Extension seeks to build thriving communities and grow the food-based economy, focusing on aspects from production and processing to nutrition, food safety and food security. Extension also conducts the most successful out-of-school youth educational program in Maine through 4-H which offers hands-on projects in areas like health, science, agriculture and civic engagement and creates a positive environment where participants are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles.