A new website for developing food businesses in the province is a way for Manitoba Agriculture to do more with its business support resources.
“We are going to be looking at our service delivery being more of a one-to-many approach,” said Robin Young, director of Manitoba Agriculture’s value-added branch.
The province launched the “Business Pathways: Your Future in Food” site in mid-October. The site guides people who want to start or grow food businesses and offers information based on the stage of their business.
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For instance, those looking to grow an established small business can access market research firms and information on trade, or they can look at resources for product development and processing such as co-packer listings and facilities like the Prairie Research Kitchen at Red River College Polytech.
Groups like Food and Beverage Manitoba and nearly 50 others consulted on the website, said Annette Allen. She is a business development specialist with the province and also worked to develop the site.
The results are good, said Michael Mikulak, executive director of Food and Beverage Manitoba, an industry-led association. “We’ve all been on those government websites that are just awful,” he said, but this site is streamlined.
Mikulak said he will send start-up clients to the site so they can begin planning their business and narrow the scope before getting into the nitty-gritty of a one-on-one meeting.
The website allows busy food entrepreneurs to find information on their own, then follow up with Manitoba Agriculture staff to address more complex problems, Young said.
The site refers users to the province’s team of business development specialists for additional help. However, Young noted the team’s capacity is limited.
“It’s looking at value for money,” she said. “There isn’t a plan to expand the team.”
There are seven specialists in offices across Manitoba, Allan said.
Food business owners said they value this one-on-one help.
“They have a ton of knowledge,” said Agata Robb, who owns Juice Me, a small business that sells frozen health food “super shots,” with ingredients like ginger, turmeric and fresh-squeezed fruit juice.
Robb, who said the specialists she worked with were “amazing,” told the Co-operator they helped her with product pricing and, store access, and acted as sounding boards for ideas.
“I was set up for success,” said Mary McLean, owner of Happy Dance Hummus.
She worked with a business development specialist to start her venture about six years ago and received one-on-one help from other Manitoba Agriculture staff.
“She was gold,” McLean said of the specialist.
Together they found McLean a community kitchen where she could rent space, sourced ingredients, calculated margins and set product prices.
“She kind of just coached me through the steps,” said McLean, adding the specialist would also comment on her company’s Instagram posts and congratulate her on her success.
The specialist had experience in the industry, and had many connections that became McLean’s connections, she said.
People want a real person to talk with, said Katie Daman. She works for Community Futures Manitoba and is leading a project, in partnership with Food and Beverage Manitoba, to map resources and gaps in Manitoba’s small and medium food business ecosystem.
She has interviewed 45 small or mid-sized food businesses and conducted nine “asset-mapping” workshops with 80 participants.
Business owners say they want a “one-stop shop” for business information and they want that stop to be a person with whom they can discuss their needs.
“It’s really overwhelming to understand what you need, where to go when it comes to regulations, what sort of permits do I need to get,” Daman said. “Oh, I need labels. I need nutritional facts.”
Business owners who are trying to scale up often struggle to make risky decisions alone, Daman said. They want to talk it through with someone who has knowledge and experience, and who can tell them about the risks.
Mikulak said he understands that the province must use what it has efficiently, but he’s concerned that one-on-one supports may not last. Food and Beverage Manitoba is considering doing some of that itself, he added.
“That’s what [food entrepreneurs are] looking for,” Mikulak said. “They’re looking for someone to hold their hand a bit more.”
