Food entrepreneur event to kick-start Small Business Week

Listen to this article

Are you looking to break into the New Jersey’s food industry? Maybe you’re BBQ is begging for a food truck. Or, some surplus from your garden has you selling homemade ketchup, at an increasing rate.

On May 6, the New Jersey Small Business Development Center at Brookdale Community College will hold its 4th Annual Foodiepreneur: The Business of Food event, at Ocean County College in Toms River to launch National Small Business Week.

Including featured panelists, the event strives to facilitate conversations about what is important to members of the state’s food industry, and to provide information for people looking to enter the industry—be it through restaurants, commercial food products or artisan goods.

Deborah Smith, founder and executive editor of digital publication JerseyBites.com; Meg Lamanna, executive chef of B2 Bistro, with locations in Red Bank, Point Pleasant Beach and West Reading; and Bert Roling, owner of Point Pleasant’s Last Wave Brewery will speak at the event.

“Essential partners” for the project include John Lawson of Whole Foods Market, Esther Psarakis of Foodpreneur, Richard McArdle of the Rutgers Food Innovation Center and Patricia High of the Ocean Health Department.

Foodiepreneur will take place from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Attendance is free, however registration is required. You can find more information here.