Food forge – Hamilton
Have you ever wanted to launch your own food or beverage business but didn’t know how or where to start? Do you have a food product that is ready to be developed and brought to market right now?
Whether you are a restaurant owner, selling from a local farmer’s market, or a foodie making and baking from home – our 7-week live virtual bootcamp or on-demand 5-part video training series will get your favourite recipe retail ready!
join the live virtual training waitlistLearn and hear virtually from industry experts on how to scale, package, and market your food product.
Access a 5-part video training series aimed at helping get your favourite recipe retail ready.
Program Information:
Get your favourite recipe retail ready! Led by Business Coach, Professor, Six Figure Entrepreneur, and Top 20 Under 40, Nicole Haney.
In 4 short years, Nicole scaled a tiny farmer’s market bakery to a six-figure national energy bar business serving hundreds of retailers across Canada, including grocery store chains. Learn more about Nicole Haney.
Who is this program for?
- Food or beverage product innovators
- Restaurant owners wanting to turn recipes into consumer-packaged goods
- Entrepreneurs who have a product already in small-scale distribution (i.e. selling in a farmer’s market) but want to scale up
Read the program FAQs here.
Live Virtual Training Modules:
Week #1
Introduction to the food & beverage industry.
Delivery: Live virtual training. Led by Nicole Haney.
Week #2
Packaging and labelling your food product.
Delivery: Live virtual training. Led by Nicole Haney.
Week #3
How to make your food product more attractive to retailers.
Delivery: Live virtual training. Led by Nicole Haney.
Week #4
How to approach and secure retailers.
Delivery: Live virtual training. Led by Nicole Haney.
Week #5
Supporting in-store sales and scaling your food business.
Delivery: Live virtual training. Led by Nicole Haney.
Week #6
Sanitation and food safety regulations. Requirements for running a home-based food business.
Delivery: Live virtual training. Led by Hamilton Public Health and Hamilton Licensing Dept.
Week #7
In-person event with special guest speakers.
Delivery: Live virtual training. Led by special guest speakers.
Mentorship
30-minute 1-on-1 with Nicole Haney at the end of the 7-week program.
Delivery: Live virtual mentorship. Led by food product expert, Nicole Haney.
Applicant Requirements:
Applications for the Winter 2024 live virtual cohort are now CLOSED. Please stay tuned for information regarding the Winter 2025 cohort or join the waitlist above.
This program is designed to accommodate 20 food entrepreneurs only. Applications will be assessed based on the criteria outlined below.
Applicants must:
- Be 18 years of age or older and a resident of Hamilton
- Have a food product that demonstrates growth potential, scalability, and market readiness
Please note: Applicant requirements only apply to those wishing to participate in live virtual training.
Applicant Requirements Cont.:
Selected applicants must:
- Participate in a short virtual meet and greet session to introduce your product as part of the acceptance process
- Commit to participate fully in the training sessions
- Pay the program fee of $99 + HST before starting the first training session
Note: All participants will receive copies of the weekly presentation material and access to recorded training videos.
Please note: Applicant requirements only apply to those wishing to participate in live virtual training.
