Manitobans with a dream of commercializing their food products will have another opportunity to show their entrepreneurial spirit and their best prepared dishes at the second Great Manitoba Food Fight at Brandon’s Keystone Centre April 25 and 26.
All great food products start with an idea, an old family recipe or a flair for flavourful food, said agriculture minister Rosann Wowchuk in a news release.
“The Great Manitoba Food Fight gives people the opportunity to test their ideas before a panel of expert food judges and compete for recognition and the opportunity to bring their products to market.”
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This year’s competition, to be held at Capturing Opportunities 2008, the annual event formerly known as Rural Forum, will feature three categories of competition, based on the stage of a food product’s development.
The winner of each category receives a food commercialization package worth $10,000 in services, memberships to industry associations and opportunities to market their product. The packages include help with business planning, recipe refinement, package design, marketing and more.
Last year, 29 contenders entered the competition and, with assistance from the Food Development Centre, several contestants developed their ideas into products for the marketplace.
Six food fight competitors took part in the Manitoba Marketplace Food and Wine Show last fall, adding another opportunity to promote their ideas.
“Every product on supermarket shelves started as someone’s idea,” said Wowchuk.
“Turning the idea into a real product, made in salable quantities with the appropriate packaging, labelling and marketing strategy, benefits from the guidance of professionals like those at the Food Development Centre. Today’s family recipe in Manitoba could be tomorrow’s celebrated taste treat around the world.”
