PORTLAND — Business to business panel discussions, hands on workshops, and information on market trends are some of the sessions offered for value-added food and beverage producers attending the Selling More
Maine Foods Conference, March 19, from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., at the University of Southern Maine Abromson Center in Portland.

Co-hosted by The Maine Center For Entrepreneurs (MCE), FocusMaine and Maine Food Strategy, the conference agenda is centered around growing sales with the goal of helping Maine food companies understand and utilize the tools and resources needed to grow their sales locally, regionally and beyond.

“We’ve heard from many food and and beverage companies that the sales side of their business is either overwhelming, underdeveloped or just stalled, said Sue Hanson, Cultivator Program manager at the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs, in a news release. “Our hope is that the education and tools provided in the conference sessions will help ease this tension and inspire sales efforts and results.”

“This event provides an exciting opportunity for businesses to take a day to reflect and work on growing their business through learning and networking,” said Tanya Swain, project director for the Maine Food Strategy initiative.

Kimberly Hamilton, president of FocusMaine, agrees. “Maine-produced foods have an incredibly strong reputation for quality and craftsmanship. As part of our mission we want to help food producers and makers compete on regional and national stages that will ultimately create more jobs. This conference is an excellent way for food businesses to learn more, not only about the tools available to help them grow, but to also connect with others in their industry and learn from their experiences.”

The conference opens with welcoming remarks from Charlotte Mace, Director Maine DECD and a keynote on Food Industry Trends in foodservice, retail and manufacturing by Brian Todd, former president of The Food Institute. Workshop offerings span from “Building an Effective Sell Sheet” to “Building a Successful Sales Strategy.”

Registration is $35 online at smmf.eventbrite.com. For a full agenda and details, visit www.mainefoodstrategy.org, or find them on Facebook.

The Maine Food Strategy is an initiative working to support a robust and sustainable food economy.

For More Information: www.mainefoodstrategy.org

Maine Center for Entrepreneurs, provides training, connections, coaching and mentorship to growth-oriented Maine businesses. For More Information: www.mced.biz

FocusMaine is a private sector-led initiative to accelerate the creation of quality jobs in Maine by investing in agriculture, aquaculture, and biopharmaceuticals. For more information: www.focusmaine.org