The Virginia Small Business Development Center has an upcoming program targeted at food production companies. This will be a web-based multiweek course from the CUREATE company. The Virginia SBDC was granted Federal funding to deliver the program and there will be no cost to participants.  It’s designed for food-based businesses that have a “packaged” retail market (sauces, cookies, snacks, canned goods, etc.) or value added ag products as opposed to restaurants. The program is NOT open to alcohol (we have another option for them).  The businesses should NOT be start-ups, ideally they will have been in business for at least about a year and are ready to scale and grow.

The Lynchburg Region has five slots for the program. Applications are due June 23 and the program begins on July 19, 2021.