exCite Food

Do you have a food product you would like to start selling? 

This is the right event for you if you:

• have lots of ideas for the food industry
• want to get initial reactions to a food product idea and constructive feedback
• are stuck and need new ideas for a product line
• have had a great food product idea for years and now want to get going
• are looking for like-minded food entrepreneurs to network with

Join us for a food ideation night where local established and aspring food entrepreneurs will get together and discuss innovative ideas utilizing ideation tools and techniques.  A panel of food experts will be leading the conversation and providing feedback and guidance to the participants. 

We are happy to present food experts:

Barb Shopland, Strategic Projects, Advancement and Community Development, Georgian College

Barb leads strategic projects at Georgian College supporting the Schools of Hospitality, Tourism, Recreation & Leisure, the School of Business, and Community Learning. In 2005 Barb led a multi-disciplinary team to deliver the 10-year Ontario Culinary Tourism Strategy and Action Plan for the Ministry of Tourism. She was one of the founders of the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance (OCTA). Barb has also worked with the food and farming community assisting food business entrepreneurs in proof of concept and strategic business planning and has worked with regional economic development organizations in North America to develop food cluster concepts to improve economic development.

Barb is Vice President of the Essa District Agricultural Society, Treasurer for the Canadian Association of Business Incubation and Acceleration, the Past Chair of the Toronto Food Business Incubator (TFBI), Past Vice Chair of the Greater Toronto Area Agricultural Action Committee (GTA AAC); Past Co-Chair of the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance (OCTA); and Past Director of Cuisine Canada. In 2006 Barb received the University of Toronto Arbor Award and in 2008 she was inducted as a Fellow in the Ontario Hostelry Institute (OHI). www.georgiancollege.ca/food-entrepreneurship

Jane Dummer, Mentor Innovation Guelph

As a food loving dietitian, food traveler, entrepreneur, business owner and HuffPost blogger, Jane is known as the Pod to Plate Food Consultant. Jane and her team understand the food value chain which is translated to their industry project management approach and strategies resulting in valuable outcomes for their clients. As a food and nutrition go-to media contact and spokesperson, Jane has conducted over 85 media interviews and has been quoted in print, radio and digital. These easy to understand nourishing quotes can be found on Breakfast Television, Global Morning and CTV, in Canadian Living and Today’s Parent. Over the past decade, Jane and her team have been assisting companies with their workplace wellness programs to support healthier employees. Healthier employees build a happier workplace, have higher productivity and fewer missed work days, plus ultimately contribute to lowering the burden on our stressed public health care systems.

The session will take place in an intimate setting, where sharing and collaborating is encouraged. 

Spaces will be limited, so register today!