Chatham Launches Free Online Training to Help Food Businesses Overcome the Challenges of the COVID–19 Pandemic

The Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Chatham University (CWE) is partnering with the Center for Regional Agriculture, Food, and Transformation (CRAFT) to offer a new program that empowers food business owners to grow and thrive in this challenging economy. “Recovery & Growth for the Food Industry” provides free online business training that focuses on challenges native to the food, beverage, and agricultural markets. The program also offers one-on-one business counseling and technical assistance for food business owners, and a “Pandemic Pivot” speaker series that addresses the specific challenges of managing a food business during the COVID–19 pandemic. 

“Food businesses face enormous challenges during the pandemic, and the ripple effects of COVID–19 will be felt across the industry long after the pandemic is under control,” says Anne Flynn Schlicht, Director of the CWE. “CRAFT and CWE are excited to offer ‘Recovery & Growth for the Food Industry’ so food business owners and employers can get the technical help, strategic training, business counseling, and professional connections they need — not just to survive the current challenges of the pandemic, but also to thrive in this changing economy so they can continue to provide quality food and meaningful jobs for many years to come.”

The program’s “Pandemic Pivot” speaker series will feature firsthand experience and advice on the various ways that food, farm, service, and beverage entrepreneurs have survived, evolved, and continue striving for growth during this challenging time.

Future free online training in the program will cover diverse topics including:

• Marketing Your Business to Maximize Customer Engagement

• Food Photography & Styling

• How & Where to Cook Safely

• Social Media

• Public Relations

• Web Design

• Food Labeling

• Packaging & Distributions

• Accessing Capital

• Business Resiliency

• COVID-19 Mitigation Best Practices

• SWOT Analysis

• ServSafe Certification

Business counseling will be available for:

• Brand Analysis

• Bringing a Food Product to Market

• Manufacturing Small Batch Food Products

• Food Labeling and Nutrition Requirements

• Human Resources

• Digital Marketing

• Legal

• Accounting

• Access to Funding

• Diversity Certification

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the Hillman Family Foundation.

For more information about the program, visit https://www.chatham.edu/cwe/training/backtobusiness/