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The Food Innovation Center at Rutgers (FIC) is a unique food business incubator that is a unit of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES).
We support established early-stage entrepreneurs and existing food companies, from concept to commercialization. Combining years of industry expertise and the advanced technologies offered by Rutgers, we provide business, marketing, food safety, product design, and scale-up expertise within FDA- and USDA-certified facilities to help companies successfully build and grow their businesses.
Upcoming training and events
Virtual Rutgers FIC Food Business Basics (free!)
May 18, 2026
Stay competitive in the food industry – Join our FREE virtual Rutgers FIC Food Business Basics.
The Rutgers Food Innovation Center (FIC) invites you to a complimentary virtual event designed specifically for established and emerging food companies navigating today’s dynamic food landscape.
Monday, May 18, 2026
9:00am – 1:30pm
Location: Virtual
This virtual half-day program provides expert guidance from the FIC team on how to optimize your food safety practices, elevate your product development process, and align with consumer trends to drive strategic growth.
What You’ll Learn
- Rutgers Food Innovation Center Capabilities
- Statewide resources for entrepreneurs
- Latest food safety requirements & compliance trends
- Product development best practices from idea to scale
- How to refine your sales strategy for today’s market
- Consumer insights and retail category data you can use now
- Back of the house operations
Whether you’re expanding your product line or refining operations, this session is designed to help you position your business for growth and success in 2026 and beyond.
Reserve your FREE seat today.
Register here: https://ce-catalog.rutgers.edu/coursedisplay.cfm?schID=97423
Note: You must have a Rutgers Division of Continuing Studies account before registering. If not, please create an account by following the asterisks. Registering takes about a minute, we thank you for your time.
Take hold of this free opportunity today and get started on your food business journey. We look forward to seeing you!
NJ FoodTech 2026
Tuesday June 9, 2026
Consumer trust in the food system has never been more important. The panel “Food Safety, Regulation, and Traceability” explores how companies can build trust while navigating regulatory complexity.
Experts from:
• Ingredion
• Pret A Manger
• Eukodyne
• Rutgers University
… will share insights into compliance, traceability technologies, and food safety strategies.
The biggest challenges in launching a new food product often happen after the product is created. Save your seat at this event by registering now!
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Douglass Student Center, Trayes Hall
100 George Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Early Registration: $99 through April 30, 2026
Regular Price: $195 starting May 1
Registration Deadline: 06/7/2026
Rutgers Affiliates (faculty, staff, students, and conference partners) please register by 06/7/2026; Registration Fee: $0.00
Email: ayg6@njaes.rutgers.edu to register.
Note: You must have a Rutgers Division of Continuing Studies account before registering for NJ FoodTech 2026. If not, please create an account by following the asterisks. Registering takes about a minute; we thank you for your time.
About the Food Innovation Center at Rutgers University
About the Food Innovation Center at Rutgers University
The Food Innovation Center (FIC) at Rutgers University is a unique food business incubator and economic development program within the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. The center provides integrated business, technical, and scientific expertise to support startups and established food companies—both domestically and internationally—from early concept through commercialization.
FIC operates out of a USDA‑ and FDA‑certified food manufacturing facility located in Bridgeton, New Jersey, enabling hands‑on product development, scale‑up, and pilot production in a regulatory‑compliant environment. The center facilitates the commercialization of innovative food and ingredient technologies and provides mentoring and applied services across marketing, research and development, food safety, regulatory compliance, manufacturing, and sales and distribution.
Specializing in high-acid and acidified shelf-stable glass and PET bottling on our 6 head filling line. In recent years, the Food Innovation Center has expanded its capabilities in plant‑based foods, alternative proteins, and precision fermentation, supporting the translation of novel, sustainable ingredients into market‑ready food applications. Through close collaboration with industry, academia, and government partners, FIC serves as a bridge between research innovation and real‑world commercial deployment.