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Are you ready to take the next step in developing your food business, but need guidance from experts on how to move forward?
Food Business Basics is a unique opportunity for early-stage food entrepreneurs, like yourself, to learn about developing and growing your business. As an attendee, you will be in front of those who are in-the-know about the food industry, with years of experience in business and product strategy, food safety regulations overview, product development, scale up, and consumer trends.
Our one-day session will include presentations from business and technical experts, including an attorney, food scientists, trend and marketing expert, and so much more.
After this session, you will receive a link to speaker presentations. Also, get your questions answered and learn from the experts! Following this event, you will have the opportunity to receive a one-to-one session with the speakers. Advance sign up is required.
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
8:00AM – 4:30PM
Rutgers Eco Complex
1200 Florence Columbus Road
Bordentown, NJ 08505
Agenda
8:00am
Attendee Sign In & Continental Breakfast
8:30am – 8:45am
Welcome & Introduction, FIC Capabilities
Nolan Lewin, Executive Director, Food Innovation Center at Rutgers
8:45am – 9:00am
Statewide Resources for Entrepreneurs
Sho Islam, Director, Office of Business Engagement, Middlesex County NJ
9:00am – 9:30am
Speaker Interviews
Interviewer: Craig Peck, Senior Manager, Food Innovation Center at Rutgers)
9:30am – 10:00am
Consumer Trends & Topline Category Review
Joyce Friedberg, Marketing Research Specialist, Food Innovation Center at Rutgers
10:00am – 10:30am
Engaging with Your Local Forager (Retail)
John Lawson, Senior Local Forager, Whole Foods
10:30am – 10:45am
Break
10:45am – 11:15am
Accounting Basics and Entity Structure/How To Register Your Company
Joe Carnevale, CPA, Partner, Grassi
11:15am – 11:45am
Brand Power- Creating and Protecting Your Brand
Danielle DeFilippis, Esq., Norris McLaughlin P.A. Attorneys at Law
11:45am – 12:15pm
Packaging Specifications & Compatibility
Patricia Santos, Lecturer, Rutgers University, Packaging Engineering, Dept of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
12:15pm – 1:15pm
Lunch
1:15pm – 1:45pm
Trends in Food Safety & Requirements
Mellonie O’Neill, Senior Manager – QA Compliance and Training, Food Innovation Center at Rutgers
1:45pm – 2:15pm
Developing your Businesses Sales Strategy
Ron Tanner, President, Tanner Food Group
2:15pm – 2:45pm
Successful Co-Manufacturing
2:45pm – 3:15pm
Product Development and Operations
Zuri Masud, Food Technology Associate, Food Innovation Center at Rutgers
3:15pm – 3:45pm
Developing Your Business Plan – Elements, Financial, Monitor & Control
Guy Salisch, Fractional Chief Financial Officer, Vision Financial Strategist
4:00pm – 4:30 pm
Networking
Now, what are you waiting for? Come join us for a day of learning and networking!
Registration Fee:
Early bird registration $250 (until 10.24.2025)
Regular registration $300 (until 11.14.2025)
Student registration is FREE. (To register as a student, email ayg6@njaes.rutgers.edu/)
No refunds
Please register today, as this event sells out fast!
You must have a Rutgers Division of Continuing Studies account before registering for Fall FBB 2025. If not, please create an account by following the asterisks. Registering takes about a minute; we thank you for your time.
Stay tuned for more information about the November 18, 2025 Food Business Basics Session.