Market Entry Fund

THE MARKET ENTRY (TMEF) AIMS TO ADVANCE EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN LOCAL FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS. OUR MISSION IS TO ENABLE TRADITIONALLY MARGINALIZED AND UNDERREPRESENTED ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE IN FOOD PRODUCTION AND MANUFACTURING, TO PARTICIPATE EQUITABLY IN THIS INDUSTRY. SPECIFICALLY, TMEF PROVIDES TECHNICAL SUPPORTS AND SERVICES, ALONG WITH MICRO-GRANTS, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION/AWARENESS TO HELP SMALL-SCALE FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANUFACTURERS WORK THROUGH RACIAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BARRIERS TO THEIR PARTICIPATION AND POTENTIAL IN THIS INDUSTRY.

1.THE MICRO-GRANTS PROGRAM PROVIDED SMALL GRANTS TO SMALL-SCALE/STARTUP FOOD MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES THAT ARE OWNED AND OPERATED BY ENTREPRENEURS OF COLOR AND/OR WOMEN. IN 2023 - 13 GRANTS WERE AWARDED TO 13 SMALL BUSINESSES. 100% OF THE RECIPIENTS WERE EITHER WOMEN AND/OR BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR (BIPOC) ENTREPRENEURS/BUSINESSES. ALMOST ALL FUNDS WERE USED TO PURCHASE SMALL MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT AND/OR TO COVER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED AND/OR INCREASED PRODUCTION LEVELS. OVER 80% OF THE RECIPIENTS WERE FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL AREA, AND THE REST WERE FROM RURAL MINNESOTA.

2. THE 100K ACCELERATOR PROGRAM MADE CONNECTIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT HELPED SMALL-SCALE FOOD/BEVERAGE MANUFACTURERS OF COLOR ACCESS DIFFERENT MARKETS FOR THE SALE OF THEIR PACKAGED FOOD/BEVERAGE PRODUCTS. 30 SMALL-SCALE MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES WERE PART OF THIS PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM HELPED THE BUSINESSES DISTRIBUTED OVER 1200 UNITS OF PRODUCTS ACROSS NEARLY 20 US STATES, AND AN ADDITIONAL 1000 PRODUCTS IN SALES IN MINNESOTA.

3. THE COMMUNITY RETAIL (OR CO-RETAIL) PROGRAM WORKED WITH LOCAL RETAIL PARTNERS TO PROVIDE A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR RETAIL TRAINING, COACHING AND PRODUCT TESTING FOR MANUFACTURED/PACKAGED FOOD BUSINESS OF COLOR. WE HELPED PUT THE NEW PACKAGED FOOD PRODUCTS FROM THESE MANUFACTURERS ON CONSUMER SHELVES, HELPED THEM BUILD THEIR STORY/BUSINESS CASE TO CONSUMERS AND OTHER RETAILERS. ABOUT 30 FOOD MANUFACTURERS IN 2023 WERE IN THIS PROGRAM. THEY LEARNED HOW TO TALK TO CONSUMERS, TELL THEIR STORY, AND WORK WITH RETAILERS TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS IN STORES. THEY ALSO LEARNED HOW TO PRICE BETTER AND PRESENT A PRODUCT THAT IS APPEALING TO CONSUMERS. PARTICIPANTS JOINED FOR A 12-MONTH PERIOD, DOING AT LEAST 2-4 SCHEDULED/FORMAL DEMONSTRATIONS AND TASTINGS FOR CUSTOMERS, AND PARTICIPATED IN AN AVERAGE OF 3 MEETINGS/TRAININGS AND CONVERSATIONS TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER. THE RETAILER ALSO SOLD THEIR PRODUCTS IN THEIR STORE FOR THEM AND RETURNED 100% OF THE SALES PROCEEDS BACK TO THEM - HELPING TO INCREASE REVENUE THAT THE BUSINESS OF COLOR/WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS CAN REINVEST IN IMPROVING AND GROWING THE BUSINESS.