Category: Beverage

Alcohol Manufacturer Guidance

Guidance for Alcohol Beverage Producers

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets provides a guidance document for farm distilleries, farm wineries, farm breweries, farm cideries, and other NYS-labeled alcohol beverage producers licensed by the Department.

It covers key requirements including:

  • NYS brand and label approval
  • Use of New York agricultural ingredients
  • Production, record-keeping, and reporting
  • Shipping, sales, and marketing rules

This guidance consolidates current laws, regulations, and policies but is not a substitute for official statutes and rules. Licensees remain responsible for full compliance. Download the PDF to learn more.

Made on LI: Subtle Tea Company

It’s iced tea made on Long Island! The Subtle Tea Company brews small batches in Ronkonkoma and it’s shipped out everywhere.
“Subtle Tea is the only organic craft brewed iced tea on the island — we think it’s important to taste tea first when you’re drinking Iced tea,” says owner Kyle Chandler.

Read the entire News12 article HERE

Something for all tastes at FuzeHub Food-Bev forum

The future of New York State’s food and beverage industries spiced up FuzeHub’s latest manufacturing forum, held Thursday at Farmingdale State College.

Growth of the Urban Foodscape: A Food and Beverage Manufacturing Forum united stakeholders from across New York’s busy food-and-beverage scene – according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, New York boasts the second-most food-and-beverage manufacturing operations in the country (2,611), trailing only California – for cutting-edge economic development and old-fashioned networking, all flavored by New York’s most entrepreneurial edibles…

click HERE to read full article.

Climate Change and Our Changing Menu

On June 6, 2022 the Long Island Food Council will be hosting an event –  Climate Change and Our Changing Menu.

This special event is focused on climate change. Local stakeholders will take part in this important and timely discussion.

Watch the teaser video to learn more about the event and see Don Dilio’s interview with Dr. Michael Hoffman.

Additional Speakers:

Randi Shubin Dresner-Island Harvest

Vanessa Pino Lockel-Cornell Cooperative Extension

August Ruckdeshel-Suffolk County Department of Economic Development & Planning

Melanie Cirillo-Peconic Land Trust

Ann Marie Calabro-Agronomist-SC Soil & Water Conservation District

Brian Steinmuller-NYS Agriculture & Markets

Dr. Michael Hoffman, Author, Professor Emeritus at Cornell University, and Executive Director Emeritus for Climate Smart Solutions will be our special guest. He is co-author of “Our Changing Menu: Climate Change and the Foods We Love and Need”.

The discussion to follow will address the impacts of climate change on our local producers, actions we can take to mitigate those impacts, and community led grassroots plans to protect our planet.

Dr. Hoffman’s book will be available at the event or can be ordered through Cornell Press using the code 09SAVE(33% discount)

https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501754623/our-changing-menu/

This event includes Breakfast

Summer Internship Opportunity

Cornell AgriTech is offering a summer internship program. They are looking for talented undergraduate students with an interest in food and beverage business to work with them in beautiful Geneva, NY this summer.

Details:
This nine-week internship program will focus on the business development of food and beverage companies.
Students will have the opportunity to learn about:

    • Entrepreneurship
    • Food and beverage production
    • General business operations
    • Cornell food and beverage research and technology
    • Emerging food innovation and trends
    • Regulatory compliance
    • Government economic incentives
    • Capital investments
    • Business-to-business partnerships
    • Supply chain issues
  • Students will work with Center of Excellence experts and actual companies to gain knowledge about success in the food and beverage industry.
  • Site visits will allow students to see food company operations firsthand.
  • Students will develop a comprehensive databases and guides that will help small businesses grow.
  • Benefits include housing and a $4,825 stipend.

Long Island Job Fair

We would like to invite you to the 2nd LI Food, Beverage & Hospitality Job Fair!

The Job Fair will take place at Hotel Indigo East End on Thursday, April 7, 2022, from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. Hotel Indigo East End is located at 1830 West Main Street Rt 25, Riverhead, NY 11901. There is no fee to participate. A table and chairs will be provided for you. There will be an employer breakfast and informational session for employers from 9:00 am to 10:00 am.

If you are interested in participating, please complete the Employer Registration form and send it back to SCDOLevents@suffolkcountyny.gov at your earliest convenience.

Also below is the event flyer for job seekers. Share it with friends, family, and neighbors who are interested in a career in the food, beverage, and hospitality industry.

Food & Beverage Industry Talk

Join the conversation: Food and Beverage

Nixon Peabody LLP and WSP Global Inc. offer industry insights.

We’re discussing all things Food & Beverage–and we want you to join the conversation. Nixon Peabody LLP and WSP Global Inc. are teaming up to offer a four-part virtual event series about pertinent topics facing the Food and Beverage industry. Our presenters will address important industry trends, and share useful insights on how best to navigate the issues affecting businesses.

You can CLICK HERE to find a recording of the first program: “OSHA in a Post-COVID World.” Stay tuned for our second program in August—we’ll send you the recording link after the event.

In addition, we invite you to join our live programs scheduled for October and November, which you can register for below. Please read on for more information about the topics, speakers, and registration process. For the bios of our WSP speakers, please CLICK HERE

Food & Beverage Summit

As life gets closer to normalcy, we emerge and begin to network again. Though it may look a bit different, we are proud to host the IN-PERSON 2021 Marcum Food & Beverage Summit.

The event brings together the best and brightest in our field – food and beverage executives gathering with others in the industry for an evening of networking and vital information.

As we have learned, the food & beverage industry is essential to our community. The Summit is an essential event for industry executives looking to foster growth, encourage dialogue, and inspire creative thinking.

NEW THIS YEAR: Not going to be in NYC? Participate remotely!

For the first time, we are offering an option to view the panel discussion virtually. You’ll be able to ask questions in real-time and get more information about our sponsors and emerging companies.

Registration is now open! For sponsorship and other event information, contact flo.federman@marcumllp.com.

Emerging F&B Company Showcase

This event is a really good opportunity for up-and-coming F&B companies to attend for free and show off their products.

Tell Your Story Visually with Great Product Photography

Marketing is the name of the game for brands, and good photography is an invaluable marketing tool.

Strong imagery can be used for your social media accounts, websites, and marketing materials. Professional food photography creates appetizing images that convey the deliciousness of what you are seeing!

Sponsored by The Long Island Food Council and MTRC

Date: May 24, 2021

Time: 9 am – 3:00 pm

Location: Hotel Indigo East End, 830 West Main Street Route 25, Riverhead, NY  11901

Long Island Food Council Photograph Your Products event

Onboard your new images to the LIFC MARKETPLACE

FREE of Charge!

Professional photography by Kriss Connor

SPACE IS LIMITED! Schedule Your Session Today!

email: elise@longislandfoodcouncil.com

Webinar: Restaurant Revitalization Fund – What you need to know

Webinar Details
Wednesday, March 24
3:00 – 4:00 PM EST

After a year of uncertainty and economic disruption, the restaurant industry has won federal relief. On March 11 President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law which includes a $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to assist struggling restaurants during the pandemic. The RFF impacts restaurant owners with 20 or fewer locations and will be administered by the Small Business Administration.
Topics for discussion:

Who is eligible for RFF?
How can the fund be used?
Next steps and important considerations for restaurant owners

Presenters:

Terry Moncrief, Partner, CPA, Team Leader, Food and Beverage/Restaurants and Bars
Jeremias Ramos, CPA

Webinar: Ritual ONE and Empire State Development

Thursday, February 18, 2 p.m.
In partnership with Ritual and PayPal, Empire State Development is offering food and beverage retailers commission-free digital ordering for websites, social and in-store experiences for free through April 1. PayPal has also committed $1 million in customer discounts for orders placed through Ritual ONE. To learn more about this program, click here.

The NYSEDC and Empire State Development will be offering a free webinar on Thursday, February 18 from 2-3 pm about this program and what this means for businesses in your area.

Rise of the Urban Foodscape

The Long Island Food Council is working with FuzeHub and MTRC to present a Food & Beverage Virtual Expo on Wed. Feb. 24, 9-12pm. FuzeHub, our state-wide MEP, purchased a license to a virtual platform called Remo. They agreed to partner in putting together an expo of food and beverage manufacturers as well as buyers, suppliers, and industry experts.
 
There is no charge to register or to host a table as an exhibitor. The companies would host their own table and attendees will pop in and out of their “table” so that the company may showcase their product in a tradeshow-style format and network. 
 
This is the first of this kind of trade-show event for the NY-MEP program. The event is open to all NYS Food and Beverage manufacturers as vendors. I know some of your companies are from the city. Our sister-MEP in NYC is a partner as well. This will be a good event for those companies as well to meet their regional MEP center. 
 
Here is the registration page with more information: 
As we get closer, FuzeHub will host a trail-run zoom for all the registered companies to test out the Remo system and get some Q&A time to iron out any kinks prior to the event.

Raising the Bar Restaurant Recovery Fund

The Empire State Development announces the “Raising The Bar” Restaurant Recovery Fund with more than $3 Million in Grant Funding available through Financial Support Led by Diageo North America and supported by Coastal Pacific Wine & Spirits, and implemented by the National Development Council. Eligible Restaurants can receive up to $5,000 to assist with COVID-19 Safety Measures. Applications will begin being accepted on January 11, 2021.

To read the full press release and for more information on applying visit https://esd.ny.gov/esd-media-center/press-releases/esd-announces-raising-the-bar-restaurant-recovery-fund .

From the office of Denise M. Zani

Deputy Director, Long Island Regional Economic Development Council

New York Empire state development logo

Summer Celebration

Due to the current situation regarding COVID-19 restrictions – Summer Celebration 2020 will be canceled.  This rooftop celebration is the Long Island Food Council’s biggest and most successful event and as disappointed as we all are, we look forward to bringing this event back in 2021. Take a look at some of the great moments from last year’s Summer Celebration – 2019.

Michael Tucker with LI busiess owners on the rooftop summer celebration
networking event
outdoor networking event

Reemergence and Revitalization Webinar

June 4, 2020 –  1:00-2:00 EDT

As much of the country begins the process of re-opening as a result of the coronavirus, many food and beverage businesses are assessing their financial needs. How can you best position yourself?

This health crisis has exposed a lot of vulnerabilities in the industry. Among the most important of these is balancing cash flow needs with unplanned costs for plant closures, employees, healthcare, and new facility standards — all while managing increased demand.

How can the industry get back on track as the country re-emerges from the pandemic?

Join us as we look deeper into the financing challenges as a result of the pandemic, structuring alternatives for the future, and the strategies for financial stability. How does the CARES Act affect food and beverage manufacturers and what leasing standards should you keep in mind?

Our speakers will discuss these issues and more:

James Aspromonti, Marcum LLP

Financial statement implications
CARES Act tax changes
Leasing standard update
Zachary Chubb, City National Bank

Financing market perspectives, what has changed since the start of the pandemic, and the current outlook
Managing your current financing needs and working with lenders in the short and long term
Financing best practices and strategies
John DiMino, First American Equipment Finance

Current Financing Challenges Faced by Food & Beverage Manufacturers
Funding Strategies for Financial Stability as the Country Re-Opens and emerges from the COVID-19 Pandemic

For questions about this event, contact:

Flo Federman 

flo.federman@marcumllp.com

631.414.4299

FUZEHUB Webinar

Calculating Your Cost of Goods Sold and Estimating Future Production Cost

Upcoming Webinar – February 13,2020 – 11:00am EST

Many start-up companies make the mistake of designing overly complex products that are expensive to manufacture and assemble at scale. This can make your price point too high, costing you sales, or erode your profit margins. This webinar will show you how to accurately calculate your total product cost and develop an intelligent pro-forma cost as you look to scale-up production.

What You Will Learn:

  • The difference between fixed costs, variable costs, direct costs, indirect costs, and overhead.
  • Gain an understanding of Break-Even Point and Economies of Scale, and how they can impact pricing and profit margin.
  • The importance of knowing your product cost before investing in manufacturing or launching at the wrong price point.

2020 National Grid Kitchen Incentives

Hot off the press – 2020 Commercial Kitchen Incentives for both food manufacturers and restaurants.

Customers can either received the rebate at the POS at select retailers, or they can apply for the rebate at www.rebatesee.com. For any questions please reach out directly to Laura McNeill laura.mcneill@nationalgrid.com. If LIFC members are looking at non traditional energy efficiency solutions please have them reach out to Laura as well to see if their project may qualify for a custom rebate.

Global NY Trade Mission to South Africa

Empire State Development’s Global NY division is coordinating a trade mission to South Africa on June 1- 6, 2020. This is a great opportunity for Long Island businesses looking to learn more about South African markets and make business connections. Grant funding is available for eligible businesses that can offset the costs of travel- you can find more information about that here:https://esd.ny.gov/global-ny-state-trade-expansion-program-step.

If you are interested in learning more or participating in the trade mission you can reach out to globalny@esd.ny.gov. More details can be found on the flyer below and feel free to share this information with any businesses that may be interested.

USDA Accepting Applications for Trade Mission to North Africa

Contact: press@fas.usda.gov or (202) 720-7115

USDA Accepting Applications for Trade Mission to North Africa

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is recruiting interested U.S. exporters for its first 2020 trade mission, which will take place in Casablanca, Morocco, March 16-19. The mission will focus on boosting U.S. agricultural exports to all of North Africa and will include interested buyers not just from Morocco, but from Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia as well.

This will be the second USDA trade mission to Africa within six months, supporting the Administration’s Prosper Africa initiative to foster two-way trade and investment between the United States and Africa. With North Africa’s growing demand for food and feed products, the region is fertile ground for U.S. agricultural export sales.

Morocco, in particular, is a promising market thanks to the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement and the country’s high-quality infrastructure and stable economy. Morocco is ranked by the World Bank as the second-easiest place in the Middle East and North Africa to do business and, in 2018, the country imported $595 million of U.S. agricultural and related products.

While in Casablanca, trade mission delegates will participate in business-to-business meetings with potential customers coordinated by local staff from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). FAS and industry trade experts will also guide participants through in-depth briefings and site visits to provide insights into exporting to the region.

The deadline to apply for the North Africa trade mission is January 16, 2020.

For additional information, visit https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions
or email trademissions@fas.usda.gov.
Additional USDA trade missions planned for 2020 include:

  • Philippines, April 20-23
  • Spain and Portugal, June 8-11
  • United Kingdom, September 14-17
  • Australia and New Zealand, October 19-23
  • Peru, November 2-5
  • United Arab Emirates, November 15-18

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.