Tenera Grains Found Success at Michigan Food and Agriculture Events and Your Business Can Too
For seven generations, the Smith family made a living by harvesting corn and soybeans to sell throughout the region. Yet in 2015, when the cost of corn, the Smith family needed to pivot to continue to keep the farm in the family. It was in this market drought that the family had the idea to grow teff, a naturally gluten free and non-GMO grain that originates from Ethiopia. One day Claire Smith experimentally put the whole teff grain into her granola and loved it, that’s when Teffola was born.
As the Founder and CEO of Teffola, Tenera Grains’ Claire Smith knew they had a great product. Even though teff was domesticated centuries ago, introducing this “new” ancient grain to purchasers and customers in today’s market presented a challenge. That’s when Smith decided to attend the 2019 Pure Michigan Food & Agriculture Summit hosted by the MEDC’s Pure Michigan Business Connect (PMBC) program, in partnership with the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD).
Read the full article to learn about the successful connection Tenera Grains made at the event that accelerated the company’s growth.
| READ THE FULL ARTICLE |
Submit Your Application to Meet with Food Buyers at Making It In Michigan Matchmaking
PMBC and MDARD are excited to partner with the MSU Product Center on the 2021 Virtual Making It In Michigan event. As a part of the event, PMBC and MDARD will host one-on-one matchmaking meetings bringing together purchasers including grocers, retailers, distributors, institutional buyers, or anyone looking to procure Michigan-made food, with Michigan food and agriculture businesses from around the state – all with one common goal to strengthen Michigan’s food supply chain.
If you would like to get your Michigan-made innovative food products in front of buyers and distributors, submit your supplier application by April 22 to be considered for one-on-one meeting opportunities.
*Please note that this matchmaking event is separate from the MSU Product Center’s Making It In Michigan (MIIM) programming. To learn more about participation opportunities for your Michigan food and agriculture business in the MIIM conference and tradeshow, visit https://www.canr.msu.edu/miim.
| SUBMIT SUPPLIER APPLICATION |
In Case You Missed It: Prepping for the Big Buyer Meeting Webinar
On April 14, PMBC and MDARD hosted a Prepping for the Big Buyer Meeting webinar presented by Skidmore Studio. This session provided businesses an opportunity to learn how to get the most out of their meetings with buyers, whether it’s at the upcoming Making It In Michigan event, or for any other future meeting opportunities. If you were not able to join the session, PMBC encourages you to check out the recording to help you understand your buyer, ensure your packaging is a fit for the target shopper and guarantee your brand is memorable.
| WATCH WEBINAR RECORDING |
About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org
{{cta(‘9ec27a38-aabd-4445-b471-24199ef76c29’)}}
