Colleen Crist, CAE’s Food Production Advisor, shares her reflection on 15 years of the Vermont Food Venture Center. Read below to learn more about what CAE’s food business clients are up to, and exciting improvements to the VFVC kitchens and advising program. 

In 2011, when the Vermont Food Venture Center (VFVC) opened its doors to clients, the craft and local food world was in a different place. Although Vermont has always had a robust local food economy, that economy lacked many of the supports in place today. There were fewer financial resources for food businesses, fewer food-focused business advising programs, fewer opportunities for small businesses to sell their products outside of New England, and the food tourism industry was just beginning in Vermont. As the VFVC became established in Hardwick, we worked to change that—and change it we did! Over the course of the last 15 years, over 100 businesses have produced over 500 different products at the VFVC. We’ve seen countless hot peppers made into hot sauce for capsaicin lovers, smelled boiling maple syrup turning into maple sugar nearly every week, and eaten more pickles than you can shake a bottle of vinegar at. In short, we have seen food entrepreneurs realize their dreams every day. CAE supports these dreams with food-focused business advising, low-interest loans to food businesses, and our delivery service, and the magic behind production comes to life in the commercial kitchens located in the big green box behind Aubuchon’s, AKA the VFVC.

As we head into the next 15 years of the VFVC, we want to provide our clients with an outstanding production experience. We’ve made significant investments in equipment, made booking kitchen space easier, supported clients’ business growth, helped clients purchase and install crucial equipment, and are planning further upgrades for 2026. This year, you can expect to see significant changes at the Venture Center—we’re remodeling for efficiency to provide our clients with more space to do their work. We’re also launching new branding, so stop by and pick up one of our stickers, featuring our new logo, designed in collaboration with Peltz Creative. 

While we’re doing this work in-house, you’ll also see VFVC staff on the road, talking about what we do and learning about what other kitchens have to offer. Last year, we visited incubator kitchens in Providence, Boston, and Portland. We also attended the Fancy Food Show in New York, and the Shared Kitchen Summit in Cleveland. Incubator kitchens are devoted to supporting entrepreneurs, so it is no shocker that we are a pretty creative bunch ourselves.  From food photography classes (brown food may taste good, but it can be hard to photograph well), to walk-through freezers and 40 foot long hood vents, to local produce buying, every one of these trips provided ideas and inspiration. They also left us impressed with ourselves—I realized how special it is to have a non-profit organization provide the level of support for food businesses that CAE does. I finished these trips excited to grow the community in our kitchen, so that our clients are aware of all the resources they have access to, while also making production smoother and more efficient. This year brings more travel, including a food safety conference in Providence, RI, another trip to the Fancy Food Show with even more clients, and the Shared Kitchen Summit, also in Providence (Providence, I’m coming for you and your delicious oysters!). 

Over the next year, I plan to continue working to ensure that aspiring food entrepreneurs are aware of the VFVC and everything we offer, while also providing our current clients with the tools to develop their business. I’m looking forward to improving efficiencies in both big and small ways, with everything from clearly labeled kitchen equipment to moving our freezer and cooler to make a more efficient workflow. We’ll also continue to work on marketing the VFVC, letting shoppers know when they are purchasing products made in Hardwick, and letting food businesses across the state know about the resources we offer. Finally, we’ll continue to invest in keeping our equipment well-maintained and purchasing new and upgraded equipment as needed.  
 

Thanks for your support over the last fifteen years. Whether you’ve produced at the Venture Center, purchased products made here, donated to CAE, told your friends about your favorite Hardwick-made goodies, or sent us good vibes from afar, you’re a part of our success! We look forward to continuing to surprise and delight with our products, from peanut butter to Switchel to beet burgers!