The Start of Something New! FamilyFarmed has hosted the Good Food EXPO for more than 15 years, convening like minds across the Good Food value chain by offering high-quality programming, chef demonstrations, networking opportunities, commerce, and consumer resources. But the Good Food industry, in its infancy when we launched EXPO in 2004, has blossomed, and its needs have changed too. So we are changing with it. Instead of a big, two-day, convention-style EXPO in March, we will be holding a number of smaller events, convenings and workshops throughout Chicago and Illinois. These events will be tailored and targeted to specific constituencies within the Good Food sector — while we maintain the annual, one-day Good Food Financing & Innovation Conference, which has thrived since it was detached from the EXPO as a stand-alone event in 2018. Two important things have prompted this new beginning. The first is the emergence of Naturally Chicago, a new FamilyFarmed program affiliated with the Naturally Network in Boulder, Colorado. Naturally Chicago was unveiled at the 2019 Good Food EXPO, and is functioning as planned as a much-needed, year-round industry platform for programming, collaboration, networking and entrepreneur development. It is enabling us, in essence, to “unpack” the EXPO, spreading content that features important issues and world-class leaders across the calendar instead of squeezing it all into two days in March. The other prompt was a survey we conducted following the 2019 EXPO of stakeholders like you, in an effort to more closely align our offerings with your needs. As esteemed members of the FamilyFarmed network, we take your feedback seriously. What We Heard: * Growers and earlier stage entrepreneurs desire more one-on-one time with prospective buyers of their product(s). * Buyers would like to see a broader attendance of local suppliers, preferably in a new setting. * Consumers need targeted education to implement changes in personal lives (i.e., understanding food terms, local foods, connecting with growers, etc.) We heard your suggestions and have set a course of action to provide you a more valuable experience in the years to come. We Will Deliver: Naturally Chicago After a great start that has included dozens of events since May, Naturally Chicago and its Programming Committee are planning a 2020 menu with a broadened variety of subject matter — providing even more relevant educational opportunities to support food entrepreneurs, buyers, service providers and other stakeholders to grow and succeed. We are also in the process of upgrading the Naturally Chicago website to provide a wealth of industry news and resources, and will be creating greater opportunities for interactive communications among industry members on social media. Good Food Financing & Innovation Conference The 11th annual “F&IC” set a high bar for excellence with a keynote speech by Beyond Meat Executive Chair Seth Goldman, a fireside chat featuring serial entrepreneur Kimbal Musk, a panel of Chicago industry leaders discussing the city’s Good Food landscape, and a Pitch Slam featuring 11 promising entrepreneurs and a prize package valued at more than $100,000. But we’re going to do our best to top it at the 12th annual Conference to be held at a date to be determined in the fall. Good Food Accelerator (GFA) The 6th entrepreneur cohort in the established six-month intensive Accelerator program gets under this winter. In an important new development, we will go live with GFA Extension, providing more targeted entrepreneur development focused on minority and women business owners in underserved Chicago communities. The Accelerator will continue to produce engagement events such as its annual Taste of the GFA held each fall, and will continue to play a central role in planning and organizing the Financing & Innovation Conference. Market Development & Farmer Training Since FamilyFarmed’s beginnings in the early years of this century, we have played a major role in facilitating relationships across the Good Food spectrum to help local farmers and CPG producers connect with buyers, sellers, service providers, investors in the routes-to-market chain. Our nationally renowned Farmer Training workshops have provided best practices instruction for 15,000 farmers in 43 states. Our Market Development and Farmer Training programs continue this heritage, now and into the future. Specifically for 2020, FamilyFarmed’s Market Development and Farmer Training programs will work with buyers throughout the state of Illinois to offer more curated networking opportunities with local suppliers of CPG products, farm products, and ingredients. They also will host or partner with like-minded organizations to offer more niche conferences throughout the state to meet growers at their point of need. Community Outreach with Good Food Is Good Medicine Good Food is Good Medicine is our developing program that will focus on targeted community-based efforts to educate consumers about the benefits that Good Food has on one’s health. 2020 and beyond will renew our commitment to the stakeholders who have supported us during our 20+ year journey towards the advancement of Good Food. Please click the link below for more detail about upcoming FamilyFarmed events. Happy Holidays!