The SSFPA is excited to announce that our proposal to the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy’s Inclusive Venture Capital Initiative was successful! This partnership will allow the SSFPA and partner organizations across Canada to assist women/intersectional entrepreneurs that produce Consumer Packaged Goods to strengthen their capacity to access venture capital funding. Read the full press release here.

The March edition of Table Talks is here! To sign up the receive the newsletter monthly in your inbox, click here.

Check out the newest webinar in SSFPA’s Learn to Earn series: Learn to Earn with EnWave Radiant Energy Vacuum Dehydration (REV™) Technology

Put on in partnership with PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise, the FOODPRENEUR BIZCamp is designed to provide entrepreneurs in the Commercial Packaged Goods (CPG) industry with a comprehensive understanding of the foodpreneur journey from ideation to scale-up, to exporting your product. The FOODPRENEUR BIZCamp will take place over the course of 12 weeks, approximately 2-4 hours per week starting February 16, 2023. Participants will receive the tools, insights, and information they need to scale up their business, build traction, and establish a dynamic, safe, food or drink product on-shelf. Click here for more information and to register.

The February edition of Table Talks is here! To sign up the receive the newsletter monthly in your inbox, click here.

The SSFPA celebrated its 20th Anniversary on October 21, 2022. The event was marked with a virtual celebration that included a look back at the last 20 years, a summary of upcoming exciting initiatives, words from provincial minister Lana Popham, and awards. Visit the anniversary webpage to watch the recording and see the full list of award recipients.

Farm Credit Canada’s Women Entrepreneur Summit is being held virtually on March 8, 2022 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm eastern time. This is a great webinar for all members – topics covered will include:
> Finding Your Financial Footing: 4 steps to get a handle on your Moola
> Talking the Talk: Learning to initiate, focus, and make progress on team’s business meetings
> Everyday Resiliency in Ever-Changing Times
The speakers include a business journalist, an FCC business advisor specializing in agriculture, and a workplace wellness expert. To view more information and sign up, click the image below.

If you are passionate about food safety, take the next step!

If you are looking to move ahead in food production, train online with UBC’s new Micro-certificate in Food Safety Management. Courses are three-weeks in duration, and prepare you to work in quality assurance in the food and beverage processing industry. British Columbia has an entrepreneurial and ever-growing food and beverage industry. In 2020, 35,000 people worked in food and beverage processing, and the industry recorded sales of $11 billion, a jump of 5.5% over 2019.

To fill the growing need for quality assurance professionals, this program will provide you with the skills needed for an exciting career in a position, such as:
> Continuous Improvement Manager
> Government Health Inspection Officer
> Consultant
> Food Safety Specialist
> Quality Control Technician

The first course starts in Spring 2022! This new online Micro-certificate in Food Safety Management is offered by University of British Columbia (UBC) and BCIT. Learn more: www.landfood.ubc.ca/certificate/food-safety-management/

A high school diploma and English proficiency are minimum requirements, and a background or interest in a science or engineering discipline would be an asset.

Three years ago, Status of Women Canada, now called Women and Gender Equality (WAGE for short) generously agreed to fund the SSFPA’s proposal to study financing issues that women food processors face when starting or scaling up their businesses. Our goal was to strengthen economic security for women food processors. While both women and men food processors face issues, research shows that women in particular encounter magnified barriers. On December 8, 2021, the SSFPA officially launched the website associated with this project – women.ssfpa.net. Processors across Canada will find self-help tools, extensive resources, and inspirational stories. Here’s a link to the video of the project launch including a presentation by Hadriana Leo, CEO, Money Navigator International.

SSFPA Executive Director, Candice Appleby, was recently named BCBusiness 2021 Women of the Year non profit leader runner-up in recognition of her impactful leadership of SSFPA:

Candice Appleby got an early start as an entrepreneur. At 15 in her hometown of Regina, she earned a real estate licence so she could fill in for her realtor dad. Appleby owned a car detailing shop, a music store and a fishing resort before taking over the two-year-old Small Scale Food Processor Association (SSFPA) in 2004. The food business and its regulations are complex, Appleby notes. “I find the food system as a whole really similar to jazz, especially if you use all 10 fingers,” the musician says with a laugh. The Nanaimo-based SSFPA, which aims to be Canada’s top support organization for small and medium-sized food processors, helps them navigate that minefield. Its 350-plus members have access to a variety of food safety and other educational programs, plus help with marketing, networking and advocacy. Because the SSFPA has a small budget, it operates through partnerships, Appleby explains. One such effort is its food safety programs, which meet international standards. Another alliance launched the Foodmetrics Community Food Analysis Lab, where processors and growers can do the testing they need to sell at grocery chains and to export, in Courtenay in 2018. “It’s food safety and those requirements—industry requirements much more so than government—that dictate access to markets,” Appleby says.When COVID struck, the SSFPA noticed that many government supports left small food processors behind. So it joined forces with a member to create the Food Business Refresh program, which has seen several participants pivot and enhance their operations. Appleby served on the advisory committee for the provincial government’s Buy BC, Feed BC and Grow BC marketing campaigns, as well as for its Food Hub Network. “I see huge upside in B.C.,” she says of her industry. “Together we’re strong.”

Developed by the Small Scale Food Processor Association, the Refresh program is designed to help rejuvenate food processing businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19.
Eligible participants receive guided, hands-on support, tailored to your company’s situation and objectives. The program helps you to:

HOW TO APPLY
For all program details and to apply, visit the website. Please also share with any other businesses you think might benefit from the Refresh program.

Enjoy these Food Business Refresh videos: