In early October, nearly two dozen LSU AgCenter Food Incubator tenants stood expectantly behind tables displaying their products—a smattering of condiments, salad dressings, snack foods and other items largely inspired by personal recipes.
On one side of the room, Hooked on Re:’s Sarah Vincent arranged sample cups of salad tossed with the Baton Rouge-based company’s two vinaigrettes. At the other end, Lafayette pickle maker Gaye Spaht readied toothpicks and bite-sized portions of her Old Soul pickles. Between them, other producers practiced pitches on specialty foods that included hummus, confections, salsa and a sports drink, all of which were developed at the LSU facility.
As Business Report details in its new cover story, the tenants were preparing for the arrival of several executive corporate chefs from across the country who were visiting Louisiana on a tour arranged by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. One of the stops included the LSU AgCenter’s nearly four-year-old Food Incubator for a look at artisan products made by local producers.
“The idea is to bring in these corporate chefs from around the country and let them see the kinds of products that our tenants are producing,” says Food Incubator Director Gaye Sandoz. “We’d love to see them get picked up.” It’s a familiar dream that plays out across the country: A home cook has a signature recipe that friends and family can’t stop raving about. Perhaps the item is distributed as a signature holiday gift or is sold through a home-based business. Whatever the case, reception is strong enough to convince the home cook that the retail market is calling.
“It never ceases to amaze me how much interest there is in doing this, no matter how much I explain how difficult it is,” says Sandoz. “I give an orientation every year for people who are interested, and it never seems to slow down.”
Since the Food Incubator opened in January 2013, 35 food companies have been brought on as tenants, developed products and released them into the specialty foods market. 2015 was a banner year for the incubator, with tenants churning out more than twice the amount of products—44 tons total—than they did the year previous.
By the end of this year, the facility will have turned out 125 tons of product since it was launched. Would-be entrepreneurs from around the region routinely contact the Food Incubator for information, says Sandoz, who has designed an annual all-day workshop to vet serious prospective tenants.
If all goes well, the Food Incubator could expand its manufacturing capacity sometime next year with the addition of a mini-bottling facility, says Sandoz. Moreover, its technical services division hopes to expand consulting work with existing food companies nationwide for food science services like nutritional panels, and allergen and quality analyses.
Read the full feature, which includes additional stories about how local students and food scientists are getting hands on training the incubator; and how Ruth Flynn, mother of former LSU quarterback Matt Flynn, is succeeding as an incubator tenant with her new artisan candy line. Send your comments to editors@businessreport.com.
