LSU’s best kept secret might not be the underground tunnels, the abandoned Huey P. Long pool or the Dairy Store, but rather the AgCenter’s Food Innovation Institute.
As Business Report features in its latest issue, this game-changing resource center, also known as FOODii, is where food businesses and entrepreneurs can learn the essential steps to start and grow a legitimate food business. The institute educates and supports business owners in areas like product development, food testing, labeling, marketing products, food safety, security and storage.
Since first opening in 2013, FOODii, formerly known as the AgCenter Food Incubator, has been helping small food businesses go from home kitchens to commercial kitchens. It currently has 34 tenants in the facility and has helped launch more than 150 products.
Some high-performing tenants include Hanley’s, known for its popular salad dressings; Fiery Crab, a seafood restaurant and bar that sells signature sauces; and Alvin Ray’s Bayou Best Pickles, famous for its fast-selling Cajun-style pickles.
The institute has been on the hunt for a new director since former director Gaye Sandoz announced her retirement in October 2023.
While the search continues, the institute’s tenants are continuing to thrive. Some have gained placement in stores across the U.S. and been featured on TV.
