Food Sol at the Summer Fancy Food Show
Today concludes this year’s Summer Fancy Food Show. Held each June in New York, the Show is hosted by the Specialty Food Association, which offers industry-wide research and forecasting, as well as educational programs and business development support to food entrepreneurs and emergent brands.
This year, Food Sol was able to offer a Premium Pass (at no charge) to four Babson students or recent graduates. Through an application process, Food Sol sought to award passes to entrepreneurs who could make a compelling case to the significance of such access to the acceleration of their ventures. (Hardly a coincidence, three of the four are currently enrolled in Babson’s Summer Venture Program.)
In addition to total access to the Show, the Food Sol cohort also received a one-hour group consult with Babson alumnus and natural products consultant Bob Burke and an intimate dinner with Babson Entrepreneur in Residence Gail Simmons.
In typical Food Sol style, it was a truly collaborative experience: the entrepreneurs group-texted to quickly point one another to specific booths and contacts. They worked the show, shared findings, asked questions, made connections, and tasted voraciously. No doubt they will have plenty of learnings to bring back to the final four weeks of the Summer Venture Program.
The exclamation point without question was a magical evening last night at the Roof at Park South, belonging to frequent Food Sol collaborators Tim and Nancy Cushman. As she always does, Gail Simmons generously gave of her time and energy, and offered the entrepreneurs wise counsel and industry connections.
Food Sol hopes to be able to repeat and expand this offering to Babson entrepreneurs for Summer Fancy Food Show 2016. For now, we are extremely pleased with the real and relevant assets we witnessed our first cohort accrue toward the building of their businesses. Stay tuned here for more from the participants about their experience.