Republic Food Enterprise Center celebrates $1.75 million grant
A popular concept for food entrepreneurs and farmers to get their foods to kitchen tables celebrated a $1.75 million grant to help increase opportunities and jobs to the region.
On Tuesday, dignitaries and local farmers and food entrepreneurs like bakers, artisans, caterers and vendors gathered at the Republic Food Enterprise Center for the announcement of the $1.75 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission awarded to the center.
Bob Junk, the director of marketing and sales with the Republic Food Enterprise Center, said obtaining the grant to continue the center’s mission was 18 months in the works.
“It was a big undertaking, but we accomplished something for the region,” Junk said.
He said 15 entrepreneurs lease out the center’s commercial kitchens, commercial vacuum sealers, loading docks, fryers, walk-in freezers, aging room and other features. The entrepreneurs utilize the facilities to ship their products in an efficient manner.
Junk said the grant has already paid for two additional vans and will also be used for education and outreach, a state-of-the-art aquaponics system that sustains fish for market, the formation of a regional ad council, increase the production of fruits and vegetables by at least 25 percent and increase sheep production by 10,000 heads.
Junk said some goals include bringing the consumer and farmer closer together, increasing 20 percent to the 15 percent of local products on local tables and overall increasing the opportunities for income and job creation in the agriculture industry in the region including West Virginia and Maryland and soon, the eastern part of Ohio, which as shown interest in the center’s services.
“Agriculture can change lives, and that’s the very heart of what this grant is about,” said PA Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, who spoke at the event. “Today we plant, tomorrow we harvest.”
The regional entrepreneurs that have taken advantage of the center were on hand Tuesday as a farmer-market-style setting in the center as guests can sample their products from wines to cheeses to sauces to sweets.
“I was very intrigued by this concept,” said Sheri Powell from Pittsburgh, who was on hand with her company, Pretzel Crazy, and her salty/sweet combinations.
Powell has utilized the similar commercial and kitchen distribution centers like Republic’s for years, and said the services have been a “huge help” for small businesses.
Alisa Fava Fasnacht, the owner of Emerald Valley Artisans in Scenery Hill, has utilized the Republic Food Enterprise Center for three years, transporting their artisan cheeses to the center’s 12,000-square-foot cold storage area and then to national distributors.
Fasnacht said a cold-storage facility is too great of an expense for a small business to build on their own and being able to use the center’s facility allows them to make more and different cheeses with the money they’ve saved.
“It was a game changer for us,” Fasnacht said.
“We have an opportunity to diversify the economy,” said Jim Stark, the executive director of the Fayette County Community Action Agency.
The Republic Food Enterprise Center’s parent organization is Fayette County Community Action Agency.
“We’re building on history agricultural clusters,” Stark said, thanking those partners that have helped start and grow the center. “Ultimately, we’re creating jobs, income and wealth in the community.”
Junk said they have eight potential clients willing to start a food business and are interested in utilizing the center, they’re working with 30 farmers in the area, they have a goal of bringing 100 new agriculture jobs to the area, creating 20 new businesses and retaining 50 other entrepreneurial businesses.
“We’re going to make a change in agriculture,” Junk said. “It’s already started.”
Other speakers at the event included Fayette County Commissioner Vincent Vicites, Greene County Commissioner Dave Coder, state Rep. Pam Snyder, state Rep. Matt Dowling and Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Executive Deputy Secretary Neil Weaver.
For more information on the Republic Food Enterprise Center, contact Mark Swankler at 724-246-1536.