2 Great Statewide Events For Food & Beverage Entrepreneurs This Fall

If you are a food & beverage entrepreneur or startup, there are a couple of events coming up outside Southern Oregon later in the year which are worth considering to attend.

NOV 8-10. TechStars Food Start-Up Weekend Eugene.

This is the first food focused start-up weekend on the West Coast, held in Eugene on Nov 8-10. Join other food & beverage entrepreneurs in a 2.5 -day accelerator-meets-hackathon where participants pitch and validate new ideas, then put together some form of validation/MVP (minimum viable product) over the course of a single weekend. The theme of this Startup Weekend is Food: innovative solutions that solve issues in our food system. Not sure what a Start-Up weekend is all about, check out the video below:

DEC 7. OEN Eat Oregon Now Holiday Marketplace in Portland.

The Eat Oregon Now Holiday Marketplace showcases a curated selection of Oregon’s unique food, beverage and entertaining products in a festive setting, and creates an opportunity for entrepreneurs and consumers to support one another during the holiday shopping season. Its mission is to connect local producers and emerging small makers who craft their products from thoughtfully-sourced ingredients to shoppers looking for Oregon-grown gifts in a unique setting.

Eat Oregon Now is more than a marketplace; it’s an experience that reflects positively on the state’s commitment to diversity and the entrepreneurial spirit, brings together producers from across Oregon, and promotes food and drink as meaningful alternative gifts. Vendors from the following categories are encouraged to attend / exhibit:

Baked Goods
Coffee + Tea
Snacks Ferments: Pickles, Krauts, etc.
Sustainably-raised meat
Oils + Vinegars
Wine + Cider + Beer
Chocolates
Condiments + Spreads Jams + Preserves
Salts + Seasonings
Cheeses
Cocktail Enhancers + Spirits
Wild-caught seafood
Hot sauces
Confections

If you are interested in attending contact Susan Laarman at OEN: slaar@imagina.com