The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center is pleased to announce recipients of the 2024 Dairy Product Trade Show Assistance Grant.
This grant supports value-added dairy processors by providing them with funds to showcase their regionally produced dairy products at domestic and international business-to-business trade shows. The goal is to increase brand exposure, engage with distributors, and capture new market segments.
In this rolling grant round, seven dairy processors from across the region were selected for awards. The recipients represent four states, including: Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. These awardees will be exhibiting their products, offering samples, and engaging with potential wholesale customers and distributors while amplifying their brand visibility.
The grant funds cover various costs associated with attending trade shows including registration fees, booth fees, travel expenses, product samples, marketing materials, professional branding services, booth set-up, and more.
Awards ranged from $5,000 to $20,000, with a total of $105,224 in overall funding.
This year, NE-DBIC is offering two rounds of this grant.
The awardees of the first round are below. The next round of the Dairy Product Tradeshow Assistance Grant offers rolling applications and is open from August 6 through November 28, 2024, at 2 PM ET, or until funds run out.
2024 Dairy Product Trade Show Assistance Awardees:
Grey Barn Farm Enterprises, Inc of Massachusetts – $14,500 to represent and exhibit their cheeses at the American Cheese Society (ACS) Conference, Cheese Monger Invitational, Summer Fancy Food Show, and Good Food Mercantile. Grey Barn will target distributors and wholesale customers, amplify brand visibility, and capture new market segments.
Seen Nutrition of New York – $20,000 to exhibit their all-natural milk calcium chew at Good Food Mercantile SF and National Community Pharmacy Association Annual Convention and Expo.
Trinity Valley Dairy of New York – $7,104 to exhibit their milk, chocolate milk, and fresh cheddar cheese curds at the New York Farm to School Summit in Syracuse, NY. Trinity Valley will engage with school district food service administrators, school food authorities, school nutritionists, and the New York State Department of Education.
Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc of New York – $20,000- to represent and exhibit their cultured dairy products at two trade shows including Premier Breakthrough Conference and Private Label Manufacturers Associate. Upstate Niagara will target new distributors and wholesale customers, network with current customer representatives, and seek new business opportunities and leads.
Anonymous Cheesemaker of Pennsylvania – $16,440 to exhibit their cheeses at Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City. Grantee will target distributors and wholesale customers, engage with retail store owners and chefs, promote their artisan cheeses, and increase brand visibility.
Vermont Cheese Council, Inc of Vermont – $8,975 to represent and exhibit Vermont cheeses at the American Cheese Society (ACS) Conference’s “Meet the Cheesemaker” event. They will also create and share information about the Vermont Cheese Summit and Vermont Cheese Week to retail and distribution buyers to drive attendance to these events.
Grafton Village Cheese Co. LLC of Vermont – $18,205 to exhibit their cheeses at trade shows including the Summer Fancy Food Show, Good Food Mercantile, and the “Meet the Cheesemaker” event at the American Cheese Society (ACS) Conference. Grafton Village Cheese will target retailers, distributors, media representatives, and restaurants to reinforce brand awareness, reach new markets and customers, and promote sheep milk cheeses.
