CAIC Program Prepares Federalsburg Business for Next Step in Its Success
EASTON, Md; February 21, 2023…The Chesapeake Agriculture Innovation Center (CAIC) is pleased to announce that Gayle Galbraith – owner of the Federal Brewing Company of Federalsburg, Maryland – has been accepted into the prestigious Food Business Accelerator program at Union Kitchen in Washington, D.C. The Federal Brewing Company is an award-winning artisanal kombucha brewery based in Federalsburg’s Enterprise Zone.
Ms. Galbraith is one of eight participant in CAIC’s “Business Growth for Value-Added Producers” that prepares value-added producers in Maryland and Delaware to scale their businesses. The program’s objective is to give participants an understanding of their business scaling strategy and to create a roadmap for growth. As part of the program, participants toured Union Kitchen, Baltimore’s Tulkoff co-packing facility, and Redner’s Supermarket to better understand the ramifications of growth and scaling and to become acquainted with some of the resources available to them.
The program included presentations from industry experts on topics including the basics of scaling, legal and financial considerations, accessing institutional and wholesale buyers, and creating an all-encompassing business growth plan.
“We have built a solid foundation and now it is time to assemble our team and take the next step in our growth,” said Ms. Galbraith. “Union Kitchen will provide the infrastructure and the resources for undertaking our scaling efforts.
“The CAIC program gave me the introduction to Union Kitchen and the confidence to follow through with applying to the Union Kitchen program. What I learned through the CAIC program put scaling into perspective and prepared me for taking on the challenge and the opportunity that Union Kitchen offers.
“The CAIC program taught me that planning for growth and scaling requires intensive work and attention to every aspect of your company – you can’t just rely on having a great product. We were accepted into the Union Kitchen program because — in addition to having a great product — we demonstrated the entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to learn and to put in the work to accomplish our goals.”
For more information on CAIC’s programs and events, please visit www.caic.org.
About CAIC: The Chesapeake Agricultural Innovation Center (CAIC) was established in late 2020 as a new program of ESEC’s F3 Tech initiative to expand F3 Tech’s focus on food technology. CAIC is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
About ESEC: The Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center (ESEC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, based in Easton on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, with a mission to educate and support entrepreneurs. Its initiatives include F3 Tech, a program that focuses bringing technology solutions to the Farm, Fish, and Food industries.
