By Anna Bryner
The Price Small Business Development Center and Utah’s Own recently hosted a food and agriculture entrepreneurship summit for Carbon and Emery counties at Balance Rock Eatery. The summit featured sampling of local products, presentations about becoming affiliated with Utah’s Own, success stories of food and agricultural entrepreneurs, and a lunch. It also gave attendees the opportunity to network with each other.
Utah’s Own encourages individuals to build relationships with farmers and companies who grow or make their food. Agricultural and food products, farmers’ markets, restaurants and other food vendors that use local resources and are Utah-based may be branded as “Utah’s Own,” a distinction that over 700 vendors already possess. This distinction indicates quality products, protection of the environment and a commitment to strengthen Utah’s economy, said Director of Marketing for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Jed Christenson. He explained that affiliating with Utah’s Own strengthens local Utah economies because dollars spent on local products (which can be distinguished by a Utah’s Own label) are reinvested in the community repeatedly, creating a “multiplier effect.”
Kevin Jones, the founder of Snap Daddy’s BBQ Sauce, shared his success story with the crowd and gave some tips for prospective entrepreneurs.
“Don’t be afraid to give away a sample free the first time… they will come back,” he said. “You’ll get out of this what you put into it.”
For more information about Utah’s Own, visit https://utahsown.utah.gov/
