VIRGINIA’S FINEST EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE

Monday March 11, 2019

Specialty food and drink producers, learn how to grow your business!

Scaling your business outside of your region
Tips on starting a specialty food business
Food Safety - the most up-to-date news in the industry
Marketing through Point-of-Sale
Virginia’s Finest® designation - how can it benefit you

Plus, back by popular demand, network and be a part of our Power Pitch session - sell directly to buyers that we recruit. You will meet with buyers one-on-one during the conference.

Register Today!

Want to know exactly what you’ll be doing? Check out the CONFERENCE AGENDA

8:00 - 9:00 Conference Registration
- Join us in our vendor hall for breakfast, tastings, and networking
9:00 What can Virginia’s Finest do you for you?
- Opening Remarks
- All that Virginia’s Finest has to offer - Olivia Wilson & Keith Roberts
9:30 Scaling Your Specialty Food Business
- Landing the Right Co-Manufacturer - Austin Green, Hatch Kitchen & Texas Beach Bloody Mary Mix
- Distribution Models - How to get your product out! - Cavalier Produce
10:30 - 10:45 Break
10:45 Marketing Your Specialty Food Business
- The Art of Selling through Social - Stephanie Ganz
- Influencer Outreach - Piet Jones, Richmond Magazine Food Writer & Radio Host, Robey Martin, Lunch Break with Robey CBS6, Samantha Kanipe, Blogger The Richmond Experience
11:45 Selling from the Shelf – Merchandising to Move Product - Erin Wright, Little House Green Grocery
12:15 Lunch and Table Topics - Industry discussions over lunch
- Packaging - What is Working and What is not
- Trademark - When is the right time to secure your ™
- Co-packers - Quick contacts and case studies
1:15 Keynote Speaker - Jim Roman - Building Your Business with The 5 Drivers

The 5 Drivers are the building blocks to your future. Working on these five critical areas individually will give your business a boost but working on them together creates the momentum you need to drive your business forward, to make your business not only profitable but sustainable—and ultimately to let you live the life you want to live.

2:00 Hot Topics in Food Safety - Joelle Eiffert and Rob Williams
Breakout Sessions: 45 minutes each
2:45 Break
3:00 Selling at the Fancy Food Show - Panel Discussion
- Moderator: Stephanie Agee, VDACS Marketing Director
  - AR’s Hot Southern Honey, Ames Russell
  - Mother Shrub, Meredyth Archer
  - Pastry Base, Jill Donaldson
  - Gunther’s Gourmet, Mike Lampros
3:45 Goal Setting to Grow your Business - The Apple Cart
Preparing for the Power Pitch - What are buyers looking for?
6:00 Group Dinner
Tuesday March 12, 2019
8:00 - 9:00 Join us in our vendor hall for breakfast, tastings, and networking
9:00 The Art of the Sale - JJ White
10:00 Break
10:15 - 1:00 The Power Pitch (Buyers from local, regional, and national grocery stores are given a credit to purchase Virginia Specialty Food and Beverage Products. Each business will get to choose who they would like to pitch to and will be given time to make those connections.)
- Boxed Lunch served during the Power Pitch session

Join us for the Virginia's Finest Conference, March 11 & 12!