Tastemakers Initiative

Tastemakers Initiative is sponsored by CEI (Coastal Enterprises, Inc.) sponsored by FocusMaine. This initiative supports established food and beverage companies, including those in aquaculture, to expand operational capacity and capabilities to meet targeted growth goals.

Applications Now Open for CEI’s Tastemakers Initiative - CEI Keeping you updated on what’s happening at CEI Applications Now Open for CEI’s Tastemakers Initiative January 6th, 2025 (Brunswick, Maine) – To support scale and strengthen Maine’s local food economy, Coastal Enterprises Inc, in partnership with FocusMaine, is offering the Tastemakers Initiative grant program for a seventh time.

Applications are open to established Maine food businesses, including agriculture, aquaculture or fishery businesses and companies that source or distribute food from Maine agriculture, aquaculture, or fisheries. The Tastemakers Initiative helps established food and beverage companies in Maine expand and improve production capacity, create jobs, and meet targeted growth goals.

Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded through a competitive review process. The deadline to apply is Friday, January 31st, 2025, at 4:59pm EST. Details about the program can be found on CEI’s website: https://www.

ceimaine. org/advising/business/agriculture/tastemakers/ CEI will host two webinars to answer questions on Monday January 13 th at 1:00 & Wednesday, January 22 nd at 10:00am EST. We will post the zoom link on the Tastemakers website prior to the date.

Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI) works to build a just, vibrant, and climate-resilient future for people and communities in Maine and rural regions by integrating finance, business expertise and policy solutions in ways that make the economy work more equitably. More at www. ceimaine.

org . FocusMaine is a dynamic, data-driven, private sector-led initiative collaborating with influential leaders to accelerate the growth of high-potential industries, creating quality jobs and shaping a future-ready economy. Over the past six years, the growth of FocusMaine sectors, the Food Economy and Bioeconomy, outpaced Maine’s overall growth.

FocusMaine catalyzed over 1,200 jobs, including 577 jobs in companies participating in their programs which created an additional 618 indirect jobs, generating $261. 7 million in sales revenue and $71 million in earnings. Over the past year, job growth in food companies participating in FocusMaine programs was twice as high as job growth in Maine’s overall food sector, and six times as high as job growth in Maine’s overall economy.

www. focusmaine.

org "Quick Facts Owner: Umatilla Indian Reservation Business: Cairnspring Mills produces premium, stone-milled flour grown by Pacific Northwest farmers that supports local food systems while…" "Quick Facts Owners: Seren and Steve Sinisi Business: Old Crow Ranch is a family-owned, pasture-based livestock farm specializing in grass-fed beef, and pastured pork…" "Quick Facts Owner: Bruce Hennessey Business: Maple Wind Farm is dedicated to raising grass-fed beef and pasture-raised pork, chicken, turkey, and eggs through regenerative farming…"