Greetings,
As we return to work following Memorial Day Weekend, SupplyRI would like to honor all service members and their families who have sacrificed to protect the freedoms we enjoy. In memory of many and in honor of all, thank you for your service.
The SupplyRI Team
|
|
Upcoming Offshore Wind Event
SupplyRI invites suppliers interested in exploring opportunities in the offshore wind industry to register for an upcoming event on Thursday, June 17, 2021 from 10 am - 11 am. Three panelists from SupplyRI, RI Commerce, and Orsted will help companies prepare to join SupplyRI, understand Rhode Island's role within the broader wind industry, and bid on opportunities with Orsted.
Click the button below to register for SupplyRI: How We’re Connecting Businesses for Success in the Offshore Wind Industry!
|
|
Julianne Stelmaszyk Joins RI Commerce as Director of Food Strategy |
|
Julianne Stelmaszyk joins the RI Commerce team as the second Director of Food Strategy for the State of Rhode Island. Her role is focused on building a resilient, healthy and equitable food economy by leading the implementation of the state’s food strategy, Relish Rhody, and ensuring that Commerce's business development and support services are brought to bear in support of the State’s food-related goals.
Her role works across state agencies in close partnership with the RI Department of Health and Department of Environmental Management to develop policies, business and state procurement strategies that strengthen the local food economy.
Juli brings a decade of experience in the food and agriculture sector to her new role, having worked across the value chain on farms, in professional kitchens and with institutions to increase local food procurement and consumption. Prior to this role, she served as Boston College’s first Manager of Regional and Sustainable Food Systems where she leveraged the purchasing power of the university to support values-based and regional food systems.
She expects that a few of her core focuses in her new role will include building up institutional markets for local food and helping to expand year round food production.
“Institutional buyers are vital partners in building a more resilient and regional food economy and, in protecting against future supply chain disruptions. They have the power to sustain small and large food businesses across the state while educating eaters on the importance of buying local. I look forward to working closely with the SupplyRI team to widen the pipeline for farm to institution with schools, hospitals, universities and more.” - Julianne Stelmaszyk, Director of Food Strategy, Rhode Island Commerce
|
|
Congratulations to DishUp RI "Resto-Preneurs" |
|
SupplyRI would like to recognize the achievements of the 13 DishUp RI “resto-preneurs” who launched products this month in all 10 Dave’s Marketplace grocery stores. SupplyRI would particularly like to highlight Smoke & Squeal BBQ and Flat Waves Food Shack, SupplyRI suppliers who both launched BBQ sauce products through the program.
|
|
DishUp RI was made possible through a RI Commerce Technical Assistance grant funded by Federal CARES Act dollars. The grant enabled a diverse group of RI restaurants to develop and transform iconic menu items into consumer-packaged goods (CPGs) that can be sold in supermarkets and local retailers throughout the State and beyond.
Hope & Main assembled a team of experts to provide comprehensive business and technical assistance around recipe development and scaling; lean manufacturing process; product testing and licensing; packaging and labeling; branding and marketing; as well as sales and distribution to help more than 30 RI restaurants to launch an entirely new line of business.
This alternative revenue stream enables restaurants to pivot during the pandemic and future proof their businesses in a post-COVID environment; establish new lines of business to supplement their traditional business model; and enables customers to experience them in their home kitchens.
"We are gratified to see how agile and responsive our food community has been to assist these restaurants to emerge from the pandemic. DishUp RI brought together experts from the food manufacturing, hospitality and grocery sectors in Rhode Island to create an entirely new category of products for the Ocean State. This will help to distinguish and future proof our local food economy." - Lisa Raiola, President & Founder, Hope & Main
|
|
Resource Partner of the Month: Farm Fresh Rhode Island |
|
Farm Fresh Rhode Island is a nonprofit organization with a mission to grow a local food system that is sustainable and healthy for both farmers and eaters. With thanks in part to a Rebuild Rhode Island tax credit the organization built a brand new ground-up Food Hub at 10 Sims Avenue in Providence at the end of 2020. The new food hub will allow the organization to be a connector for more access to fresh food and also help farms and food businesses succeed.
Farm Fresh's Market Mobile, which is an aggregation and distribution system designed for local and regional farm and food businesses, made a major pivot in 2020 due to the pandemic and dramatically scaled up their work to meet the demands the pandemic put on food sourcing - which included continued work with schools and other institutions.
"For Farm Fresh RI, our work through Supply RI is all about developing a network that connects farms and food businesses to anchor institutions," said Co-Executive Director Jesse Rye, "and while 2020 presented our state with many challenges, it also was a time where we could see the benefits and importance of strong local systems and how these connections are critical to our collective health and well-being. From our team to yours, a sincere thank you for your support of farmers and food businesses in Rhode Island."
|
|
Resources for Opening a Restaurant in Rhode Island |
|
Have you always thought about opening a restaurant, but didn't know where to start?
Starting any business involves planning, making key financial decisions and completing a series of legal activities. Rhode Island Commerce has developed a site to give you a general overview of the steps necessary to open a restaurant in Rhode Island.
Owning a restaurant can be a rewarding, if not slightly terrifying endeavor. Rhode Island Commerce has developed a guide to help you understand the basic steps of doing so, and avoid some common pitfalls. Click the link below to get started!
|
|
Local Agriculture and Seafood Act (LASA) Grants Program |
|
The LASA Grant Program provides grants that directly benefit and strengthen the local food system in Rhode Island. The program was established by the Local Agriculture and Seafood Act (LASA) of 2012 via an innovative public-private partnership between the state and three private foundations — the van Beuren Charitable Foundation, the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, and the Rhode Island Foundation. Currently, the program is made possible by funding from the State of Rhode Island. The goal of the LASA grant program is to support the growth, development, and marketing of local food and seafood in Rhode Island.
The deadline for applications has been extended through June 13, 2021, at 11:59 pm.
|
|
Quick Links for Suppliers and Businesses
|
|
Not yet a part of the SupplyRI database? Click here to register as a supplier today!
|
|
Business advisors at Rhode Island Commerce are standing by to assist you during the COVID-19 emergency. Complete this form and a business advisor will respond within one business day.
|
|
Rhode Island Commerce provides comprehensive SBA and non-SBA related loan information online, including FAQ documents and recordings of webinars related to the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program), EIDL (Economic Injury Disaster Loan) and STEP (State Trade Expansion Program). Click here to learn more.
|
|
The COVID-19 pandemic presents unprecedented circumstances for business and non-profit organizations in Rhode Island and throughout the country. Rhode Island Commerce has compiled these resources, including COVID-19 testing for local businesses interested in offering on-site rapid testing to their employees, to assist you in adapting to the current economic challenges and new ways of doing business.
|
|
|
|
Best Regards,
Doris Blanchard
Assistant Director, SupplyRI
401.278.9127
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
