We’re thrilled to welcome 15 food businesses into the 2025 FFI Fellows Program as of April 2025!
This program provides free training and consulting to 45 food-focused entrepreneurs each year to help them succeed. Fellows get the expertise and support they need to grow and scale, with an investible business model and financing strategy unique to their business.
The second cohort of 2025 includes these 15 food and beverage businesses, 10 from Wisconsin and 5 from across the nation:
- Big Sky Processing LLC – Moore, MT. Fresh, quality meat made available to you.
- Central Montana Food Hub – Martinsdale, MT. Helping to build and support our local producers and to preserve our precious agricultural land for sustainable future use.
- Country View Dairy – Hawkeye, IA. Natural farmstead yogurt using the wholesome milk from our family’s own dairy herd.
- Emmanuel’s Mix LLC – Milwaukee, WI. Delicious snack mix with the perfect balance of sweet and salty.
- Haystack Data Solutions – Saint Louis Park, MN. Transforming how food and ag companies harvest data for a better future.
- Homestead 36 Farms LLC – Sturgeon Bay, WI. A family-owned, no-till farm specializing in chemical-free, nutrient dense berries.
- Hundred Acre – Milwaukee, WI. A unique urban farm providing a rapid response solution to food insecurity in the heart of Milwaukee.
- I LOVE TAMALES – Racine, WI. Dedicated to crafting tamales that bring back memories of home, family, and tradition.
- Lakeshore Depot L3C – Marquette, MI. Locally and regionally produced foods and farm goods.
- Little Society Farm LLC – Baraboo, WI. A group of ecologically-minded farming folk striving to grow vegetables and animals the best way we know how.
- Olympia Granola – Milwaukee, WI. Delicious trail bars, created to take on life’s adventures with you.
- Paul’s Pelmeni – Madison, WI. Authentic Russian dumplings that bring comfort and flavor to every bite.
- Sparrow Hill Farm – Monroe, WI. Meats that are pasture raised, grass fed or caught in the wild. Enjoy the taste and nutritional difference!
- Tootsie’s Tea – Milwaukee, WI. Indigenous, Hispanic and woman-owned tea business, hand-crafting flavorful and visually stunning teas with high-quality ingredients.
- Tuk-Tuk Fusion – Ashland, WI. Specializing in Asian fusion cuisine with a Native American twist.
The program kicks off this month with a food business finance course and culminates in six months with an investor pitch. Entrepreneurs participate in regular virtual meetings with their cohort and in 1-on-1 sessions with their FFI coach. Training and consulting cover all areas of food business, including marketing and branding, sales, operations, accounting, finance, and food safety. This program is FREE and open to any food-focused entrepreneur in the United States.
This national program serves food, beverage, technology, value-added agriculture, and processing businesses. There are three cohorts each year, starting in January, April, and July. The application is online here and takes about 30 minutes to complete. Applications are accepted year-round, with review periods in December, March, and May.
The FFI Fellows Program is funded by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and supported by FFI industry experts including Eurofins (Food Safety), Ogden, Glazer, + Schaefer (Law), Catapult Commercialization Services, Summit Credit Union, Farm Credit, Tribe 9 Foods, Compeer Financial, Real Food Brands, and Quigistics.
The Fellows program has worked with over 197 companies since 2015. As of 2024, participating companies have attracted $6.8 million in grant funding, $16.5 million in debt funding and $17.2 million in equity funding. In addition, they have generated over $123 million in business/sales.
