VSFA Annual Meeting

Date: Tuesday, June 6th, 2023
Location: Mountain Top Resort, Chittenden, Vermont

Register Here

Learn, connect, and grow

Each June the VSFA community comes together for a daylong networking and business education event, a valued opportunity for members to connect with each other while learning ways to sustain, grow, and manage their business. Sponsorship and donation opportunities can be accessed in the registration form.  

Tentative Schedule:

9:00AM  REGISTRATION, REFRESHMENTS & NETWORKING

10:00AM  OPENING REMARKS

10:15AM  GENERAL SESSION: 
Positioning Your Company for Acquisition
Whatever the reason for selling your business, looking attractive to prospective buyers, and getting the best price possible, remains the surest way to ensure a comfortable future for everyone.

11:15AM  MORNING BREAKOUT SESSIONS
BREAKOUT 1: Roundtable Discussion: Finding and Keeping Good Employees
Description coming soon.

BREAKOUT 2: How to Pitch: Finding New Investors
Description coming soon.

12:00PM  LUNCHEON & ANNUAL MEETING

12:30PM  KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Guiding Principles to Success and Employee Retention
Vicky Allard, Co-owner, Blake Hill Preserves
Winner of Vermont Small Business Persons of the Year 2022, Blake Hill Preserves has been producing sweet, savory and spicy jams, condiments and much more since 2009. Starting as a home-based business in Grafton VT, Blake Hill is now a 45-person company in Windsor with a national and multi-segment customer base, and the company exudes an image of quality, success, fun, and happy team members. During her keynote, Co-owner Vicky Allard will walk us through her lessons to success in the specialty food industry and how developing and retaining a talented team is crucial.

1:15PM  AFTERNOON BREAKOUT SESSIONS
BREAKOUT 1: Shipping and Logistics
Marc Christie, Associated Grocers of New England (shipping & logistics)
Getting your products to retailers is an important step in growing your business and expanding your market reach. Which is why understanding your shipping needs and the logistics of working with a distributor is essential to getting your products from point A to point B.

BREAKOUT 2: Understanding Your Costs in Value-Add with Consideration of How to Maintain Employees
Rose Wilson, Rose Wilson Consulting: Farm & Food Business Planning Services 
Understanding your costs is key to your business's success, but navigating the many factors can be challenging. During this session, Farm and Food Business Planning Consultant Rose Wilson will guide you through the process of setting your prices based on various considerations including employee retention, which requires creativity now more than ever.

2:00PM  CLOSING REMARKS AND HAPPY HOUR
               Join fellow members for a drink and conversation

Thank You to Our Current Sponsors! 

NETWORKING SPONSORS

EDUCATION SPONSORS

ANNUAL CHAMPION SPONSOR

Become an Event Sponsor

Receive recognition for your support of Vermont Specialty Food and Beverage producers. Reach out to karin@vtrga.org to claim your sponsorship.