Where community builders connect to create genuine, aligned action.

As part of Edmonton Startup Week, In The Loop: Foodtrepreneurship brings together the people building Edmonton's next generation of food businesses — value-added processors, market vendors, caterers, mobile food businesses, food manufacturers, chefs, producers, innovators, and the organizations that support them.

Starting a food business has never been easy.

Margins are notoriously thin. Regulations are complex. Traditional brick-and-mortar models are expensive, and failure rates remain exceptionally high. Yet today's entrepreneurs have access to tools, technologies, and collaborative models that simply didn't exist a decade ago.

The future of food entrepreneurship isn't just about making great products.

It's about building smarter businesses.

From shared kitchens and value-added processing to automation, digital tools, inventory systems, AI, e-commerce, logistics, and collaborative infrastructure, food entrepreneurs now have more ways than ever to increase efficiency, reduce overhead, and create resilient businesses.

In The Loop: Foodtrepreneurship is designed to help entrepreneurs get in the loop.

Not a conference. Not a pitch competition. Not a panel.

Just the right people, in the same room, at the same time.

Whether you're developing a retail product, launching a mobile food business, exploring export opportunities, scaling a catering company, or simply trying to understand what path makes the most sense, this event is an opportunity to connect with entrepreneurs, mentors, technologists, and ecosystem builders who understand the realities of building a modern food enterprise.

Together, we'll explore how innovation and technology can support an industry that has traditionally been product-focused, helping entrepreneurs streamline operations, maximize kitchen utilization, simplify onboarding, improve compliance, and build businesses that are more adaptable and sustainable.

Introducing Foodtrepreneur 101
During the event, we'll officially launch Foodtrepreneur 101, a practical framework and workshop series designed specifically for food startups.

Built on the Lean Canvas model and adapted for the realities of the food processing industry, Foodtrepreneur 101 helps entrepreneurs understand the pathways available to them and make informed decisions as they navigate the complex and often fragmented world of food business development.

From licensing and food safety requirements to production models, market channels, and growth strategies, the goal isn't to keep people in their lane — it's to help them choose a path.

Because building a food business shouldn't require figuring everything out alone.

A First Look at Connected Kitchen Management
Attendees will also get an early look at the Connected Kitchen Management System (CKMS) — an emerging platform designed to help commercial kitchens and food entrepreneurs make better use of shared infrastructure.

CKMS aims to bring greater efficiency, coordination, and visibility to kitchen operations through smarter scheduling, onboarding, utilization tracking, and resource management, helping entrepreneurs spend less time navigating complexity and more time building their businesses.

Get In The Loop
Where community builders connect to create genuine, aligned action.

Part of Edmonton Startup Week.

Because the future of food entrepreneurship isn't just about products. It's about combining food, technology, and innovation to build businesses that can thrive.