Our classes
Explore workshops and courses designed to help food entrepreneurs navigate the industry with confidence. Whether you’re launching your first venture or scaling for growth, our expert-led sessions cover everything from licensing and business planning to branding and operational efficiency.
Need something more tailored? We also offer bespoke workshops, working side by side with you and your team to craft strategies and solutions that fit your unique business goals. Email Sherie@nefbadvisors.com to learn more about how New England Food Business Advisors can create personalized educational classes for your organization.
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Register here for our upcoming classes!
New Classes will be added soon.
If you are an organization that would like us to teach this class for your entrepreneurs please contact us!
Starting a food business is exciting, but it requires careful planning. In this 60 minute class, we’ll help you determine whether you have the time, financial resources, and commitment needed to bring your idea to life.
We’ll cover:
Financial considerations – How to determine how much $$ to invest in this venture?
Time commitment – What does it take to run a successful food business?
Regulatory requirements – What licenses and approvals are needed?
Concept to reality – The steps to turn an idea into an operational business.
We’ll also host a Q&A session to answer your specific questions about your product or business concept. When we are done, you will be able to answer the question "Do I have a viable business or just a hobby?"
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4 (90 minute) Class Workshop on how to start a food business.
Entity Formation: Protecting yourself from personal liability
Business Planning: Learn to write a business plan and pitch your business
Market & Opportunity Analysis: Why is your product needed and who is your competition
Budgeting: The costs of starting your business
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8 Week Intensive Wholesale Licensing Course
Designed for food entrepreneurs looking to scale, this program breaks down the regulatory, operational, and financial aspects of launching a wholesale food business.
Branding – Establish a strong, recognizable identity for your food business.
Labeling Regulations – Ensure compliance with state and federal packaging requirements.
Process Efficiencies & Scalability – Learn how to optimize production workflows for growth.
Cost of Goods (COGS) – Understand pricing strategies and cost control for profitability.
Food Flow Process Plan Development – Create a structured production and distribution plan.
Recall Plan & Traceability – Develop a system to meet food safety and recall requirements.
Inventory Tracking – Implement effective inventory management to streamline operations.
By the end of the program, you’ll have a clear roadmap to successfully complete the regulatory requirements for obtaining a wholesale license in your state, allowing you to take your business to the next level.
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Register here for our upcoming classes!
New Classes will be added soon!
If you are an organization that would like us to teach this class to your entrepreneurs, please contact us!
In the food industry, knowing your numbers is just as important as knowing your recipes. This 60 minute class is designed to help food business owners—whether you run a restaurant, catering company, bakery, or packaged food brand—gain a clear understanding of Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) and how it affects your bottom line.
You’ll learn how to calculate ingredient costs, portion sizes, packaging, and overhead, and then apply effective pricing strategies that reflect both your quality and market demand. We’ll also explore menu engineering, profit margins, and how to adjust prices when costs fluctuate.
By the end of this class, you’ll be able to:
Accurately calculate your food and ingredient costs
Understand and manage COGS to maintain profitability
Set menu or product prices that reflect your value and sustain your business
Analyze your pricing for packaged goods, catering, or menu items
Use simple tools and formulas to track costs and make data-driven decisions
Perfect for restaurant owners, caterers, bakers, food truck operators, and small-scale food producers, this class will give you the confidence to price your offerings for both profitability and growth.
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Register here for our upcoming classes!
New Classes will be added soon.
If you are an organization that would like us to teach this class for your entrepreneurs, please contact us!
Every successful business owner needs a clear understanding of their Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) — and the right spreadsheet can make it easy to track and manage. In this hands-on class, we will provide you with a customizable pivot table and teach you how to build a functional spreadsheet that helps you calculate the true cost of your products or menu items.
We’ll walk through how to:
List and organize ingredients, materials, and packaging costs
Calculate unit and batch costs accurately
Factor in labor and overhead expenses
Use formulas to automatically update totals and profit margins
Turn your spreadsheet into a pricing tool for your business decisions
By the end of this class, you’ll have a custom Cost of Goods spreadsheet that fits your unique business — whether you’re running a food business, product line, or service-based company.
Perfect for small business owners, makers, food entrepreneurs, and anyone ready to take control of their numbers and price with confidence.
