Posted by Asheville Citizen Times, NC on May 02, 2008 at 11:31:34:
Buy Haywood announces product search contest
by Staff Reports
published May 2, 2008 11:00 am
WAYNESVILLE – Do you have a recipe that you think deserves national recognition? If so, the Buy Haywood Market Development Project today announces that they are putting out a call for entries for value-added products that will utilize Haywood county tomatoes.
“It’s kind of like ‘American Idol’ for a food product that utilizes these wonderful tomatoes,” said George Ivey, coordinator of the Buy Haywood project. “We are opening the product search contest to anyone who is seriously interested in working towards putting a new or existing value-added item on grocery store shelves.”
Interested participants will be asked to submit a short application form, a basic business plan, recipe and prototype of the product (no more than 12 ounces) for judge review and tasting. The deadline for all entries is June 16.
For a complete list of rules and information, visit www.buyhaywood.com/valueadded.html.
The winners of the product search – an overall winner and two runner-ups – will receive support from project marketing partners to make the idea a reality, including assistance with product development, business planning, marketing, and promotion.
The Buy Haywood Project supports farmers in Haywood County in Western North Carolina by promoting high-quality farm products to community-minded consumers. The project is managed by the Haywood County Economic Development Commission, and it receives support from the Golden LEAF Foundation.