Who We Are

The Market Entry (TMEF) is a nonprofit that supports CPG food startups in Minnesota. Its core mission is to enable equitable participation in the market place, by traditionally marginalized and underrepresented entrepreneurs, who are in food production and manufacturing. In short, these are the makers of local food and beverage who want to get into the CPG market. TMEF serves and enables them through business and technical supports along with micro-grants, and public education and advocacy.

Micro manufacturing of food/beverage is complex business - that is heavily regulated across multi-government levels, requiring deep knowledge and hands on technical support services - well beyond the basic business coaching, planning, and networking services that exist today. Noticeably, this is also an industry where many women and people of color start up business to support their families.

TMEF partners with expert organizations and individuals to offer the above services and address challenges in the market place for Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Our community of food producers are growers/farmers as well as manufacturers who take the farm goods and turn them into value-added consumer goods.