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. MEF does this through advocacy, business and technical supports along with micro-grants.

CPG business in food is pretty 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.

The 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.

What We Do

Market Support

We're here to help emerging producers go to market with their products. Through co-retail, a supportive grocery environment, our store partner provides retail services and transactions for makers and gives them 100% of proceeds from their food sales.

Micro-Grants

Market Support

We provide cost-sharing opportunities and micro-grants to small, local food manufacturing businesses to get them to the next level of their business journey. Because we have limited funds, we seek to grant in places where the "funding can have the deepest and most tangible impact" on the growth and success of the business.

Connections

Market Support

Connections

Recognizing that others in our ecosystem provide complementary businesses supports, we help make connections and partnerships that you need to keep your business thriving far beyond what our services can do. Become part of the ecosystem of local food production.