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New product incubator fills industry gap

Michigan State’s new Food Processing and Innovation Center seeks to provide small companies the chance to hone and test their products. Now that the facility is a reality, even the biggest food and beverage producers are taking note and taking a number.

Michigan State University unveiled the school’s new Food Processing and Innovation Center (FPIC) on Aug. 15.
Michigan State University unveiled the school’s new Food Processing and Innovation Center (FPIC) on Aug. 15.

Among venders, academics and food manufacturers, Packaging World was on hand at Michigan State University on Aug. 15 for an open house unveiling the school’s new Food Processing and Innovation Center (FPIC). The center is designed as a new product development accelerator that aims to level the playing field for established startups and midsized companies strapped for R&D resources while in production. With processing, packaging and compliance all on-site, the new facility aims to be a turn-key resource for companies big and small to test products, packages and markets before striking out on their own with successful products to sell.

Packaging World talked to Bruce Harte, senior technical advisor, and Jason Hofman, facility and operations manager, both of the FPIC, about the genesis of the project, what they’ve learned along the way, why vendors and brand owners alike should take note, and what’s next.

Packaging World: What problem did the FPIC seek to solve?

Bruce Harte: The idea came out of a conversation amongst a whole bunch of folks going back at least six years. There wasn't a place where small to midsized food or beverage companies could go to experiment with new products and commercial-type packages. There was no place for them to test the economics, the market, and the demographics of that market, the logistics, the cost functions, and all those sorts of factors. Overall, the FPIC provides a way for a food manufacturer to develop a food idea using a risk mitigation strategy. That means a company can create and produce a product, process and package it, and get it into the market place at relatively low economic risk. The FPIC fills a hole in the market need, particularly in the processing and packaging areas.  

How has the vision evolved over the years?

Since those early days and even within the last few years, we came to realize that the large companies also had a need for this type of facility, come in, try, play, and experiment, because their pilot facilities are generally booked. And since we’re USDA- and FDA-certified, unlike many of their pilot facilities, they can sell products produced here, which gives them an opportunity to actually use it in test markets.

The commercial need is evident, how does academia factor in?

The FPIC exists within the MSU Product Center, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and MSU Extension.

Will students be involved?

We will use students as hourly and project employees. It’s not an educational facility in the sense of lectures or classes. Instead, it is a commercial, small-scale production facility, and we will employ students to help on projects and to help produce products. These students will work directly with the CPGs and other smaller and midsized companies as well. They’ll get the opportunity to not only work with product manufacturers, but package and material vendors, and equipment vendors. It’s a limited number — I don’t want to give the impression that we’re going to have huge numbers of students out here. But for those that are hired, they will have a great experience working with these different product groups and vendors.

How did the FPIC go from vague concept to vetted program?

It started within the MSU Product Center, and three of us were initially involved in developing the concept paper. Then several more people in the Product Center, MSU Center for Community and Economic Development, and MSU Extension were brought on board as we pressure tested the concept. Ideas, thoughts and comments from these people were then incorporated into the concept paper. Once we had the concept done, we took it to various special interest groups and the people who might use the facility — product manufacturers. Vendors and regulatory people were also involved in reviewing it. We became more and more convinced that we had something that was really important and of value. 

That vetted concept needed a physical home, correct?

We located an off-campus building that was originally built as a food commissary by a private individual. MSU bought that building in mid to late 1990s, and it was mixed use since then. But we realized that, since it had been built as a food commissary, it was a place that we could be housed. The building was turned over to us to use several years ago.

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