A Vision of Collaboration & Community

The Maine Food Producers Alliance began with a group of exceptional food entrepreneurs and professionals: their vision was to understand and accurately represent the needs of Maine’s food production and manufacturing industry.

With the help of a grant, hard working volunteers, and the extraordinary leadership of its key partners, and the Alliance set out to create a vital collaborative community.

Our objective was to build on Maine's unique quality of life brand, open new markets, and strengthen relationships with industry support organizations. With this in mind, the Alliance, along with the Maine Grocers Association, launched the inaugural Maine Food Means Business Summit. The Summit brought together 150 Maine food producers, manufacturers, grocers, distributors, wholesalers and professionals in an exciting exchange of ideas for partnerships, innovative ways of doing business, and ways to expand and advance the function of the Alliance so it would best serve its members. We had succeeded in making progress toward our objectives.

Today: An Essential Partner for Maine Food Businesses

Today, our efforts to bring the stories behind Maine products to life and build awareness, understanding and appreciation of Maine foods and the talented people who make them is ongoing. Our mission to create and sustain a collaborative environment for the development and growth of markets for value-added food and beverage products made in Maine continues.
Thanks to the leadership, generosity and oversight of its partners, the Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Maine Grocers Association, Maine Small Business Development Centers, the University of Maine Knowledge Transfer Alliance, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Maine Economic Development District, and the vigorous membership of 100 and growing, the Alliance is emerging as a leader in the challenge to provide both opportunities and programs to the state's food and beverage producers as they work to meet the rigors of the marketplace.