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Appendix 6, Page 1 of 1 <br />Blue Ridge Food Ventures (BRFV): A Shared Use Food Processing Center <br />Orange County Ag Center Work Group .30 September 2005 Trip Notes <br />General info <br />• BRFV is part of AdvantageWest, the western NC regional economic development commission <br />• Developed in partnership with Madison & Graham Counties <br />• Main facilitating entities were NC Dept of Ag & Consumer Services (Smithson Mills) and NC Dept <br />of Commerce <br />• Provides purchasing, storage, and processing support; <br />• Some technical support is provided on site and through Dr. Rushing at NC State Univ. Food <br />Science Department <br />• Small business support available at adjacent offices on same campus <br />• Publicity through on-site cooking classes, media coverage, BRFV booth at local festival, and <br />through stickers on products at retail locations <br />• First clients in spring 2005; 5 to 10 calls each week; one of 40 to 50 kitchens established across <br />the country <br />• Advisory Board provides guidance <br />Facility information <br />• 12,000 ftz in a 350,000 ftz building; formerly ENiW /BASF /Asheville-Buncombe Technical <br />Community College (AB Tech) <br />• New HVAC, plumbing, and electric <br />• Purchased used food service equipment; walk in coolers from Ingels; some freezers were donated <br />Examples of current processing <br />• Locally produced potatoes from former tobacco farms in a farm to school program <br />• Apple cider <br />• Blueberry and blackberry jams, Used church kitchen before for 8 jars at a time compared to 215 <br />jars in 1 hr 15 minutes at BRFV <br />• Carolina Culinary Craft; prep work for restaurants: cut veggies, fry bacon, slaws & salads <br />• Hot sauces; client has own smoker <br />• Sweet Potato Pie Factory; 24,000 pies in 3 weeks <br />• Gourmet popcorn <br />• Ice Cream <br />• Gelatto marketed to restaurants <br />• Organic fair trade chocolate sauce and truffles <br />• Mexican baker family markets to local stores <br />Budget information <br />• $1.2 million to establish and operate for initial 3 years <br />• Major donors of $250k of more were GoldenLEAF, Department of Justice, and Appalachian <br />Regional Commission <br />• $33k annual fee goes to AB Tech <br />• Assume 500 users per month; $20 / hr of use not including setup and breakdown <br />• Shelf-stable items are priced differently than perishable items <br />• Multiple users at any given time <br />