Food

By Dan Lemke A trio of southeastern Minnesota women is proving that in business, where there’s a will, there’s a way. For several years, friends Deeann Lufkin and Jackie Ohmann had tried their hands at brewing beer and fermenting grapes for wine. Along the way, Ohmann married a dairy farmer, so the duo decided to try fermenting milk instead of making wine or beer. In 2012, Lufkin and Ohmann made… Continue Reading CannonBelles Cheese Builds Momentum

Turning an idea for a food product into a viable business that stands the test of time is not for the faint of heart. The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute’s (AURI) food team helps tilt the odds. One Minnesota entrepreneur, who recently found success in the marketplace with help from AURI, is Junita Flowers, founder of Junita’s Jar. She produces cookies with a cause. Flowers grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota.… Continue Reading Where Are They Now? – Junita’s Jars

The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute’s (AURI) food team provides consulting and technical services to help bring business ideas to reality. Last year, the team worked on 114 projects throughout the state, split between private commercialization projects and public initiatives. Of those, 46 were new endeavors launched during the fiscal year. As part of AURI’s annual Ag Innovation Partnership Program, the food team studied the challenging economics of shared-use commercial kitchens… Continue Reading AURI’s Food Team Generates Impact in 2023