Aspiring bread-bakers, cheese-makers and beer-brewers will gather at the first Tampa Bay Cottage Industry Expo on Saturday.
The event, hosted by the UF/IFAS Pasco Extension office, will teach attendees about the cottage industry, where food is processed and packaged at home and sold directly to consumers.
“People have great ideas that they’re passionate about, and they want to turn those ideas into action,” said Whitney Elmore, the extension director for Pasco County and the coordinator of the event.
Experts will present information to people looking to start or improve their own businesses.
Highlights include a keynote address about the food industry from Dr. Soo Ahn, an assistant professor of food science and human nutrition, and a lesson in social media marketing from Tiffani Stephenson, UF/IFAS’ social media manager.
Elmore said the cottage industry keeps money rooted in local businesses and is already a large portion of the agriculture industry in Pasco County, which brings in $74 million a year.
“We have a lot of millennials in our region, and millennials especially like the idea of fresh, local produce,” she said. “So there is a big potential for this type of industry.”
The event will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Wiregrass Ranch High School, located at 2909 Mansfield Blvd. in Wesley Chapel, Florida. Admission is $30, and registration is available online.
