Food Processing and Innovation Center
By: John Melcher, MSU CCED, Associate Director, melcher@msu.edu
The MSU Board of Trustees approved the construction of the MSU Food Processing and Innovation Center (FPIC) at their February board meeting. The FPIC is an advanced food processing accelerator designed to connect medium sized food processing businesses with the knowledge capacity of the university in areas such as food science and packaging. The Center is funded by grants from the US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, the State of Michigan and Michigan State University and will be operated by the MSU Product Center. An existing MSU building will be expanded from approximately 7,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet and undergo extensive renovations. The facility is expected to be operational by the beginning of next year.
The MSU EDA University Center for Regional Economic Innovation (REI) assisted with the proposal development and funding for the FPIC. When the facility is operational in 2018, REI will assist in connecting the EDA Economic Development Districts (and their local economic development agencies and food processing businesses) to the FPIC.
For more information please contact John Melcher at melcher@msu.edu.