SANFORD — Love fresh mushrooms? How about seaweed-based snacks and health products?
Both are produced locally in York County and both just got a boost from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the form of Value Added Producer Grants to help owners market their businesses.
Farming Fungi, LLC., a Sanford producer of organic mushrooms in rural Springvale under the name Mousam Valley Mushrooms, received a $50,000 grant.
As well, VitaminSea, LLC of Buxton, which harvests its own seaweed and processes it to make snacks and supplements, will use its $100,000 grant for marketing.
The two are among five Maine businesses receiving grants that total awards of $450,000.
“Value Added Producer Grants are critical investments to help small food producers like the ones we have in Maine take their businesses to the next level. These funds allow them to expand their operations, find new markets and develop new products,” said U.S. Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, who announced the grants. “I couldn’t be happier that the increased funding will allow more Maine producers to take this opportunity, creating and saving dozens of jobs in the process. It’s exciting to see the new innovations this diverse set of recipients will create with this investment.”
Farming Fungi, LLC will use Rural Development funds for working capital to market organic mushrooms in compostable packaging for resale in local grocery store chains and food distribution companies. They’ll use the money on advertising with printed and social media, website expansion and product sampling in stores. The company plans to increase sales to 1,000 pounds per week. Farming Fungi LLC intends to save six jobs and create two additional jobs as a result of the grant, Pingree said.
Rural Development funds will be used to provide VitaminSea LLC working capital to support a marketing program to increase sales of seaweed based foods, snacks and health products the company harvests, according to Pingree. Sales to specialty food and beauty stores, grocery chains and food service distributors are projected to grow to 1,000 pounds per week.
In a prepared statement, Pingree said funds will also be used to procure packaging materials and finance increased production labor costs. VitaminSea LLC intends to save three jobs and create three additional jobs as a result of the grant.
Grants will also go to a Hiram apple farm, a South Bristol aquaculture company and a Farmington meal producer.
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