Ohio Signature Food Contest
The Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT) and Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) are sponsoring the Ohio Food Signature Contest which showcases products from across the state ready for food manufacturing.  Entrepreneurs are encouraged to submit their product idea for review based on the following guidelines.

Contest Rules:
1)    The business must be located in Ohio.
2)    The award winner must demonstrate future interest in commercializing the product.
3)    It must be a viable product as determined by a panel of judges.
4)    The product should be the applicant’s first commercial product for market.
5)    All ingredients must be FDA approved, fit for human consumption and contain no alcohol.
6)    No inappropriate content will be accepted on the packaging or labeling.
7)    The judges’ ruling is final.
8)    CIFT will be permitted to promote the winner in various publications and at events, as appropriate.
9)    One product per applicant will be reviewed.
   
Completed application form must be submitted by Wednesday, June 22, 2016.

CIFT will review all applicants and select semi-finalists to meet with a panel of judges consisting of industry experts.  Applicants will provide samples of the product and discuss market opportunities and business plans.  Applicant must be the person representing the product during the judging phase in order to be considered.  CIFT will provide the plates for sampling purposes.

Submitted products will be judged based on:
•    Viability of product
•    Soundness of commercialization vision
•    Potential for success
•    Commitment of submitter

In an effort to assist with the required steps necessary to advance a product to market, the following services will be provided to the winner for one year:
1)    Product and process development assistance
2)    Nutritional analysis
3)    Shelf life/stability testing
4)    Review of trademark and copyright components
5)    Coordination with Ohio Department of Agriculture for label approval
6)    Provide contact information for label design, packaging, and ingredient sources
7)    Attendance to training seminars for free
8)    Samples of product will be produced under sanitary conditions and following local, state and federal health regulations through the assistance of CIFT.

Products do not need to be fully designed or ready for market, rather an ability to communicate a specific vision.

Call 419-535-6000, ext. 117 with questions.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________