Thursday, November 10, 2011

Burgaw, N.C. - The Burgaw Incubator Kitchen (BIK) in partnership with Feast Down East, has received the Inaugural Governor's Innovative Small Business Community Award. On Monday, Nov. 14, Governor Beverly Perdue will honor nine North Carolina communities with for the creative and innovative ways they help small businesses bring jobs to the state. Two-thirds of all jobs are created by small businesses, making them critical economic drivers for local communities across the state. Purdue will visit BIK at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15.

In March 2011, Feast Down East, also known as the Southeastern North Carolina Food Systems Program, opened the SENC FOODS Processing and Distribution Program at the Historic Train Depot in Burgaw in partnership with BIK. The University of North Carolina Wilmington is the leading agent for Feast Down East. SENC FOODS is a farmers' cooperative that is committed to helping small limited-resource farmers gain access to local food markets.

This collaboration between Feast Down East and farmers across the Southeastern N.C. eases the marketing burdens on small and limited resource farmers and makes it easier for restaurants, retail markets and institutional buyers like schools and military bases to purchase local agricultural products. Renee Eli, Feast Down East program director for processing and distribution, said the success of SENC FOODS is due in large part to the strong partnership and entrepreneurial spirit of the Burgaw team. Funding for Feast Down East and the Burgaw operation was provided by the Golden LEAF Foundation and North Carolina Tobacco Trust fund commission.

"We are committed to economic development in Southeastern North Carolina. This award represents the culmination of many years of planning, grassroots organizing and hard work. We are delighted and honored to receive this recognition by the governor," said Feast Down East co-founder and executive director Leslie Hossfeld.

The Governor's Innovative Small Business Community Award program recognizes projects, strategies and initiatives that reflect excellence in community economic development, small business and entrepreneurship and sustainability in North Carolina-nominated communities were evaluated based on their creative solutions to improve quality of life and well-being through job creation and job sustaining activities.

Feast DownEast was established in 2007 to join public and private agencies together to create a local and regional food system that supports local farmers, increases the sales of local farm products, educates consumers and the public on the importance of "buying local," and sustains and expands farm employment, profit and ownership, particularly among limited-resource farmers. For more information: www.feastdowneast.org .

Media Contact:
Joy Davis, UNCW Marketing and Communications, 910.632.3903 or davisjc@uncw.edu