Flavored butter boards are a thing. Check Instagram if you don’t know what I mean. But butter in and of itself is a thing– and not necessarily well understood, even by the folks whose job it is to sell. What am I talking about? Well, I am talking about butter: glorious, rich, flavorful, foundational butter.

We all know the baseline components of a full cheese board are: something old, something new, something goat, something blue. And take it as read that the ‘goat’ on that cheese board might also be a blend, a sheep’s milk, a buffalo or even a camel based cheese. But most cheese boards are not not so grand. Which doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of opportunity for cross selling even on the more focused cheese boards of our customers’ dreams.

As if there weren’t enough to think about, labels happen to specialty food crafters. And labels happen sooner than you may think. Labels need logos. Labels must comply with federal labelling standards. Labels ought to communicate the nature and quality of your products/s to your consumers in the flash of an eye.

When you get to your narrative, primed to explain what the grant will mean to your outfit: STOP. Click away from the application files. Go back to the page where the grant was originally posted. Read their objectives carefully. See if you can track down past awards for the same grant.

A mission statement tells the world who you are, what you do, and who you serve. A vision statement positions you, your organization, for its future goals and accountability. That sounds simple enough. But what are they for if you’re not trying to make a bazillion bucks off clever merch slogans?

Most chefs in the US know that a cheese plate offering on the menu is risky. Artisanal cheese has a short shelf-life.