In The Business of Food

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In The Business of Food Business Workshops -
We lead a number of development workshops and classes for entrepreneurs and soon-to-be entrepreneurs in the small food business industry.

Topics range from technical to professional development, including Human Resources, Social Media Marketing, Brand Development and much more. Graphic Design -
Working with a graphic designer can be difficult and we've tried to make the process easier. We provide graphic design services, including in-person meetings and edits, because it can be hard to put your vision into words. Business Support Services -
We realize that there are a tremendous amount of challenges that entrepreneurs face and we want to help will some of those gaps. We start with a consultation, discuss your business and your goals and then we formulate of plan for areas that we think we may be able to help. You choose, a la carte or as a whole package, which services are right for you.

10/21/2026

That’s a wrap on October’s Happy Hour in the Market.

Food entrepreneurs and local farms in one room, swapping notes, making connections, and building the kind of relationships that actually move businesses forward. Thank you to everyone who came out and made it a good night.

Here’s what’s next: our final Happy Hour in the Market of 2026 is coming in November. Date and location announcement coming soon, so follow along and keep an eye out.

Thank you to Feasting with the Fox Waka East African Street Food Eastern Market and Seven Whales.

Holiday orders are about to start coming in. Before you quote a single price, answer this: what does one serving actuall...
10/20/2026

Holiday orders are about to start coming in. Before you quote a single price, answer this: what does one serving actually cost you to make?

Not a guess. Not what you charged last year. The real number.

Why it matters this time of year:
    •    Ingredient costs change, and last year’s price may not cover this year’s recipe
    •    Bigger orders mean more labor and packaging, and those costs add up quietly
    •    A busy season on thin margins just means working harder for the same money

Your next step: cost out your top three holiday items this week. Roux Roux (rouxcost.com) helps you build recipe costs so your prices start from real numbers.

Want a second set of eyes on your pricing? Book a free Ask an Expert session.
Link in bio.

10/12/2026

Happy Hour in the market caption:

Running a food business can get lonely. You’re the chef, the bookkeeper, the marketer, and the delivery driver, and most days there’s nobody to compare notes with.

That’s what Happy Hour in the Market is for. Once a month, food entrepreneurs and local farmers get in the same room, with no agenda and no pitch.

Monday, October 19, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at 2465 Russell St.

Waka East African Street Food by Baobab Fare is handling the bites and beverages, and Seven Whales DJ Seven Whales is on the music.

Come as you are and leave knowing a few more people who get it.

In partnership with Eastern Market

Happy Hour in the Market is happening Waka East African Street Food this month. Yes, you heard us correctly! Sign up onl...
10/07/2026

Happy Hour in the Market is happening Waka East African Street Food this month.

Yes, you heard us correctly!

Sign up online via our link in bio.
Sounds from Seven Whales

A big part of what we do at IBF is make connections across our local food community.This Tuesday Market season, we’ve be...
09/28/2026

A big part of what we do at IBF is make connections across our local food community.

This Tuesday Market season, we’ve been bringing local chefs into Eastern Market to show young shoppers different ways to prepare the seasonal produce they’re purchasing that day from Michigan farmers.

Each week, a chef takes what’s fresh at the market and turns it into something the kids can taste, then sends them home with a recipe they can recreate with their own market haul.

They get to meet the farmers, buy the food, taste it prepared in a new way, and learn how to make it themselves. That’s the kind of connection we want to make between what’s grown here and what ends up on our tables.

The cooking demos are made possible with support from Michigan Farm Bureau

Tomorrow is the last Tuesday! Catch tomorrows demo at 10:30am at Eastern Market.

08/19/2026

What the Roux app say?

What is the Roux app?
Recipe costing app & business tools built for food entrepreneurs. Know your numbers, price with confidence.

More information in our bio.

Thanks to our actors Josmine Evans and Cesille Mariel Torres

Last week, IBF Detroit joined industry leaders from across Michigan to learn more about the work of Southern Smoke Found...
08/13/2026

Last week, IBF Detroit joined industry leaders from across Michigan to learn more about the work of Southern Smoke Foundation (SSF) and two of their programs: the Behind You mental health program and the Emergency Relief Fund, which provides financial assistance to food and beverage workers experiencing unexpected hardship.

For the past year, we've been proud to partner with SSF because we know that entrepreneurs, restaurant workers, farmers, and food business owners often carry an incredible amount of responsibility, sometimes without realizing that support is available to them.

Through our Instagram Live series and community partnerships, we've been working to ensure our community knows these resources exist, understands who they're for, and feels empowered to use them. Just as importantly, we're working to shift the conversation so people know these resources aren't only for moments of crisis. Mental health support, counseling, and other services can be part of building a healthy, sustainable business, not just recovering when things become overwhelming.

We're committed to continuing to connect our community with resources that help entrepreneurs, farmers, food business owners, and hospitality professionals build not only stronger businesses, but healthier, more sustainable lives.

Follow Southern Smoke Foundation to learn more about these programs, or visit their website to see if you, someone on your team, or someone you know may be eligible for support. And if you have questions about the Behind You program or how these resources can support food entrepreneurs and business owners, drop "Behind You" in the comments or send us a DM. We're happy to point you in the right direction.

To Proof: Food Business Growth Studio ‘26 cohort in the books!Over the last several weeks, these food entrepreneurs chal...
07/29/2026

To Proof: Food Business Growth Studio ‘26 cohort in the books!

Over the last several weeks, these food entrepreneurs challenged their assumptions, ran the numbers, refined their brands, built new systems, asked difficult questions, and supported one another through every stage of the process. Watching that growth never gets old!

One of the things I’m most proud of is that this experience isn’t built by me alone. Every cohort is strengthened by a community of people who generously invested their expertise and poured into every entrepreneur.

A huge thank you to Christina Christina DeBose, C H U K N O W A K Chuk Nowak, Lisa Wallace Design Lisa Wallace, Elias Khalil, Lauren Daniels, MBA Daniels, Stephanie Parker, Derek English Derek English, and Porscha Kates. This program is stronger because of you.

And thank you to every entrepreneur who trusted us with your business. It’s never easy to make time for classes after long days in the kitchen, to be vulnerable enough to ask for help, or to rethink the way you’ve always done things.

You did all of that, and I’m excited to see where you go from here.

One of our graduates shared something after graduation that perfectly captured what we hope every participant leaves with: “We leave this cohort feeling more confident, more prepared, and more excited than ever about the future of our business... we are incredibly grateful to be part of this community and proud to call ourselves graduates of this program.”

Congratulations, Summer 2026 To Proof graduates.Thanks to Eastern Market and New Economy Initiative for your support and partnership.

What does it actually cost you to run a food business not just financially, but physically and mentally? Studies show ho...
07/20/2026

What does it actually cost you to run a food business not just financially, but physically and mentally?

Studies show hospitality workers face some of the highest rates of stress and burnout of any industry.

Let’s talk about it. IBF Live: Well-Being While Running a Food Business is happening Thursday, July 24th at 10am with Michigan School of Psychology and Southern Smoke Foundation. Tune in on IG Live.

If you know a food entrepreneur who needs to hear this, send it their way.

07/13/2026

Come as you are. Leave with new connections, new energy, and maybe a new collaborator.

Happy Hour in the Market is almost here and this is the event that reminds you why community is everything in this industry.

Farmers. Makers.Entrepreneurs.Food business owners. The organizations supporting them. All in one room, at Eastern Market, doing what Detroit does best.

This month we’re gathering Full Measure Brewing Co.

Address

2200 Hunt Street Suite #434
Detroit, MI
48207

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