The MoCo Made initiative was first launched in Fall 2017 in partnership with the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation to highlight our County’s vibrant local food and beverage sector. The MoCo Made initiative is intended to offer resources and support to local farms and food and beverage producers, and to increase the visibility and awareness of the diverse products made and grown here in Montgomery County. In a recent survey (Fall 2019), 69% of MoCo Made businesses indicated that their businesses have benefited from their participation in MoCo Made, with 47% citing an increase in brand recognition and 42% citing an increase in new individual customers in just the first year of the program.

Since launching MoCo Made, we have partnered with local retailers who carry products featured in the Guide to promote MoCo Made and identify the store as a place to buy MoCo Made products, as well as by providing copies of the Guide for any visitor to the store to browse or to keep. More than 20 local retailers, farmers markets, and breweries are now displaying MoCo Made branded window decals, shelf signage, and stickers to make it easier for consumers and buyers to identify Montgomery County products, and to support the farmers and artisans producing foods and beverages here in our County. Check out our searchable Food and Beverage Guide to learn more about the businesses in our MoCo Made community!

Benefits for Businesses

When your business registers for the MoCo Made Program, you will receive:

  • A featured listing in our online Food and Beverage Guide
  •  Access to MoCo Made marketing resources:
    • MoCo Made logo digital files for use on your website, social media, packaging, signage, and more. Use the MoCo Made logo on your website, social media, packaging, signage, and more. Showcase your products as hyper-local and drive up sales.
    • Opportunities to be featured in the Food Council’s MoCo Made blog series’ or social media campaigns.
  •  Exclusive networking opportunities:
    • Community engagement events, such as MoCo Made Happy Hours
    • Engagement with other MoCo Made producers and community stakeholders at events like the annual Food & Beverage Expo and MoCo Made Day’s at local farmers markets.
  • Buyer engagement opportunities:
    • Events such as the MoCo Made Expo, Buyer Roundtable Discussions, community forums, exposure at community fairs and events such as the Taste of Bethesda or Taste of Wheaton
  • Educational Resources:
    • Training opportunities, such as our pitch practice sessions
    • Panels featuring food industry experts, discussing subjects such as scaling a business
    • Site visits and tours
    • Insider access to local food economy news and other educational opportunities

Interested in becoming a MoCo Made retail partner? Please contact ester@mocofoodcouncil.org

Upcoming Events

Apr 25

Equitable Land Access Working Group Meeting

Join us on Thursday, April 25th, 11am-12pm, for a meeting of the Equitable Land Access Working Group. We will be discussing the potential of farm incubator and community programming in the County, where beginning farmers are given the land, tools, and support they need to flourish. Additionally, we will learn about farmland preservation efforts in the County, and learn about USDA's recent initiatives and opportunities to promote local and regional food systems. We plan to have a lively discussion to learn more, and to connect to and fuel the momentum of these exciting efforts.

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Apr 27

Montgomery County Green Fest

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Apr 30

Local Food Procurement Working Group

Join our local food procurement working group on April 30th at 11am-12:30pm. During this meeting we will hear from local retailers, Troy Sexton, Category Manager at Common Market and Mike Leveille, Fresh Category Manager at Common Market as they share industry insider knowledge on what retailers are looking for in a product when stocking shelves. You do not want to miss this! We will also go over sell sheet examples and share a template for local businesses to make their own. We hope to see you there!

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