Food innovation isn’t a pie in the sky pursuit for Niagara College student Michelle Lang; in fact, her Pie in a Jar creation is bringing her closer to achieving her entrepreneurial dreams.

Lang, who is a Culinary Innovation and Food Technology student from Hamilton, Ont., and a mother of four, is one of two students in Canada who was selected for a fully sponsored placement in the Venturepark Labs Concept to Market Sprint program. The opportunity was made possible by the Chartwells Thinking Ahead Giving Back partnership with Venturepark Labs, a non-profit founded by Arlene Dickinson from CBC’s Dragon’s Den. The partnership is a joint effort to support student entrepreneurs in the food space. For aspiring food entrepreneurs like Lang, Venturepark Labs programming is a golden opportunity to validate, develop, and launch their innovative food products.

When Lang heard about the Concept to Market Sprint program, a week prior to its application deadline, she acted quickly to turn a long-time family favourite that she had been making for years, into a viable product idea for her entry. The Concept to Market Sprint is an introductory eight-week program designed to lower the barrier to entry for people thinking about launching a packaged food product. While her home version uses wild fruits, she wanted Pie in a Jar to showcase local flavours and unique crops after speaking to local farmers about their crop losses during the pandemic, and learning how fruits in their orchards were rotting without workers to pick them or local chefs to purchase them directly.

The paperwork began to take shape and her idea was born. Then, within a week of applying, Lang’s world changed.

“My idea got traction and I wasn’t just a mom canning seasonally anymore … my business was one step closer to success,” she said. “To even be considered for the program was a huge step. In the midst of a world pandemic, I had started to venture towards a traditional job and the security it brings, so on top of job applications and school, I applied to a nationwide search and got in.”

Tania Ferlin, senior manager of Chartwells’ Thinking Ahead Giving Back initiative, noted that Lang was selected based on the fit of her product and vision in the program, as well as her response to the qualifying question of the application.

“It was clear that Michelle is not only an entrepreneurial spirit dedicated to innovation and expanding her business, but she is also committed to transforming the food industry and supporting others in their journeys as well,” said Ferlin. “Michelle stood out as a leader who will continue to make a difference in the industry, and her passion for local, food development, and being a life-long learner all supported her winning candidacy for this opportunity.

“We are thrilled to see how Niagara College is fostering the next generation of innovators in the food development space and we are thrilled to support Michelle’s growth as well.”

The news of Lang’s selection was applauded within the College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute.

“It’s very exciting to see the entrepreneurial potential within our students be showcased and celebrated through the Concept to Market Sprint program,” said Maija Saari, associate dean of NC’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute. “We’ve proud and honoured to know a Niagara College Culinary Innovation student has garnered such a terrific national opportunity.

“We are proud of NC’s strength in applied education and the power of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute as an incubator for culinary innovators of the future.”

Amy Proulx, PhD, professor and program coordinator of NC’s Culinary Innovation and Food Technology program, describes Lang as a “serial entrepreneur” who is constantly looking for the next opportunity to make life better for the people around her. “This opportunity with Venturepark Labs is a great way for Michelle to further polish and grow the strong food entrepreneurship skills she developed in the program,” said Proulx.

Lang began the Culinary Innovation program at NC more than three years ago – she enrolled the same day that she registered her youngest son for Junior Kindergarten – with a personal goal of rejoining the workforce and launching a new career.

“After years of odd jobs and a small business that didn’t bring me joy, I had been employed in a grocery store, responsible for the fresh-cut fruit section, for about a year. It was a good job by many standards  –decent pay, steady hours and lots of friendly folks – but it wasn’t for me,” she said. “I started looking for the next adventure and decided education was going to be the best start if I was going to chase my dream and build the life I wanted.”

During her first year at NC, Lang was encouraged to pursue her dreams. She created a frozen dessert product, which led to her first food grant, and used start-up funds to launch Cool Chicks Desserts. Cool Chicks has since evolved to Lang not only innovating her own new products but helping other entrepreneurs do the same.

Lang has been completing her college studies part-time to accommodate balancing her studies with her work on Cool Chicks and home-schooling three of her children during the pandemic.

She began the Concept to Market Sprint in early October, which involves seven weekly online classes, and weekly mini projects where participants can reach out for input and a product development coaching session at the end of the program.

“This experience is proving that being flexible and open to opportunity, I’m doing what I should be, even if it is taking me a little longer to get to the end goal,” she said. “Only in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be building out my own business this quickly and with such support.”

For Lang, one of the most exciting aspects of participating in the Concept to Market Sprint program, is the chance to grow a new branch in her “food family tree.”

“The people we work with become our second family in many respects, and being an entrepreneur gives us the opportunity to build our own roles and create the change we want to see,” she said. “I have been a serial entrepreneur for many years and love what I do.”

About Venturepark

Venturepark is a leading business growth ecosystem comprised of five communities led by business, capital, brand, innovation and CPG specialists. Founded by investor and entrepreneur Arlene Dickinson, Venturepark touches every aspect of business to help fund, create, scale, reinvent and drive business growth. The Venturepark ecosystem includes: Venture Play (formerly Venture Communications), Venturepark Labs (formerly District Ventures Accelerator and Kitchen), Venturepark Voice (formerly Newsworthy Co.), District Ventures Capital and District Ventures Plus (formerly District Ventures Marketing). Learn more atventurepark.ca.

About Chartwells Canada – Compass Group Canada

Chartwells Canada is a sector of Compass Group Canada, the country’s leading foodservice and support services provider with more than 25,000 associates working throughout the country. The company specializes in providing foodservices and support services across the core sectors including leading sports and leisure venues, executive dining rooms and cafes, schools, universities, seniors’ residences and hospitals as well as remote camps and offshore oil rigs. Compass Group Canada has been certified as Great Place to Work (2018; 2019; 2020); Best Workplaces Retail and Hospitality (2019, 2020) and Best Workplaces in Ontario (2020)] by Great Place to Work®, the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures.

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

Photo: Michelle Lang Garden: Culinary Innovation and Food Technology student Michelle Lang holds a strawberry grown in the hoop house gardens at NC’s Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake. She was recently selected for a fully sponsored placement in the Venturepark Labs Concept to Market Sprint program.