LSU Food Incubator receives $2.5 million grant

Truly Scrumptious pretzel crunch is made at the Food Incubator building. Staff photo

The LSU AgCenter’s Food Incubator is getting a boost.

The program has received a three-year, $2.5 million grant from the Louisiana Office of Community Development’s Disaster Recovery Unit. The grant will allow the incubator to ramp up production, serve more clients and hire more personnel.

The Food Incubator currently serves 25 tenants. Some of the tenants have included Hanley’s Foods dressings and marinades, Truly Scrumptious pretzel crunch and Ruth’s Hummus. At the Incubator, local food makers have been given tools and expertise to test, produce, package and market their products.

“With the grant, the incubator will be able to purchase new, larger-capacity equipment, enabling it to serve about 200 clients in some capacity and do pilot plant studies for larger companies,” a press release states.

Since the program’s inception in 2013, director Gaye Sandoz says more than 250 interested persons have approached the Food Incubator.