Every state has its share of strengths. In Wisconsin, there’s no denying that one of them is the food and beverage industry. Just look at the following insights published by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC):  

  • Eight of the 10 largest food companies in the world have operations in Wisconsin. 
  • Wisconsin is the number one producer of cheese, cranberries, ginseng, dry whey, milk goats and snap beans. 
  • Wisconsin ranks second in the nation for the number of certified organic farms and is a world leader in animal genetics. 

But for the industry to sustain this level of excellence, it takes the collective effort of food and beverage company owners, presidents, CEOs and stakeholders. Thanks to Food and Beverage Wisconsin (FaB), collaboration and discourse between these parties has never been easier. 

FaB, launched by the Milwaukee 7 Partnership for Economic Development (M7) in 2012, emerged from M7’s recognition of the food and beverage industry as a regional growth cluster. Today, FaB serves just over 140 member companies and 2,000+ industry professionals. 

“FaB was created to support and grow the unique needs of the food and beverage manufacturing industry of Wisconsin.  Almost 15 years later, FaB’s impact on the industry continues to be felt as we are driving innovation, growth and sustainability by facilitating member collaboration and connections to share best practices and address industry-specific business challenges.  Our outreach is enhancing FaB’s visibility as the leading voice for Wisconsin’s food and beverage manufacturing sector,” said FaB Executive Director Gina Balke.  

FaB membership benefits revolve around access, engagement and promotion.  

Members are invited to exclusive events and webinars, where they receive expertise from industry professionals and opportunities to network with other food and beverage professionals. Since its launch, FaB has hosted more than 300 events and webinars.  

Recently, the organization held “Food, Beverage & Agriculture: Exploring Wisconsin’s Future” at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center. Members gained insights from individuals at Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. FaB is excited to host its  “Tax, Tariffs and Trends” event next month.  

“From the minute we joined FaB, we realized the power of being connected to other like-minded manufacturing businesses that were facing many of the same questions we were. We continue to highlight the networking piece as the biggest benefit we’ve realized in being FaB members, and one of the reasons we will continue to be members,” said Matt Wessel, owner and COO of Milwaukee Pretzel Co. 

Aside from attendance at events, FaB members are encouraged to participate in engagement opportunities like the FaBricator Program,  Leadership Council,  industry-specific surveys, career development initiatives and food safety training certifications.  

“FaB brings together a community of companies and individuals interested in helping to grow the food ecosystem here in Wisconsin. Practically, the authentic relationships developed through FaB allow my company to answer questions quickly and rapidly navigate new obstacles. We’re happy to then share our learnings with others to continue to advance the whole FaB community,” said Brian Durst, chairman and CEO of Tribe 9 Foods. 

Members can display logos on FaB’s member listing, advertise food and beverage-related events and find new hires through FaB’s industry job listing page.  

“Like all businesses, we want every advantage in the marketplace – that allows us to win. We have a saying at Palermo’s: we want to win with our people so we can win with our customers. One of the keys to the success of our people is learning from the great food and beverage companies here in Wisconsin,” said Giacomo Fallucca, chairman and CEO of Palermo’s Pizza. “FaB is an excellent connector, allowing us to connect and meet with other manufacturers and industry companies to reach this goal. This is why we’ve been members from the very beginning and continue to be members. A FaB membership gives you this opportunity for a competitive advantage.”

Interested in joining this network of food and beverage industry leaders? Learn more at  FaB Wisconsin | The State’s Food and Beverage Business Network or contact FaB Executive Director  Gina Balke.