Menu
Angelo Mastrangelo, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Leadership at Binghamton University, former CEO of Adirondack Beverages and author of Entrepreneurial Leadership, aims to make the greater Binghamton area a center of excellence for food and beverage.
In partnership with George Sliltaty and a team of “been there, done that” visionaries, Mastrangelo is helping to orchestrate an online marketplace for farmers, distributors and grocers attached to the Southern Tier’s Upstate Revitalization Initiative (URI).
“More than just an online directory, it’s like an Amazon for grocers and restaurateurs, helping them buy local all year round,” hinted Mastrangelo.
This initiative will include a food incubator and accelerator in Binghamton, buy local storefronts, greenhouses and certification programs for farmers in connection with SUNY Broome, making it possible for them to sell to major chains (several of which have already agreed to come onboard). Cornell University has also been charged with providing valuable information through the use of drones and other technologies to assist farmers identify market trends. With this data, farmers will know exactly what and how much to grow, decreasing the percentage of crops “plowed under” each year.
“It’s more than just a program, it’s a complete initiative that involves farmers, grocers, manufacturers, distributors, marketers and business professionals,” Mastrangelo raived. “Binghamton will be the pilot, then we’ll look to adopt the initiative nationally and internationally.”
As a cherry on top, Mastrangelo says that the Food Bank will also play a hand in the initiative, purchasing “mistakes” or blemished food at low costs from farmers.
“Reducing the amount of crops that are plowed under and helping feed the poor – that would be fantastic,” said Mastrangelo. “And it doesn’t cost the farmers a thing!”
Stay connected with the UNY Pulse to learn more about this amazing initiative that proposes to transform Binghamton from a college town into a hub for food and beverages by connecting farmers to markets and consumers, and creating careers across Upstate New York.
NEXT -> 4 Basic Entrepreneurial and Leadership Strategies