The Portland Regional Chamber has partnered with The University of Maine for a 3-part series exploring innovation in Maine's food systems.
Innovation. Waste. Perception. These are universal considerations for any business, and in this three-part series we'll examine them through the lens of Maine's food system. Learn from companies who are embracing innovation and waste reduction, and UMaine researchers with expertise in behavioral decision making who can help you understand how and why consumers make the choices they do. Presented by the University of Maine's Portland Gateway and Office of Innovation and Economic Development with the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, this series brings together UMaine experts and Maine food businesses for lively discussions around a topic everyone can relate to: food. So, grab your lunch and join us virtually from 12-1 p.m on Wednesday, May 25, Wednesday, June 8, and Wednesday, June 22.
Embracing Innovation
A Conversation with Three Maine Food Businesses Who Aren't Afraid to Try New Things
Blueberries. Lobster. Grains. You may think you know these Maine food staples, but we'll introduce you to three companies who are taking a different approach. Learn how and why innovation is central to their business models, what they've learned, and who they've turned to for help.
PANELISTS
Curt Brown, Marine Biologist at Ready Seafood
Curt Brown is a Marine Biologist at Ready Seafood and a commercial lobsterman. Curt grew up lobstering and continues to lobster off of Cape Elizabeth out of his 33′ Crowley Beal. At Ready Seafood, Curt focuses on collaborative research projects that improve the sustainability and value of Maine lobster. He is co-chair of SEAMaine, or the Seafood Economic Accelerator for Maine, a statewide, industry-led initiative that is developing a roadmap and action plan for economic growth, market and workforce development, and greater resiliency in Maine’s seafood economy.
Patrick Carroll, Vice President of Marketing at Wymans
Patrick has been the Vice President of Marketing at Wyman’s for the past five years, during which time Wyman’s has surpassed Dole as the #1 Frozen Fruit Brand in the USA. Additionally, he is in charge of innovation and has launched Wyman’s Just Fruit & Bites in retailers across the USA. In 2022, he and the Wyman’s team plan to launch three more items that feature Wyman’s famous wild blueberries. Patrick has a B.S. from Babson College and a MBA from Indiana University. He lives in Falmouth, Maine, with his wife and two boys.
Amber Lambke, Co-Founder and President of Maine Grains
Amber Lambke is co-founder and president of Maine Grains, a Skowhegan-based gristmill that serves bakers, brewers, chefs and families freshly-milled, organic and heritage grains sourced from the Northeast. In a repurposed jailhouse-turned-gristmill, Lambke and business partner Michael Scholz have built an engine of transformation that has helped the town of Skowhegan take center stage in a global renaissance to relocalize grain economies.
MODERATOR
Rob Dumas, Food Science Innovation Coordinator at The University of Maine
As the Food Science Innovation Coordinator and Facility Manager for the School of Food and Agriculture at the University of Maine, Rob is responsible for leveraging the resources of the university system to support economic growth in Maine’s food and agriculture sector. In addition to the School of Food and Ag, Rob also works as part of Cooperative Extension and the Office of Innovation and Economic Development, positioning him to facilitate broad-based support for Maine food producers. Rob manages two commercial food production facilities located in Hitchner Hall on the Orono campus that serve as research, education, and support facilities for producers. Rob is a Certified Executive Chef through the American Culinary Federation (currently serving as the President of the Down East Chapter) and a U.S. Navy veteran with service on both nuclear submarines and EA/PQ duty in Washington D.C. Rob earned a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts at the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont.
OUR PROGRAM PARTNERS
Thank you to our partners at The University of Maine Portland Gateway and The University of Maine's Office of Innovation and Economic Development for making this event possible!