Member FYI
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Legally Speaking
By Silvia P. Glick, Attorney at Law
Signing a lease may be one of the most important business decisions that you will ever make. Most leases will probably look fine to you at first reading, but it's important to take some time to consider a lease before you sign it. Think about the type of property you will need for the next several years, and whether or not the property you are considering will meet those needs. Some questions to ask yourself include: Is there adequate room to grow? Is the lease long enough to justify the money that I will have to invest in the property? Does the monthly rent fit comfortably into my business plan? Have I assured myself that the property is zoned for my intended use?
A landlord will usually negotiate the terms of the lease which he or she presents to you. Don't be afraid to ask for changes. Some typical requests that you might want to make include the following: If there is other space in the building, ask for a right of first refusal to rent that space if the current tenant moves out. Ask for an option to extend the lease after the initial term is over. Request the right to assign or sublet the leased premises in case the space doesn't work out for you or you have to close your business.
Take your time to review a lease and make sure that you understand everything that is in it. You will be glad you did.
This is not legal advice. For guidance concerning your specific situation, please contact an attorney.
Silvia P. Glick, Attorney at Law
617-876-6826
Special Offer to MSFA Members from Edible Boston
Dear Members of The Massachusetts Specialty Foods Association,
As you are all aware, over the past 10 years, Boston has seen a re-birth of
interest in food. Whether it's the opening of a farmers market in your
town, the interest chefs have in using and giving recognition to local products
on their menus, or the increase in specialty/gourmet food stores, we are seeing
an emphasis on seasonal foods and local products. We at Edible Boston
want you to help you benefit from this renaissance.
Photo by Deborah Bezahler, Cover of Edible Boston, Number 2, Fall, 2006
Filled with engaging articles and alluring photographs, our publication and
website will be a resource for finding out what's new, what's available locally,
and an introduction to the people instrumental in bringing about the change.
Our readers are 'foodies' interested in the people behind their food.
Although it is called, Edible Boston, Essex, Middlesex, Worcester, Suffolk, and Norfolk counties will be included as they are major contributors to our region.
Edible Boston is published seasonally and will be available to the public free of charge. Distributed through our advertisers, local farmer's markets, and other food related events in the region advertisers will have an opportunity to reach 50,000 desirable consumers each season.
It is our commitment at Edible Boston to help promote and support the local food community. As a member of MSFA, we would like to offer a 20% discount on our printed advertising rates (our rate card is available at www.edibleboston.net/pages/subscribe.htm). Our next issue, Winter 07, comes out in January. The advertising deadline is November 15th.
Edible Boston like no other publication in the area directly targets your market. As Andrea Taber of Ever So Humble Pie Co. will testify, advertising in Edible Boston has in a very short time increased her customer base. Within the first week the magazine was distributed, she acquired two new accounts.
I look forward to hearing from you and learning more about your businesses.
Regards,
Ilene Bezahler
Publisher/Editor
Note to MSFA members on Email Deliverability
From Lee Busch, MSFA webmaster
Dear MSFA members,
We've become aware that some members are not always receiving the Quarterly "Food For Thought" newsletter. (The last issue was emailed in late July).
Most often, this is caused by an overly-aggressive email spam filter. In the age of spam, this is a common problem. As spam begins to look more like legitimate email, it can cause problems for deliverability of legitimate business email. Our very long and complex newsletter can sometimes trigger spam filters.
If you are having this problem, and you have an alternate email address, please forward it to us and I will add it to the distribution list.
Also, if you have a "whitelist" (trusted email senders/people you
know) as part of your email service, please add the email address " foodforthought@msfa.net"
to your " trusted sender" list (or whatever terminology your service
uses). Or add it to your email service or email program's address book, which
usually has the same effect.
If you are missing your July issue, and I forward it to you again, it will most likely also disappear. But you can view it online and/or print it from this address:
https://www.msfa.net/newsletter_06-07.html
best wishes,
--Lee
From Griffin E-News:
Whole Foods Plans Giant Store In Dedham, Mass
Organic grocer Whole Foods market will open one of its largest stores in New England in 2008 at the new Legacy Place Shopping Center in Dedham in 2008.
Hannaford Launches Guiding Stars Nutrition Navigation System
Starting Sept. 9, shoppers in all Hannaford stores began to find more nutritious foods faster through Hannaford's new Guiding Stars system.
Resource
Here is a good resource that I forgot about and just rediscovered:
http://www.umass.edu/nefe/how_to/index.html
It is the New England Extension Food Safety Consortium's Food
Entrepreneurs on line support page.
Myron Becker, Pres.
Myron's Fine Foods, Inc.
800 730-2820
www.chefmyrons.com
Carolyn's Gourmet
We have an open position at Carolyn's Gourmet for an all-round line-cook and filling machine operator.
We are looking for between 3days and 5 days per week, 9am-5pm
Starting rate is probably between $8-$9 depending on experience and be reviewed if person is good, committed and responsible.
Any response can be emailed to hans@40parklane.com or I can be reached at 1-978-369-2940 ext 203
Thanks!
Hans
Hans van Putten
President
Carolyn's Gourmet
Tel: 1-978-369-2940 ext 203
Fax: 1-978-371-0639
email: hans@carolynsgourmetcollections.com
www.carolynsgourmet.com
Myron's Law
To Massachusetts Specialty Food Manufacturers:
Now we can finally purchase these ingredients directly from their manufacturers as we do our others:
After eight years of tenacious effort on the part of Representative Stephen Kulik of Franklin County who sponsored and first submitted the bill in 1998 and Representative Dan Bosley of Berkshire County who strongly supported it with the might of his position as Chair of the Economic Development Committee, Chapter 138 of the Massachusetts General Laws has been amended and signed into law by the Governor. The law was originally submitted at the request of Chef Myron Becker, president of Myron's Fine Foods, Inc., Millers Falls MA who uses Saké rice wine and other wines in the manufacture of their sauces. The bill became known in the legislature as "Myrons Law" and although strongly lobbied for by the MSFA, was, until this year, repeatedly shot down under pressure from the liquor wholesalers and their lobbyists.
The new amendment; Section 18C to Chapter 138 MGL, permits Massachusetts food processors to import, purchase and store alcoholic beverages for the purpose of manufacturing their products directly from the beverage manufacturer, distiller, brewer etc. without having to adulterate or 'denature' the products at great expense and sacrifice of quality. Before this, food product manufacturers were restricted to purchasing any alcoholic beverages used as ingredients from liquor, beer or wine wholesalers who added their profit margins thus increasing costs and decreasing Massachusetts food manufacturer's profit margins. This increases profitability and feasibility for food product manufactures operating in Massachusetts.
Other legislators that rolled up their sleeves in support of this long effort were Rep, Chris Donelan of Orange, Sen. Steven Brewer of Barre, Sen. Stan Rosenberg of Amherst, Rep. Vincent Pedone of Worcester and all the others that intuitively understood the merit of our case.
To read the complete wording of the law you can go to the site http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/seslaw06/sl060123.htm
Myron Becker, Pres.
Myron's Fine Foods, Inc.
800 730-2820
www.chefmyrons.com
MSFA Members' Products Wanted: Locally Grown or Produced, All Natural/Organic Child-Friendly
Shortly after retaining The Launching Pad & Co. as consultants in her personal chef business, Jean Terranova began preparing nutritious, all natural lunches and snacks for a client's five-year old to bring to his private school, which does not offer food. With Carol and Bill's assistance and encouragement, Jean is now set to launch Aunt Jeannie's All Natural Foods for Children. She will be preparing nutritious, all natural meals and snacks for delivery to private schools and daycare centers in Greater Boston this fall.
Whenever feasible, Aunt Jeannie's meals and snacks feature locally grown or produced, all natural, organic ingredients at their seasonal peak. Vendors of child-friendly products meeting these criteria should contact Jean by sending her an email at jeanterranova@auntjeannies.com. Information about our company is available at http://www.auntjeannies.com/.
The Whole Foods Market 2006 Report
This annual 2-day show is an invitation-only event, designed by Whole Foods to expose Whole Foods Team Members to the products they already carry, so the Team Members can learn more about the products. WFM Team Members are brought in by bus on both days, so the show was well attended -- and only attended by WFM employees. They had a limited amount of space, but MSFA was offered one group table because of our unique status as local food producers, and because of WFM's interest in carrying local products. Only vendors already approved by Whole Foods were allowed to participate. It was not meant to be a show for buyers, although many buyers were present along with the large numbers of WFM staff. MSFA members with an existing WFM relationship who chose to join in on our group table sent us products that we displayed and sampled out to the WFM attendees over the two days of the show. Carol Coutrier also compiled a list of approved MSFA vendors and their products that we printed in quantity and handed out to interested WFM staff and buyers to make it easier for them to contact MSFA members to place orders or request further information.
The show was located in two adjacent ballrooms at a hotel near Mystic CT, and the hotel did a great job providing an attractive environment. Our table location was truly ideal, with a clear area around it to highlight the table and space behind and alongside it to display our posters and banner (most other table locations did not have room for posters). Board member Deborah Taylor of Deborah's Kitchen provided risers to help us maximize the limited space on our crowded table so that every product could be displayed and seen. Board member Ellen Callaway of Callaway Photo provided attractive posters with accent lighting highlighting MSFA members and products. Board member Lee Busch of Goodbaker Inc. received the samples, printed the handouts, and set up and coordinated staffing of the booth during the two days of the show.
All of the products on display received positive interest from the Team Members, and particularly from the buyers who attended. WFM is actively looking for new local vendors to carry as part of a new "Buy Local" emphasis. We suggest that any MSFA member who is already approved by WFM or who wants to be approved should contact their local WFM store buyers and Team Leaders to show their products and emphasize their "local producer" status. Also mention "you may have seen us at the WFM Market show this summer" because it is an honor to be invited. Most of other vendors at the show are top sellers -- WFM does not waste space on marginal brands, so it was a gift and honor to be granted this table at their show. We encourage MSFA members to pursue this "local producer" message when speaking to Whole Foods or to any grocer or specialty food store, and we wish you much success.
Photos of the MSFA table are online here: click for slide show
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