Displaying items tagged: foodagri
Kent County Health Department closes GR bar after video of large crowd
GRAND RAPIDS — The Kent County Health Department has ordered a downtown Grand Rapids bar to close after video surfaced this weekend of large crowds of patrons not adhering to social distancing and other measures to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Restaurants, bars expand outside with social zones
JW’s Food & Spirits had never offered outdoor seating in the more than two decades the restaurant and bar has been in operation at the corner of North 7th Street and Washington Avenue east of downtown Grand Haven.
Pandemic exacerbates concerns for migrant farm workers
Dozens of crops grown in West Michigan are hand-picked by seasonal and migrant farmworkers.
Short’s to revive Arcadia Brewing brand
After a brief hiatus from the market, one of the pioneering brands in the Michigan craft beer industry will once again be back on store shelves.
Perrigo makes $50M strategic investment in Colorado CBD producer
Perrigo Co. plc plans to enter the CBD market through a strategic investment and a long-term agreement with a Colorado supplier.
General Mills/Yoplait taps three Michigan dairies for regenerative ag pilot program
REED CITY — A pilot project spearheaded by global food processor General Mills Inc. aims to help improve the stability of dairy farms, starting with a trio of West Michigan operations and a focus on regenerative agricultural practices.
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Lease disputes, COVID-19 loan, ‘craft beer craze’ decline surround BarFly bankruptcy
Overly aggressive expansions, lease disputes and sagging interest in craft beer-based casual restaurants were contributing factors to BarFly Ventures LLC’s bankruptcy filing this month before business was decimated by COVID-19, court records show.
Indiana agriculture coops form JV to acquire CHS Hamilton
HAMILTON — A pair of Indiana cooperatives have formed a strategic joint venture to acquire an Allegan County agricultural retail business owned by CHS Inc.
Citing customer and employee safety, some West Michigan restaurants hesitate to reopen
GRAND RAPIDS — While restaurants and bars were able to reopen for dine-in service on Monday after a nearly three-month hiatus, some owners are keeping their dining rooms closed a little longer as a safety precaution for customers and employees.
Report: Michigan grew nearly 4,000 acres of hemp in first year of pilot program
Farmers grew nearly 4,000 acres of industrial hemp across 58 Michigan counties in 2019 as part of the state’s inaugural year of a pilot program to test the viability of the crop here.
San Chez bistro rethinks shared plates, new project delayed
Restaurants across Michigan are slowly reengaging under occupancy limits and heightened measures to protect workers and patrons’ safety.
Bar/restaurant reopening not a return to normal
West Michigan restaurant and bar owners who are preparing to reopen June 8 under the state’s new rules and capacity restrictions can look to their up north colleagues for clues as to how the new process will go.
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Irie Kitchen ‘basically targeted’ by vandalism, separate from weekend protest
GAINES TOWNSHIP — A black-owned business south of Grand Rapids was “basically targeted,” owners said today after discovering shattered windows at their restaurant.
HopCat parent company BarFly Ventures files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
GRAND RAPIDS — BarFly Ventures LLC, the parent company of the HopCat chain of beer bars, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this morning in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan.
Cities weigh creating ‘social districts’ to help bars and restaurants
As northern Michigan restaurants and bars reopen under occupancy limits and other restrictions, business leaders and city officials are considering ways to expand the footprint of existing restaurants to help boost revenue.
MLCC streamlines process for bars, restaurants to add outdoor service, offer to-go beer and wine
Bars and restaurants that want to open outdoor service areas can now take advantage of a streamlined permitting process through the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
‘Cumbersome’ state liquor buyback program comes with many questions for bars, restaurants
The Michigan Liquor Control Commission has returned nearly $3.4 million to licensees as part of a liquor buyback program to support bars and restaurants during the state-mandated closure to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Native Traits raises $1.5M to move seed technology into field trials
KALAMAZOO — Southwest Michigan biosciences company Native Traits Corp. plans to use a recent investment to move its high-yield and weather-resistant seed technology into field testing and production.
Fulton Street Farmers Market stays open, adapts to new safety measures
GRAND RAPIDS — In March, organizers at the Fulton Street Farmers Market in Grand Rapids were preparing for their biannual soup-tasting fundraiser. Usually, vendors and West Michigan restaurants donate soups for the event. Hundreds of people gather to taste food from the cooler weather season, catch up with one another and support the market.
Journeyman Distillery focuses on survival
THREE OAKS — Other than the early days of launching Journeyman Distillery LLC, founder Bill Welter cannot recall a more difficult business environment than the present.
Restaurant association offers safety guidelines with request to reopen industry May 29
The trade association representing Michigan restaurants issued guidelines and a checklist today for reopening.
Park Place Provisionary adapts model to serve customers curbside
MUSKEGON — The line was 15 cars long on a recent Thursday evening, with employees shuffling between vehicles and the retail shop to scan IDs and run products out to patrons.
Topshelf in Muskegon sticks to pizza-subs-beer formula
MUSKEGON — As one of the only restaurants open in downtown Muskegon, Topshelf Liquor Bar & Pizza owner Jim Noel is sticking to a formula he knows well.
Virus throws curveball just as Peat’s Cider opens Southwest Michigan taproom
STEVENSVILLE — Peat’s Cider Social had been open for less than two weeks when co-founder Dan Peat began hearing about a highly infectious virus that was starting to affect various parts of the country.
Craft distilleries face ‘dire’ consequences as pandemic obliterates on-premise sales
Michigan distilleries that switched to hand sanitizer production are keeping the lights on, but they face a tough road ahead with on-premise sales at bars and restaurants at a standstill for the foreseeable future.
Kellogg sales spike as consumers buy up packaged foods during pandemic
BATTLE CREEK — Consumers stocking up on cereals, snacks and other foods during the global COVID-19 pandemic have led to “significantly” higher sales for Kellogg Co.
COPING WITH COVID-19: Kalamazoo Stillhouse pivots to sanitizer production
When Nic and Joanna Merrill heard about shortages of hand sanitizer in Southwest Michigan, they began wondering how their company, craft distillery Kalamazoo Stillhouse, could help fill the void.
COPING WITH COVID-19: Speciation Artisan Ales leverages business model for survival, pushes ahead on second location
Mitch Ermatinger’s outlook has improved in the weeks since the mid-March closure of all Michigan bars and restaurants, but the economic effects of the pandemic are still weighing heavily on the co-founder of Speciation Artisan Ales LLC.
COPING WITH COVID-19: Brass Ring Brewing finds ways to give back during pandemic
The recent shutdown forced many small craft beverage companies to shift their business models on the fly.
COPING WITH COVID-19: Oktober Design can seamer helps breweries make the switch to takeout beers
Oktober Design LLC proves the aphorism of being in the right place at the right time when it comes to finding success in business.