Welcome to The FOOD chamber of commerce!
This is not your grandparents’ chamber- it’s got a different flavor!
Built exclusively for the local food business entrepreneur — the dreamer, the doer, the risk-taker. The person who signs the front of the paycheck… and sometimes wonders if they’ll be able to cash one themselves.
We’re here to flip the script. For way too long, the numbers have been brutal. Many food businesses struggle. Many, many outright fail. Many owners earn less than they would with a job. A few win. We exist to turn that upside down.
The FOOD chamber of commerce was created with a simple mission- to help local food entrepreneurs prosper.
These are the folks who:
Feed our families. Fundraise for our schools and programs. Hire our friends and neighbors. Create the meals that become our memories.
They are not just businesses.
They are the heartbeat of our economy and the soul of our communities.
Neighborhoods don’t have personality without them.
Communities don’t feel like home without them.
We exist to champion them. Support them. Elevate them.
What makes The FOOD chamber of commerce different?
- Membership is FREE. We are a 100% volunteer/non-profit chamber.
- We give FREE exposure and shine a spotlight so the community can support members.
- Our members MUST have a food business- we have insane gratitude and passion for the farmers, bakers, chefs, restaurateurs, food retailers, food truck owners, caterers, mixologists, brewers, and makers of deliciousness who bring life to our communities.
- We DON’T get involved in politics, lobbyists, and agendas.
- We share FREE proven strategies on all things business, such as: sales, marketing, real estate, law, human resources, financial management, and most importantly happiness.
- We are NOT geographically bound to segmented areas, towns or states.
- We HELP local food businesses compete against deep-pocketed competitors.
- We provide FREE real, unbiased business advice — not theory, not fluff.
- We CONNECT members with vetted, proven, affordable vendors when possible.
- We MAINTAIN a pipeline of talented, capable people ready to grow with great businesses.
We are building a powerful, inclusive ecosystem designed to help business owners in the real world solidifying our belief that food is the common denominator of all people!
Hey, we love big food businesses too, but:
Big companies already have resources.
Big companies already have access.
Big companies already have a voice.
Small businesses deserve the same firepower.
That’s what we’re building here — a chamber where members don’t just “survive.” They grow. Compete. Get stronger. Win.
If you believe local businesses deserve a real shot…
If you believe entrepreneurs shouldn’t have to figure it out alone…
If you believe community success has a lot to do with good food…
Then you understand that this isn’t just a chamber…
It’s The FOOD chamber of commerce!
Now, Let’s Eat!
A Love Letter to Food Entrepreneurs
This is personal. The FOOD chamber of commerce is my passion project because I love food entrepreneurs— not the highlight reel, but the grind… the risk… the 16-hour days… the holiday deprivation… the sleepless nights… the weight of providing for employees, customers, and family when everything is on the line.
This is also a love letter to my parents — my heroes!
They built a successful food business from scratch. No safety net. No family money. No backup plan.
Just courage, hard work… and relentlessness!
My parents were over-worked and under-paid for decades. And yet, I never heard my father say he was tired. Not once. No complaints. No excuses. Never heard him say, I quit!
My mother worked two jobs — including one just so we could have health insurance — while still helping run the family food business.
That’s where my respect for entrepreneurs was born.
I understand the pressure. The wins. The losses.
The whole family carries the dream together.
The FOOD Chamber of Commerce is my gift to the community I admire.
My way of giving back.
A non-profit, volunteer project built to stand beside the risk-takers… the dreamers… the people signing the front of the paycheck — even when they’re not sure one is coming for themselves.
Because food entrepreneurs don’t just build businesses.
They build memories. They build communities.
And they deserve all of our support.
Thanks for listening,
“Larry Ravioli” Vivola