CRAFT has always been passionate about working with food businesses, non-profit organizations, community partners, and institutions. We pride ourselves on providing useful research, data, and resources to support systems-level change. Please browse our resources guide below and utilize the free resources and reports that we have created.

To download: Click on the Download Now link, provide your email address and you will be redirected to a page where you can download all resource and report content freely.

Questions?: Email Nicolette at N.spudic@chatham.edu

resources

Sample Costing Sheet for Food Products

Knowing your up-to-date ingredient prices and the cost of your products is essential to understand how to properly price your products and ultimately market and brand your business.

Useful for: New and growing business owners. Business owners that want an interactive and responsive way to price their recipes.
East of use: Moderate- requires general knowledge of excel and recipe information including ingredient quantities, ingredient cost, and batch yield.
Interactive: Yes. Instructions for using the guide are located on the title page of spreadsheet and can be edited to fit your business.

Business Plan #1: The Blowtorch Caravan

The Blowtorch Caravan is a unique dessert food truck that decrees “Creme Brûlée for all!” This concept will serve freshly torched creme brûlée, coffee, espresso, and other desserts for weddings, events, food truck round ups and anywhere else that needs a unique and delicious dessert.

Useful for: New and emerging business owners
East of use: Easy to moderate- requires general business knowledge to read and utilize. Finance section requires general financial knowledge and business information including estimated costs, financing needs, and breakeven point.
Interactive: No. Plan is uneditable but can be used as a template or example. Financial document templates can be downloaded at SCORE.org.

Navigating Your Local Health Department

Starting a new food venture can be a daunting and intimidating task, especially when you begin working with your local Health Department. This guide helps to take some of worry away and explains the ways you will be working with your local health department to ensure food safety in your establishment.

Useful for: Anyone looking to start a relationship with their local health department when starting a food-based business.
East of use: Easy- Great for beginners or those looking for early-stage information.
Interactive: No. Guide is uneditable but links will be updated yearly.

Pittsburgh Wholesale Producer List

Are you a Pittsburgh-based business owner that wants to incorporate more locally grown and made foods into your business? This list is the perfect starting point.

Useful for: Pittsburgh-based business owners looking to purchase from local suppliers.
East of use: Easy- Spreadsheet lists type of product and contact information for the farm or producer that sells it to wholesale clients. Simply find the product you need and contact the business!
Interactive: No. Spreadsheet is uneditable but will be updated yearly.

Sustainability Toolkit

Do you want to make your food or beverage business more sustainable but you don’t know where to start? This Sustainability Toolkit is a great starting point to help you understand your options and start taking steps towards a more sustainable food business.

Useful for: Any small business owner that works with food that strives to be more sustainable.
East of use: Easy- The Toolkit will walk you through practical ways to make your business more sustainable.
Interactive: No. Toolkit is uneditable but a sustainability assessment is included that can help you determine your starting point and goals.

Sustainability Resource Guide

Now that you’ve read and worked through the Sustainability Toolkit (above), check out the Sustainability Resource Guide to start putting your plan into action.

Useful for: Any small food business owner looking to better understand composting, eco-friendly paper products, recycling, or local purchasing. Specifically useful for those in and around Allegheny County, PA due to local resources.
East of use: Easy- The Resource Guide will provide you with useful information and actionable resources.
Interactive: No. Resource Guide is uneditable but resources will be updated yearly.

Limited Winery License Guide

Looking to fulfill your dream of starting a winery in the state of Pennsylvania? Start with this handy guide that breaks down the process step by step to make applying for this license a breeze.

Useful for: Any entrepreneur looking to start a small winery in the state of PA.
East of use: Easy- The Winery Guide will provide you with useful information and clickable links to make the application process as easy as possible.
Interactive: No. The Winery Guide is uneditable but resources will be updated yearly.

Reports

Crafting a Sustainable Regional Food System Inventory

This guide provides practical steps, lessons, and an adaptable methodology to help any regional food data practitioner collect, manage and maintain their food systems inventory data. This report reviews CRAFT’s 2018 regional food system inventory efforts and highlights our flexible methodology for sourcing, aggregating, and cleaning data that we believe to be feasible and sustainable for organizations of varying capacity.

Useful for: Food system practitioners of all sizes
Last updated: May 2023

CRAFT Annual Reports

Commercial Kitchen Capacity Analysis

This Info-graphic summarizes the analysis of commercial kitchen infrastructure in Allegheny County undertaken in an effort to better understand our region's capacity to support innovation within the food industry.

Useful for: Anyone looking to learn more about the Commercial Kitchen Landscape in Allegheny County.
Last updated: 2018