Wyoming Food Startups Get a Boost with No-Strings Grants

Local producers across the state win big through Startup Business Builder program—just in time before funding cuts kick in, Tri-State Livestock News reports.

A wave of Wyoming food entrepreneurs is getting a major leg up thanks to a new grant program aimed at strengthening the local food scene—just before the plug gets pulled on its federal funding.

In its first year, the Wyoming Startup Business Builder Grant, launched by the Wyoming Regional Food Business Center (WYRFBC), handed out $313,000 to 24 small food businesses across the state. From mushroom extracts to refrigerated farm vans, these funds are helping local makers grow their operations—and do it without needing to match a dime.

The program, funded by the USDA via the Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center, was built to boost local food supply chains in Wyoming and beyond. And it’s paying off: local food system improvements are already contributing more than $36 million annually to Wyoming’s economy.

Unlike many grant programs, this one didn’t require a financial match. What it did require? Commitment. All applicants had to complete a free six-part “Market Course” developed by WYRFBC and the University of Wyoming Extension—designed to help producers learn the ropes of food marketing, sales, and business growth.

The 24 grantees span the state and represent a wide range of food ventures—beef producers, creamed honey makers, spice companies, and even a Riverton-based mushroom extract operation.

One awardee, Carol Stoltenburg of Branch & Vine Herbs in Buffalo, plans to use her grant for a new merchandising fridge and freezer to help stock local meats and dairy in her small storefront.

“I hear from customers all the time about how thankful they are they don’t have to drive to Sheridan or Gillette,” Stoltenburg said. “Now I can really start stocking beef, pork, lamb, dairy—everything. I’m just excited to grow.”

Another grantee, Noriko Tenhulzen of Pure Oats in Powell, used her funding for branding materials and marketing support, including getting set up to sell on Amazon.

Other businesses shared their plans during the first virtual follow-up meeting on July 9, which brought the grantees together to network, ask questions, and support each other—basically building a little Wyoming food startup family in the process.

There’s a bittersweet twist: federal funding for the Regional Food Business Center is being cut. A directive from the US Secretary of Agriculture has ordered all RFBC-related activities to stop by September 15, 2025. The current grantees will still receive their money, but no new funding rounds are expected after that.

Still, the WYRFBC team and local Extension educators remain hopeful that the program’s success stories will keep momentum going.

The Full List of 2025 WY Startup Business Builder Grantees Includes:

• 1890 Farms (Riverton) – Cold storage & marketing
• Bold Origins/Quinoa Good (Jackson) – E-commerce setup
• Branch & Vine Herbs (Buffalo) – Local food access expansion
• Holy Smokes (Riverton) – Equipment upgrades
• ETNSH, Inc. (Sheridan) – Retail oat expansion
• High Country Fungus (Riverton) – Mushroom extract line
• Horizon Honey (Sundance) – Rural delivery expansion
• Jack Miles Proctor (Dubois) – Beef product growth
• Jackson Hole Chip Co. (Wilson) – Delivery van
• Mountain Fresh Produce (Pinedale) – Refrigerated transport
• Queens of Goodness (Lander) – Creamed honey expansion
• Root to Shoot (Sheridan) – Year-round produce
• Satchitananda Farm (Pinedale) – Local produce marketing
• Second Street Farm (Lander) – Cold storage
• Shumway Farms (Afton) – Ice cream freezer upgrade
• Slow Food in the Tetons (Jackson) – Software integration
• Slow Food Wind River (Lander) – POS system for Meadowlark Market
• Taste of the Wind (Laramie) – Meat byproduct processing
• The Busy Mother (Riverton) – Kitchen expansion
• The Farmhouse Market (Thermopolis) – Farm store build-out
• West Cattle Company (Wheatland) – Labeling & storage
• Western Variety Farm (Sheridan) – Farmstand construction
• Yellowstone Spice Co. (Lander) – Marketing push
• Windy Creek Farm (Cheyenne) – Pumpkin patch upgrades

For more info or to get involved in future local food initiatives, contact Jennifer Faulkner at the University of Wyoming Extension: [email protected]

And check out interviews with some of these producers on the Meaningful Marketplace Podcast—a project of the same USDA-backed RFBC that helped make all this possible.