Selecting a definitive location to plant and develop your food processing & distribution business is no small task. However, with the proper considerations, choosing an excellent home is not impossible. In the content below, we explore six considerations a business owner should contemplate before selecting a final location for lasting success.

Access to Water

Ensuring your business location has an ample supply of water is crucial – and not always guaranteed. Will your food processing & distribution business have a healthy flow of water throughout its entire lifetime? For example, DuPage County owns and operates six water systems to service customers, supplied directly through Illinois’ Lake Michigan Water Diversion. Food processing and distribution businesses in DuPage County can rest in the assurance of water.

Existing Expertise

Do existing businesses thrive in this location of interest? Do you know a total number of processed food sales? Are well-known distributors finding success in this location? Illinois is a fantastic example. With over 72,000 of the nation’s top farms covering nearly 76% of Illinois’ total land area, the state ranks first among processed food sales. If the area is void of successful food processing and distribution companies, and has been for a long time, the location should be low priority if not discarded.

Food Safety and Health

Is the location known for growing research talent? DuPage County is unrivaled in this category. The Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH) is based in Bedford Park, just outside DuPage. The IFSH is an unrivaled food science research consortium, comprised of the Illinois Institute of Technology, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the food industry. Ultimately, the IFSH affords associated companies’ insight into the food safety future of the processing & distribution industry.

Good Food Accelerator

The Good Food Accelerator aids farm and food businesses in launching or enhancing their enterprise. The Accelerator emphasizes sustainable local food, helping businesses raise over $23M in the last few years. Is the Good Food Accelerator a component of the location in question?

Family Farmed

A non-profit organization with a mission, Family Farmed is committed to the production, marketing, and distribution of locally and responsibly produced food. The spread of locally grown food encourages the social, economic, and environmental health of the community. Is your potential business location enriched with Family Farmed?

Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network

As the name implies, the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network services the Chicagoland region, collaborating with local food & beverage companies to seize opportunities. Workforce development, business services, food safety, and innovation & technology are among the opportunities appropriated by companies within the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network.

Choose DuPage: Economic Development Alliance

Choose DuPage is an economic development alliance dedicated to establishing DuPage County as a premier global business location. DuPage County has a thriving food processing & distribution industry. Greco & Sons, Get Fresh, Rana Meal Solutions, and Cheese Merchants of America are among the major industry businesses who have found success in DuPage County.

To learn more about our globally accessible location, contact us at (630) 955-2090 or request information via our online form.