HVADC Client: New England Fancy Food Co.

Reggie Akpata didn't plan to build a beverage company around maple trees. But he has a knack for food entrepreneurship and was inspired by the Hudson Valley landscape to explore what was already growing on his land.

Six years ago, Akpata and his wife, Henrietta, moved to the East Coast from California so Henrietta could be close to her employer, IBM. The couple founded New England Fancy Food Co., Inc., with plans to launch a frozen ethnic foods business. They purchased a 25-acre Pleasant Valley farm in Dutchess County that checked all of the boxes — not too big, USDA-certified, and ready to go.

They began exploring "Native American Ethnobotany" by Daniel E. Moerman, a book that details more than 2,700 plants used by North American Native peoples for medicine, food, fiber, dye, and more. That's when maple caught Akpata's attention.

"There are many, many things that maple was used for in the past," Akpata explained. "And we had a lot of maple on the farm. It's 70 percent maple forest."

The property's previous owner had built a 400-gallon still. That told Akpata something. The farm could produce. So he started digging into what maple could do beyond syrup. He learned that Native people consumed maple as a drink in the form of maple water. Maple syrup was developed later as a way to preserve the sap.

"We thought, okay, let's go back to the original thing and see what we could do. How can we perfect that process?" Akpata said.

So they did.

Getting Down to Business

Akpata brought deep business experience to his new venture. He'd run an e-learning firm, a custom coffee roaster, and represented international food companies. He even has a patent for the Edo Cup, a disposable coffee brew filter. But turning his new farm into a scalable food and beverage company required a different set of expertise.

Akpata found HVADC after a referral from M&T Bank.

"Since we met HVADC, it has been one sure step after another," said Akpata.

“When Reggie first came to us, he already had the vision,” said HVADC Deputy Director Mary Ann Johnson. “Our job was to help him think through the operational pieces. What would it take to really scale? Who would he need around him? How could he build this in a way that was sustainable? Once we mapped that out, the path become clearer.”

Reggie’s relationship with HVADC began with Business Technical Assistance. HVADC consultant Brian Zweig helps with business planning and exploring USDA programs and solar expansion. Marketing consultant Kim Hickok supports the go-to-market strategy.

"We can write business and marketing plans. We both have MBAs," Akpata noted. "It's very different, though, to have somebody who does that for a living and is adjusting those plans to new industry standards and AI issues and all of this kind of stuff."

The Connection That Changed Everything

HVADC made one introduction that solved Akpata's biggest challenge. The organization connected him with Poughkeepsie-based Mid Hudson Works, a nonprofit co-packer just ten miles from the farm. That connection removed a major barrier to growth — scaling up production without having to rapidly hire and manage dozens of new employees. Mid Hudson Works provides employment opportunities for veterans and disabled workers.

"I've driven by that place, I can't count how many times, and it had never occurred to me that's what they did," Akpata remarked, describing Mid Hudson Works as "a cornerstone of our current operation and our vision for the future."

"Without HVADC's help in locating the co-packer, we would still be potentially a year away from launching," he said.

Perfecting the Process

Today, New England Fancy Food taps hundreds of maple trees each season and processes the sap right away. They flash pasteurize and bottle it through Mid Hudson Works, then freeze it to preserve freshness.

"This is not tie-a-bucket-round-the-tree stuff," Akpata said.

They're heading into their fifth maple season. The farm runs 64 solar panels and relies on electrification to power freezers and vehicles.

At first, the company sold only plain maple water. This season brings four natural flavors: Concord grape, oatmeal spice, mandarin orange, and mango.

"The new flavors are just really awesome without being overpowering," he said. "They've just got a nice lift to them. I'm really, really proud of how that turned out."

The company also has a patent pending for a reverse osmosis process that produces both low-calorie maple water and a concentrated product for recovery or pre-exercise use.

Built for Here

New England Fancy Food sells through Taste NY locations at the Taconic State Parkway, Long Island, and Grand Central Station, and is looking to expand. The company recently secured New York State Grown & Certified designation for its products — something Akpata sees as critical in a region with changing demographics and new residents who can afford specialty foods and culturally rooted products.

"HVADC's connection made it immediately viable that we could be called New York grown," he said. "People want local things, and they want to support the local economy and local farmers."

Recently, the company signed contracts to tap maple trees on four additional farms covering roughly 400 acres.

"When I look at our market, there are 30 million people between here, the tri-state area, and then you add a bit of Massachusetts," he said. "The whole world for us is around here."

Akpata's vision includes international possibilities too. The proximity to John F. Kennedy International Airport and Stewart International Airport opens doors that might be easier than trucking products across the country.

What's Next

As the next maple season approaches, Akpata feels energized. He summed up his experience with HVADC in a way that says more than any business plan could.

"There's been no no's," he said. "Only, how can we help?"

From small family farms to large horticultural enterprises, HVADC supports scaling producers such as New England Fancy Food Co. through Business Technical assistance, loans, grants, and marketing opportunities. Learn more at https://www.hvadc.org/agribusiness-growth.