Category: Uncategorized

Protecting Intellectual Property in the Craft Beverage Sector

Craft beverage producers invest significant resources into developing their intellectual property – from brand-building to technology innovations, much of a company’s value is linked to IP. That’s why due diligence is so important: when it comes to intellectual property, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In this webinar, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office offers insights into the key IP issues that craft beverage producers should be aware of and Port City Brewing Company shares its experience developing and deploying a proactive approach to its intellectual property.

Speakers:

  1. Elizabeth Dougherty, Eastern Regional Outreach Director, US Patent and Trademark Office

  2. Jason Lott, Attorney Advisor for Trademarks Customer Outreach, US Patent and Trademark Office

  3. Bill Butcher, Founder, Port City Brewing Company

  4. Chris Van Orden, Manager of Craft Beverage Assistance, Virginia SBDC at George Mason University

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Retail 3.0: Thriving in the Next Normal

Does it feel like your small business is constantly pivoting? We hear you! Join retail expert Marc Willson as he unpacks the pivots that will continue to serve Virginia’s small retailers and restaurants beyond the pandemic, meet the ever-changing demands of diverse customers, and build resiliency against future disruptions.

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Craft Beverage QA/QC: Best Practices for Safeguarding Product Quality

There are many reasons for a craft beverage producer to invest in quality – catering to a more demanding consumer base, staking out a competitive edge, preparing for more distant distribution – but determining how to implement QA/QC can be difficult.  In this webinar, Virginia SBDC Craft Beverage Assistance Manager Chris Van Orden will speak with Audrey Skinner, Gastronomical Chemist and Founder of Imbibe Solutions, about the steps that planned, new, and growing beverage producers can take to safeguard quality, improve product stability, and lengthen shelf-life.  

Webinar presented by The Virginia SBDC Craft Beverage Assistance (CBA) program. Visit the CBA program page for more information.

Audrey Skinner is a Gastronomical Chemist and Founder of Imbibe Solutions, an independent laboratory that works with craft alcohol businesses to supplement and enrich their quality control programs. She has helped many brewers, winemakers, and other craft-fermenters improve processes, ensure product stability and cleanliness, expand shelf-life, and enhance overall product quality. Her goal is to provide small-scale craftsmen with beneficial, quantifiable data so they can be competitive in the growing marketplace.

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