ABOUT US

Maine Food and Beverage Education Center (MFBEC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports Maine’s small food and beverage producers - farmers, fishermen, and makers - by connecting them with the public through education, storytelling, and hands-on experiences. We serve a producer community that is deeply under-resourced: 96% of Maine farms are family-run, nearly half operate on under 50 acres, and over 40% earn less than $2,500 in annual sales. Most don’t have the time, staff, or tools to market themselves effectively. That’s where we come in, providing high-impact marketing, public education, and outreach services entirely free of charge.

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Our Mission

Our mission is to strengthen Maine’s food economy by educating the public about where their food comes from, why it matters, and how to support a more resilient local food system. We do this by operating a unique, centrally located campus in Wiscasset (Maine Tasting Center) that serves as both a public destination and an industry resource. Through a combination of self-guided exhibits, food and beverage tastings, producer-led classes, and special events, we help thousands of visitors each year discover the people, practices, and products that define Maine food.

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MFBEC also provides direct support to industry groups and individual producers, offering space, staffing, and storytelling tools to elevate their work. We promote agritourism, offer classroom and event space, create digital and print content, and provide additional staffing capacity for food-related events and event committees.

 

Everything we do is rooted in the belief that when people understand and connect with their local food systems, they make choices that benefit their communities, the environment, and the producers who feed us all.