Making It In Michigan Conference and Trade Show returns to Lansing in May 2025

Ryan Newcomb, Michigan State University Extension -

Join the MSU Product Center for Michigan’s specialty food manufacturers premier event on May 7, 2025.

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Registration is now open for the 16th annual Making It In Michigan (MIIM) Conference and Trade Show on May 7, 2025, hosted by the Michigan State University Product Center at the Lansing Center. The Trade Show, powered by a partnership with the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD), will feature 155 vendors focused on quality Michigan-made food, beverage, and agricultural products. For years, this one-day Trade Show has provided a valuable networking opportunity for new Michigan businesses and companies to connect with buyers across the state.

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Anticipating over 300 participants from around Michigan, the MIIM event will bring together Michigan entrepreneurs, retailers, consumers, government representatives, University colleagues, and more with the sole focus of growing Michigan’s economy.   

“We look forward to hosting the Making It In Michigan Conference and Trade Show in May and are pleased to continue our partnership with MDARD for this year’s event,” said Mollie Woods, director of the MSU Product Center. “We welcome retail buyers as well as the public to this event, which always has a strong base of Michigan food and beverage manufacturers.” 

Along with opportunities to build connections with retailers, up-and-coming food businesses will also have a chance to network and learn from each other. The Making It In Michigan Conference will feature a keynote speaker, panel discussions on specialty food retail and distribution, and two short educational sessions from food industry experts. The MIIM Conference will be held from 8:30-11a.m. on May 7 so vendors can attend both the Conference and Trade Show. The MSU Product Center will recognize exceptional clients in five award categories during the Conference, in addition to awards for vendors participating in the Trade Show.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will be coordinating one-on-one meetings between buyers and suppliers at the Making It In Michigan event. To be eligible for a one-on-one meeting with a buyer, suppliers must be vendors in the Making It In Michigan Trade Show. This is a new requirement for 2025. More information on how to register as a buyer or supplier for this opportunity will be posted in the coming weeks.

If you are interested in attending Making It In Michigan’s Trade Show and Conference at the Lansing Center, please visit our website for registration information. There are two separate registration options, one for the Conference and one for the Trade Show. Trade Show vendors will be sent a coupon code to register two people to attend the Conference at no additional charge. The MIIM Trade Show will be held from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. following the Conference.

General admission to the trade show is free, with members of the public encouraged to walk around, interact with food vendors and enjoy many opportunities for free samples of delicious food and beverages all made in Michigan.

For updates on the Trade Show, Conference and other events, follow the MSU Product Center Facebook page.

MSU Product Center

The MSU Product Center, through MSU Extension, provides business counseling and helps entrepreneurs launch new food and beverage products. One specialized service available is the development of Nutrition Facts labels. Food businesses may contact the Product Center for assistance with labeling.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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