MarketShare

Driving Growth for Maine Food & Beverage Brands Through Smart Market Access

  • Maine Entrepreneurs Summit 2026 USM Abromson Center
  • Maine Entrepreneurs Summit 2026 USM Abromson Center

MarketShare, originally developed by Maine Center for Entrepreneurs (MCE) and now part of the Maine Center, is a 12-month, renewable accelerator for established Maine food and beverage companies ready to expand regionally and nationally in foodservice, grocery/retail, and ecommerce. Each member works with a seasoned project manager and 100+ food mentors to assess strengths, close gaps, and drive market growth. Participants gain access to SPINS data, a Nielsen Byzzer report, trend insights, targeted coaching, educational webinars, skill-building workshops, and trade support—equipping them with the tools, data, and connections to grow strategically.

Key Program Elements

Gain exclusive access to syndicated consumer data and tailored insights. Our team leverages SPINS and Nielsen’s Byzzer to help you uncover growth opportunities, evaluate competitors, and strengthen your brand positioning.

Experience hands-on learning through targeted workshops, expert-led webinars, and premier trade events.

Members benefit from our comprehensive databases for natural, specialty, and seafood retail and foodservice channels, along with full use of MCE’s robust trade resource library.

Receive professional coaching from seasoned food industry experts with deep experience in retail and foodservice – with over 100 food mentors in our network.

Is MarketShare Right for You?

Yes – if you:

  • Have a proven value-added product and sales history
  • Have resources to sell out-of-state; regionally and/or nationally
  • Are looking to secure more grocery and retail shelf space

What Our Clients Are Saying

The food mentors are amazing, knowledgeable and quick to respond, bringing incredible CPG expertise and a deep understanding of today’s consumers and grocery buyers. Their guidance in developing a targeted consumer survey—paired with syndicated Point of Sale data—gave us the information we needed to confidently position our brand with buyers and presentations. Thank you for all your insight!”

– Betty Crush, Founder, Mom’s Munchies

Working with the food mentors has been vital to our strategic growth. Their data and analysis allowed my team to identify key trends in what can be a complex U.S. market, and helped target our sales efforts towards those areas with the best opportunities.”

– Brendan Parsons, Owner, Blackstone Point Oysters

As a food entrepreneur, the webinars, workshops, and events have been incredibly valuable. They’ve given us practical tools and insights to better understand the market and grow our business. Just as importantly, they’ve connected us with a community of fellow founders where we can share ideas, challenges, and advice.”

– Pete Ventre, Co-owner, Pemberton’s Gourmet Foods

Questions?

For questions about the MarketShare program or application process, please contact mainecenter@maine.edu.

MarketShare is proudly supported by