Virginia Food Works Availability
VFW is open to commercial clients by appointment only. Scheduling is prioritized on a first come, first served basis and reservations should be made up to a month in advance during the busy season (June-December).
For “home canning” availability, visit the Prince Edward County Cannery page.
| Commercial Production Availability | Thursday, Friday, & Saturdays by Appointment Only |
If you’re exploring the idea of producing your food product for the first time, welcome — we’re glad you’re here.
To help us understand where you are in your process and how we can best support you, we ask inquirers to complete the form below. You do not need to have everything figured out yet. Many clients come to us while still refining their recipe, learning about regulations, or preparing for their first production run.
Your answers simply give us a starting point so we can:
- determine whether your product is eligible for production in our facility,
- identify any regulatory steps you may still need,
- understand your equipment and batch‑size needs, and
- guide you toward a smooth, successful first session.
Once you submit the form, a member of the Virginia Food Works team will review your information and follow up with next steps, services, rental cost, and available scheduling windows.
We look forward to learning about your product and helping you take the next step in your food business journey.
Product Information
What product do you plan to produce? (Jam, sauce, beverage, pickled item, salsa, etc.)
Describe your product in a few sentences: (Flavor profile, intended use, target customer, etc.)
What stage is your recipe currently in?
- ☐ Concept
- ☐ Tested at home
- ☐ Ready for commercial production
- ☐ Already selling and scaling up
Do you have a finalized recipe?
- ☐ Yes
- ☐ No
- ☐ Still developing
Does your product require a specific process?
- ☐ Hot-fill
- ☐ Water-bath
- ☐ Pressure canning
- ☐ Not sure yet
Ingredients & Formulation
DOes your recipe contain any allergens?
- ☐ Yes
- ☐ No
- ☐ Not sure
Regulatory & Compliance
Have you completed a Process Authority Review?
- ☐ Yes
- ☐ No
- ☐ In progress
- ☐ Not sure what this is
Are you registered with VDACS or planning to register?
- ☐ Registered
- ☐ Planning to register
- ☐ Not sure
Have you completed any food safety training?
- ☐ ServSafe
- ☐ Better Process Control School
- ☐ Other
- ☐ None yet
Production Needs
Estimated batch size for your first run: (Example: 20 cases, 200 jars, etc.)
How often do you anticipate producing?
- ☐ One-time
- ☐ Monthly
- ☐ Quarterly
- ☐ Seasonally
- ☐ Unsure
How many people will be working with you during production?
What equipment do you anticipate needing?
- ☐ Kettles
- ☐ Mixers
- ☐ Fillers
- ☐ Canners
- ☐ Other (please specify)
Do you need help scaling your recipe to commercial batch size?
- ☐ Yes
- ☐ No
- ☐ Possibly
Packaging & Labeling
What type of container will you use? (Glass jar, bottle, pouch, etc.)
Container size(s):
Do you have labels prepared?
- ☐ Yes
- ☐ No
- ☐ Need guidance
Will you apply labels during your production session?
- ☐ Yes
- ☐ No
Business & Distribution
Are you currently selling your product?
- ☐ Yes
- ☐ No
Where do you plan to sell your product?
- ☐ Farmers markets
- ☐ Retail stores
- ☐ Online
- ☐ Wholesale
- ☐ Other
Target timeline for first production run: (Example: “Late spring,” “Before holiday season,” “As soon as possible”)
Additional Support
Do you need assistance with any of the following?
- ☐ Understanding the shared-use model
- ☐ Scaling or pricing
- ☐ Packaging or labeling
- ☐ Regulatory guidance
- ☐ General consulting
- ☐ Not at this time
info@VirginiaFoodWorks.org
www.facebook.com/virginiafoodworks
Cannery/Commercial Kitchen Address
*Please contact us for mailing as office address differs from cannery address. No mail can be received at the cannery. Deliveries need to have coordination with staff.
