RUMFORD – About 25 potential food entrepreneurs who want to produce baked goods and jams and do catering turned out Wednesday night for the first of two informational meetings on establishing a commercial, shared kitchen at the River Valley Technology Center.

The second meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Friday.

After a 90-minute lively discussion on the need for licenses and the variety of products that could be produced, facilitator Mark Hews, coordinator for the Threshold of Maine, said his mission had been accomplished.

“This was an awareness meeting. At least a dozen people are interested, and we know the types of foods they want to produce,” he said.

That is important because sufficient interest must be shown before the sponsoring organization, the River Valley Growth Council, can decide whether to help get a feasibility study started for setting up a kitchen.

Developers would look at the design and configuration of the kitchen, how it would be funded, and who would operate it, before the council would find money to renovate part or all of second floor of the tech center.

Grants for the feasibility study and renovations would likely be sought by Diane Ray, grant-writer for the growth council.

Anne Kimball of Rumford Center wants to know how to successfully produce and market a zucchini relish recipe she has made for years. Carleen Dupuis of Mexico is looking into how to set up a catering business, and Kelly Berry of Carthage wants to produce healthy take-out meals for people on the move.

Mark and Mary LaCroix produce baked goods from their licensed home in Peru, and Bob Doucette of Hartford believes there’s a market for homemade baked beans. Others are considering making candy, pies, pickles, diabetic and fat-free foods, chowders and meats.

All require licenses and inspections. With a shared facility, at least one of the license requirements would be met with a licensed kitchen, and other services, such as help with business plans and marketing would be offered.

Hews said the growth council and Threshold to Maine could offer classes to help entrepreneurs work their way through the licensing process for their particular product.

Norris Conant, a farmer from Canton, produces vegetables that could be used by canners, picklers and others, and also is very interested in using the kitchen, and the organization’s associated farmers market, as learning tools for youngsters.

“We’ve got to educate these young kids about where food comes from,” he said.

He said the movement toward a shared kitchen was helped by a $10,000 state grant the town of Rumford and growth council received to set up a local Agricultural Commission, which also sponsored Wednesday’s gathering, and the Friday farmers market held at Labonville in Mexico.

Once Friday’s info session is held, and the council decides whether to spend time, effort and money on the project, Hews said a follow-up meeting will likely be held in the fall.

He said about six commercial, shared kitchen projects are in various stages of completeness across the state.

“The kitchen project is part of a larger process to support local agriculture and to get products from the farm to consumers,” Hews said.