Nebraska Food Processing Center

What Nebraska Food Processing Center does

Nebraska Food Processing Center (FPC) is a multi-disciplinary service, training, and applied-research unit within the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, established in 1983 and headquartered at the Food Innovation Center on Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln, NE, with a secondary extrusion facility in Mead, NE. It delivers confidential, fee-based consulting, analytical testing, product development, sensory evaluation, regulatory and labeling support, and regulated food-safety training (ServSafe, HACCP, FSPCA Preventive Controls, Better Process Control School, Food Microbiology, Recipe to Reality, Extrusion, Freeze Drying) to food entrepreneurs, established manufacturers, food service operators, and agricultural producers. Its revenue mechanics draw on pay-as-you-go workshop tuition ($75–$1,450/person), per-project service fees, dairy plant co-packing (SQF-certified) for external clients including the UNL Dairy Store, Suite Spot incubation tenancy, and grant and commodity-checkoff funding (Nebraska Corn Board, United Sorghum Checkoff Board).

The technical footprint centers on state-of-the-art pilot-plant facilities (twin- and single-screw extruders, an InstaPro commercial extruder, a 600 MPa high-pressure processor and 25 MPa homogenizer, dehydration, baking, confectionery, canning, filtration, and liquid processing equipment) plus an SQF-certified dairy plant, an analytical laboratory (HPLC, ion chromatography, GC-FID, atomic absorption, particle size analysis), a microbiology lab using the BAX system for rapid Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli O157:H7 detection, and a sensory analysis lab. A separate Biomaterials Program extends the platform into biobased industrial products and has produced five granted patents covering biodegradable polymers, spray-on mulch film, microcrystalline cellulose via reactive extrusion, levulinic acid production, and water-resistant degradable foam.

FPC operates primarily a sales-led, event-driven go-to-market: direct service requests, workshop registrations at the Lincoln campus, and referrals through the Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Its customer base spans startups incubated in Suite Spot (private offices, dedicated desks, hot desks), small and mid-sized food manufacturers, and large institutional clients; regulated training is delivered both in-person and online, and the center distributes through the UNL/FST ecosystem, the Alliance for Advanced Food Sanitation, FARRP, and the Nebraska Food for Health Center. FPC holds SQF certification for its dairy plant and is FDA-approved and FSPCA- and International HACCP Alliance-authorized for regulated training, forming a regulatory moat that gates food-industry training revenue and that is structurally difficult to replicate outside a land-grant setting.

Name

Nebraska Food Processing Center

Legal name

The Food Processing Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Website

https://fpc.unl.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Food Processing Center, established 1983, provides food-industry consulting, analytical testing, product development, pilot-plant services, and FDA/FSPCA-authorized training to food entrepreneurs, manufacturers, processors, and food service operators across Nebraska and the US Midwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Industry Technical and Consulting Services

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFALADAG

Recall Readiness, Crisis Management & Regulatory Liaison

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Safety, Testing & Certification/Regulatory Compliance Testing & Consulting (FDA/USDA/EFSA, HACCP)

Keywords

• Food processing services
• Product development consulting
• Food safety training
• Pilot plant facilities
• Food industry research

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Technical and Consulting Services: Food industry consulting services including food safety, product development, microbiology testing, labeling and regulatory compliance. Delivered confidentially and in a timely manner.
2. Educational Workshops and Training: Fee-based workshops and training programs for food industry professionals including ServSafe, HACCP, Better Process Control Schools, FSPCA, Food Microbiology, and specialized topics like freeze drying and extrusion.
3. Food Analysis and Testing Services: Analytical chemistry testing for nutrition labels, proximate composition, mycotoxins, and specialized food components. Proximate analysis, HPLC, GC, and atomic absorption services.
4. Sensory Analysis Services: Full range of sensory analysis and consulting services including informal testing, consumer testing (acceptance, paired comparison, ranking, difference testing, triangle, preference, hedonic scales), and attribute rating.
5. Dairy Plant Operations: SQF certified dairy plant producing UNL Dairy Store ice cream and co-packing ice creams for external clients.
6. Suite Spot Client Offices: On-site private offices, dedicated desks, and hot desks with access to FPC facilities. Partners receive discounts on FPC services and networking opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Food Processing Center is a multi-disciplinary food industry resource that provides consulting, technical, educational, and business development services. Its core offerings include food analysis and microbiology testing, food safety consulting (HACCP, FSMA, FSPCA), product and process development, sensory analysis, labeling and regulatory compliance, pilot plant access (extrusion, high-pressure processing, dairy), and applied biomaterials research, complemented by fee-based workshops and certification training and the Suite Spot business incubator.

Product overview

The Food Processing Center (FPC) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a multi-disciplinary resource center established in 1983, providing consulting, educational, technical, and business development services to the food industry. The center operates as a unified suite of integrated services organized into three main pillars: (1) Core analytical and lab services including Food Analysis, Microbiology Lab Services, and Food Safety Services; (2) Product development capabilities spanning Product & Process Development, Sensory Analysis Lab, Suite Spot client offices, and Pilot Plant Facilities with extrusion and dairy processing; (3) Applied Research & Engineering including the Biomaterials Program for biobased products development. Additionally, FPC offers a comprehensive portfolio of workshops and training programs including HACCP, ServSafe, FSPCA Preventive Controls, Better Process Control Schools, Food Microbiology, Recipe to Reality, Extrusion, and Freeze Drying workshops. The center serves entrepreneurs, established manufacturers, and food businesses through confidential, price-competitive services delivered from the Food Innovation Center on Nebraska Innovation Campus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Suite Spot: A suite of on-site private offices, dedicated desks, and hot desks with access to state-of-the-art food facility for food entrepreneurs and growing companies.

Products and services

• Food Safety Services Comprehensive food safety consulting services including HACCP plan development, FSMA compliance, food safety certification assistance, recall and traceability support, GMP inspections, and employee training.
• Food Analysis Facility Analytical testing laboratory providing proximate composition analysis, nutritional labeling, lipid stability testing, polyphenol analysis, and quality assessment for food products and ingredients.
• Microbiology Lab Services Rapid and accurate microbiological testing including general microbiology (aerobic plate count, coliforms, yeast and mold), pathogen testing (E. coli O157:H7, Listeria, Salmonella), probiotic testing, and shelf life studies.
• Labeling & Regulatory Compliance Expert review and preparation of FDA/USDA-compliant food labels including Nutrition Facts panels, ingredient statements, allergen declarations, and nutritional claims verification.
• Product & Process Development Innovative formulation and process development services including creative concept development, ingredient substitution, line extensions, and scale-up assistance for commercial production.
• Sensory Analysis Lab Full-service sensory evaluation including consumer testing (acceptance, paired comparison, triangle tests), hedonic scales, attribute rating, and expert sensory panel consultations.
• Suite Spot Client Offices On-site private offices, dedicated desks, and hot desks with access to state-of-the-art food facility including pilot plants, development labs, sensory testing, and product labeling expertise for food entrepreneurs.
• Pilot Plant Facilities Extensive food processing equipment including extrusion, high-pressure processing (HPP), dehydration/drying, baking, confectionery, canning, liquid processing, filtration, and packaging capabilities for product development and testing.
• Extrusion Services Twin and single screw cooking extrusion, pasta extrusion, with full pilot-scale capabilities at the Mead, Nebraska location.
• Dairy Plant SQF-certified dairy processing facility producing ice cream and co-packing services with equipment including homogenizer, cheese vats, ice cream freezers, and pasteurizers.
• Biomaterials Program Development and commercialization of industrial products using agricultural materials and byproducts, including extrusion research, extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, biofuels, and bioproducts research.
• Manufacturing Resources (Nebraska MEP) Partnership with Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership providing consulting to increase profitability and competitiveness of manufacturers.
• ServSafe Training National Restaurant Association food safety certification training for managers and food handlers covering safe food handling practices ($225/person for 1-day in-person course).
• Principles of HACCP for Meat and Poultry Processors (In-Person Course) In-person HACCP training for meat and poultry processors following International HACCP Alliance curriculum.
• Virtual HACCP for Meat and Poultry Processors 3-day online course ($495/person) providing foundational knowledge and tools to develop and implement HACCP plans following International HACCP Alliance curriculum.
• FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food 5-day online course ($700/person) meeting PCQI requirements under FDA regulations for food safety plan preparation, validation, and reanalysis.
• Better Process Control School 2.5-day in-person training for processors of shelf-stable, low-acid and acidified foods meeting FDA 21 CFR 113 and 114 requirements ($800/person).
• Better Process Control School for Acidified Foods (Online) Online Better Process Control School for acidified foods ($500/person).
• Better Process Control School for Acidified Foods (In-Person) In-person Better Process Control School for acidified foods ($450/person).
• Food Microbiology Workshop 3-day in-person workshop ($1,450/person) providing training in microbiological testing methods including detection, enumeration, isolation, and pathogen identification.
• Recipe to Reality Seminar 1-day seminar ($300/person; $150 for each additional person on same registration) covering food business development including market research, regulatory issues, packaging, pricing, and food safety fundamentals.
• Extrusion Workshop 3-day hands-on workshop ($1,400/person) combining extrusion theory with pilot plant exercises for product development in various food categories.
• Freeze Drying Workshop 2-day hands-on workshop ($350/person) covering freeze drying principles, food applications, product development, and commercialization strategies.
• InFORM: Introduction to Food Operations, Regulations, and Management Self-paced online training series ($75/person introductory, marked down from $100 standard) covering food microbiology fundamentals, hazard identification, and processing concepts leading to digital badges.
• How to Obtain a Federal Grant of Inspection 1-day workshop guiding meat processors through USDA FSIS federal inspection application process and compliance requirements.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Nebraska MEP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014FPC helped establish the Nebraska MEP at UNL in 2014. Nebraska MEP works with manufacturers to increase profitability and competitiveness through workforce development, product innovation, and market expansion. FPC provides food industry expertise within the MEP National Network.
• Industrial Agricultural Products CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-department collaboration across University of Nebraska departments for biomaterials and biobased product development. The Biomaterials Program assists companies in developing and commercializing industrial products using agricultural materials and byproducts.
• Food Allergy Research & Resource Program (FARRP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelated UNL program providing food allergy expertise that complements FPC's food safety services and research capabilities.
• Nebraska Food for Health CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelated UNL center focused on food and health research, complementing FPC's food processing and safety expertise.
• Nebraska Corn BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding support for grain processing research and development of new products from corn and grain sorghum.
• United Sorghum Checkoff BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding support for grain sorghum research and value-added product development from sorghum fiber and co-products.
• Nebraska Tractor Test LaboratoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on biofuel implementation research and evaluation for transportation fuel systems and end-user effectiveness.
• Wenger ManufacturingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner providing extrusion expertise for workshops and research. Doug Baldwin (VP) serves on FPC Advisory Board. Wenger provides expert presenters for extrusion training programs.
• Ensign BeveragesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJessi Hoeft, founder of Ensign Beverages, serves as Advisory Board President, providing industry perspective and mentorship.
• Nebraska Workforce DevelopmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNebraska companies may be eligible for funding assistance through Nebraska Workforce Development for workshop participation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NSF International: Global food safety certification, training, and standards body. Competes with FPC's ServSafe/HACCP/FSPCA/BPCS training portfolio and offers SQF-aligned programs at national scale.
• Eurofins Scientific: Global commercial food testing laboratory network. Provides analytical, microbiology, and sensory services at national scale — competing with FPC's Food Analysis Facility and Microbiology Lab for multi-site enterprise clients.
• Mérieux NutriSciences: International food testing, labeling, and regulatory services provider. Directly competes with FPC's labeling/regulatory compliance, microbiology, and food analysis service lines at broader geographic scale.

Direct peers

• UC Davis Food Technology Center (Brewing/Food Pilot): UC Davis pilot plant and food technology facility providing industry training, product development, and analytical services. Matches FPC's academic-extension service profile.
• Oregon State University Food Innovation Center: Oregon State University's food research and pilot facility offering sensory, processing, and product development services. Comparable scope and university-affiliated delivery model.
• Texas A&M Food Innovation Center: Texas A&M university-affiliated center providing food technology, pilot plant, and product development resources — comparable university extension model focused on regional industry support.
• Rutgers Food Innovation Center: Rutgers University center providing pilot plant access, food safety training, sensory analysis, and product development services to food entrepreneurs and processors in the Northeast. Closest direct analog to FPC's multi-disciplinary model.
• NC State University Food Innovation Pilot Plant: NC State's food science pilot plant serving entrepreneurs and processors with co-packing, scale-up, and safety training. Directly comparable scope to FPC's pilot plant and dairy operations.
• Cornell Food Venture Center (Cornell University): Cornell University's pilot plant and product development facility for food entrepreneurs. Operates as a university-affiliated one-stop resource for food safety, testing, and process development — directly comparable to FPC's mission and service mix.
• University of Wisconsin–Madison Food Research Institute: UW–Madison research center focused on food safety and microbiology testing for industry. Overlaps with FPC's microbiology lab, pathogen testing, and HACCP training offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nebraska Food Processing Center