Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Hartwick College Debuts Baking Innovation Lab

  • By Matt Jones
  • 10/22/24

Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y., recently debuted its new Baking Innovation Lab (BIL), part of the Hartwick Center for Craft Food and Beverage, according to a news release. The 3,500-square-foot facility serves as a lab for innovation, collaboration, and experimentation within the food and grain sector. Its ultimate purpose is to boost mid-sized producers and processors of local grains and cereals—namely, bakers, food product developers, and growers.

The lab features amenities like a pilot mill, bakery, and academic space. It will also provide quality testing for local grain & flower products, including grain and flour quality testing, test milling on stone, and recipe development for both whole-grain and stone-ground flour. It will also enable bakers and food developers to experiment with new and revised recipes and formulae, create sample products, and refine processes.

“The launch of the Baking Innovation Lab represents a major advancement in our dedication to the craft food and beverage community,” said Hartwick College President James Mullen. “By offering vital resources and expertise, we enable local producers to innovate and enhance their products, ultimately benefiting our regional economy and food culture. We are thrilled that Hartwick College will establish a presence downtown. This initiative would not have been possible without the unwavering support of the Hartwick College Board of Trustees, the City of Oneonta and the commitment from the Governor’s office.”

The BIL is just one component of a $19-million mixed-use development that is part of the Oneonta Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Funding for the lab came from federal, state, and private contributors including the U.S. Department of Education, the New York Department of State, the City of Oneonta, and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, among others.

“The baking lab represents our dedication to the craft food and beverage industry by providing essential research and resources to businesses utilizing flour and grain,” said Baking Innovation Lab director Aimee Hill. “With our cutting-edge grain and flour quality testing and baking equipment, we are excited to offer a range of services that will deepen our understanding of grain quality in baking, milling and whole-grain flour applications, and enhance the work of local producers.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.

  • St. Lucie County, Fla., Breaks Ground on New K–8 School

    St. Lucie Public Schools in St. Lucie County, Fla., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new K–8 school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., for the design of the upcoming Ft. Pierce K–8 School, which comprises six buildings covering 215,000 square feet.

  • Wyoming District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    Laramie County School District #1 in Cheyenne, Wy., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming Mountain View Elementary School, according to a news release. The facility has an estimated completion date of summer 2028, and it will have the capacity for 650 students in fifth and sixth grade.

  • URI Cuts Underwater Ribbon on New Ocean Robotics Laboratory

    The University of Rhode Island recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Ocean Robotics Laboratory at its Narragansett Bay Campus, according to a news release. Two students used a remotely operated vehicle to cut an underwater ribbon in a 30-by-20-foot test tank.