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

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Parallel Architectural Products

    Armstrong World Industries, provider of interior and exterior architectural applications, recently announced that it has acquired the Colorado-based Parallel Architectural Products, according to a news release.

  • Illinois State University Breaks Ground on College of Fine Arts Transformation

    Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project, according to university news. The series of new constructions and renovations will upgrade spaces in Centennial East, the Center for the Visual Arts, and the Center for the Performing Arts, as well as replace the existing Centennial West facility with a new Commons Building.

  • North Carolina District Completes New Elementary School

    The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in Holly Springs, N.C., recently announced that construction on a new elementary school has finished, according to a news release. Rex Road Elementary School measures in at 133,000 square feet and is the fifteenth school that general contractor Balfour Beatty has completed for the district.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.