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

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.

  • restroom sinks

    CSU Dominguez Hills Standardizes Plumbing to Improve Restroom Maintenance and Efficiency

    At California State University, Dominguez Hills, facilities leaders have taken steps to standardize restroom fixtures as part of a broader effort to improve maintenance efficiency and control long-term costs.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).