MONTROSE ~ Montrose, Colorado - The Business Funding & Incentives Division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT) has announced that Italian Food Emporium, LLC has joined the Rural Jump-Start (RJS) Program. This artisanal pasta manufacturing company is committed to preserving time-honored Italian pasta-making techniques and will bring new jobs, support local agriculture, and sell their Montrose-produced pasta to grocery stores both in and out of the state.

Governor Jared Polis expressed his pride in supporting businesses like Italian Food Emporium that offer unique and high-quality goods and services to communities. He stated, "By fostering opportunities through the Rural Jump-Start initiative, we empower businesses to stimulate local economies, generate jobs, and enhance the quality of life in Colorado communities."

Eve Lieberman, Executive Director of OEDIT, also praised the company's decision to join the RJS program. She stated that their use of traditional techniques and locally sourced ingredients exemplifies how global expertise can integrate with regional assets to create new jobs and diversify the local economy.

Italian Food Emporium prides itself on sourcing fresh ingredients directly from Colorado while staying true to traditional Italian pasta-making methods. With imported flour, meats, and cheeses from Italy and experienced workers using traditional machinery, their pasta has the authentic texture and flavor of Italian craftsmanship. The company plans to open a storefront and manufacturing space in Montrose where they will produce both fresh and dried pasta for sale at their storefront as well as regional farmers markets. They also plan to wholesale their products to grocery stores and restaurants across Colorado and beyond. This expansion will result in four new job opportunities.

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Founder Jenny Pezzica shared her vision for Italian Food Emporium stating, "Our goal is to give both professional chefs and home cooks convenient access to fresh, artisan-quality pasta that tastes just like it was made by nonna." She believes this will allow chefs to add handmade-quality pasta to their menus without compromise and families to enjoy restaurant-level meals at home without the need to make the pasta themselves.

The Rural Jump-Start program aims to encourage economic development and job creation in economically distressed, rural counties of Colorado. These grants support regional economic and workforce development activities that expand local businesses, create new well-paying jobs, and strengthen and diversify local economies. The Montrose Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is one of the sponsoring entities that help identify RJS candidates in their communities and work with businesses to ensure their success in the program and the community.

Sandy Head, Executive Director of MEDC, expressed her excitement about having a startup company like Italian Food Emporium in their community. She stated, "MEDC works with small and large companies alike that want to create primary jobs to bring new dollars into our community. The Italian Food Emporium is a great addition to our community and to the State of Colorado."

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For more information about the Rural Jump-Start program, interested parties can contact Quina Weber-Shirk at quina.webershirk@state.co.us.

The Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT) works towards empowering all individuals to thrive in Colorado's economy. In collaboration with economic development partners across the state, OEDIT fosters a thriving business environment through funding programs, training, consulting services, and informational resources across industries and regions. Their goal is to promote economic growth and long-term job creation by recruiting, retaining, and expanding businesses in Colorado while also supporting entrepreneurs at every stage of growth. OEDIT strives to protect what makes Colorado a great place to live, work, start a business, raise a family, visit, and retire - making it accessible for everyone. To learn more about OEDIT's initiatives visit their website.

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