ONEONTA, N.Y. — Hartwick College recently unveiled its new Baking Innovation Lab (BIL), part of the Hartwick Center for Craft Food and Beverage (CCFB), with a grand-opening ceremony on Oct. 22.
“The launch of the Baking Innovation Lab represents a major advancement in our dedication to the craft food and beverage community,” Hartwick President James H. Mullen, Jr. said in a news release. “By offering vital resources and expertise, we enable local producers to innovate and enhance their products, ultimately benefiting our regional economy and food culture.”
Located in 3,500 square feet on Dietz Street in Oneonta, the BIL serves as a hub of collaboration and experimentation. The facility is equipped with a pilot mill, bakery, and classrooms, and provides comprehensive quality testing services for locally produced grains, flour, and grain-based products. Services include grain and flour quality testing, test milling on stone and other mills, and recipe development for whole grain and stone-ground flour.
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The space also allows bakers and food developers to experiment with formulation changes, produce sample products, and refine their processes to achieve the desired product quality.
The lab offers Hartwick students the opportunity to collaborate with industry experts, refine their skills, and contribute to the food and grain sector.
“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,” BIL Director Aimee Hill said. “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.”
The BIL is part of a $19 million mixed-use development on Dietz Street that is part of the Oneonta Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DR). The project received $1.47 million in funding from the city’s $10 million DRI award.
“The Dietz Street project brings together the key ingredients in the recipe for successful downtown revitalization — food, art, housing, and education,” New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said. “The power of mixed-use development deserves recognition, as this project will provide opportunities for low-income artists, individuals with disabilities, and other residents. This is what the DRI is all about, empowering communities like Oneonta to unlock their full potential to grow, foster creativity, and drive economic growth that will make an impact for future generations to come.”
Other federal, state, and private contributors for the project included the U.S. Department of Education, the Appalachian Regional Commission, the New York Department of State, the city of Oneonta, the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, Empire State Development, and Kearney Realty & Development Group.
