Maureen Ballatori is an experienced entrepreneur, skilled creative strategist, and fierce advocate for food, beverage, and agriculture.
BIO AND HEADSHOTS
Maureen Ballatori (she/her) is the Founder and CEO of Agency 29, an award-winning creative agency for food, beverage, and agriculture brands. Her experience in brand strategy helps companies scale business growth, define their unique marketing message, and attract their ideal audiences.
Maureen’s rural roots are the source of her passion for agriculture marketing and food. An active community member, Maureen holds multiple board seats for local and international organizations and she is a national speaker and workshop facilitator.
Maureen is pronounced more-een. Ballatori is pronounced bale-uh-tore-ee.
Upcoming Speaking Engagements
The Spilled Salt Podcast is an interview series hosted by Maureen Ballatori on the thrills and spills of leadership in the food, beverage, and agriculture industries. Enjoy guests from E. & J. Gallo, Cornell University, YES! Apples, Jack Link's, NOSH, and more.
Chesapeake Sun, March 29, 2024
Maureen Ballatori's Top 5 Key Takeaways from World Agri-Tech.
Maureen Ballatori leads the discussion on her impressions of World Agri-Tech in San Francisco with an esteemed and thoughtful audience.
Cornell AgriTech, May 9, 2023
Coffee, Coaching & Connections, presented by the New York State Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell AgriTech.
From cultivating a social media following to designing product packaging that'll capture the eye of consumers, building a brand is a vital part of starting and growing a food, beverage or agriculture business.
Maureen joins Cathy Young, Executive Director of the New York State Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell AgriTech and Bill Hutches, Founder of Works Design Group.
Tompkins Chamber, January 11, 2023
Using Data To Grow Your Brand
The competition for attention, both online and in person, is extremely high. Data can help you identify how you stand out, which tactics resonate with your audience, and where to find opportunities for brand growth. Maureen Ballatori of 29 Design Studio teaches a 4-step process to Plan, Implement, Analyze and Repeat when it comes to approaching your marketing for your business. The saying goes “If you don’t measure it, it doesn’t matter”. Learn how to analyze the effectiveness of your marketing so you can maximize your efforts while creating a life cycle of constant improvement.
eCornell, September 12, 2022
Scaling Your Innovative Food Startup: Trends and Lessons in Consumer Packaged Goods
Food entrepreneurs entering the consumer packaged goods (CPG) space face unique challenges due to the breadth of this ever-expanding sector. Maureen joined a panel of industry experts to discuss the lessons they’ve learned along the way, including working with investors and advisors to support their companies on the path to national distribution.
Port 100 Rochester, August 10, 2022
NY Cannabis Growers & Processors Association (NYCGPA) Presents: Brand Positioning and Packaging Design
Emerging cannabis brands in New York State have an opportunity to build their reputation in the new NYS cannabis market. In this presentation, I gave some tips on ways to differentiate yourself in the industry including tactical advice like how to pre-check your brand name, why branding is important, and when to talk with a trademark attorney. We also reviewed the PROPOSED NYS guidance on packaging rules (subject to change in the final guidelines).
Culinary Institute of America, June 29, 2022
Invest NY: Future of Food
Maureen Ballatori, Founder + CEO of Agency 29, joined a panel of industry professionals to discuss Food Investment Trends & Resources. The conversation flowed around topics such as types of deals and deal flow, barriers for investment, developing collaboration, changes in the landscape over time, gender parity in the agtech industry, resource discovery, and storytelling.
Ontario County Chamber of Commerce, April 19, 2022
Alfresco FLX
Maureen Ballatori, Founder + CEO of Agency 29, discusses "Using Data to Grow Your Brand" at Alfresco FLX.
Alfresco FLX 2022 brought together leaders in regional, national, and international marketing, sales, and brand elevation for a full day of interactive programming. The event was held at Bristol Mountain Resort on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. Initially focused on the craft food and beverage industry, Alfresco FLX has grown to include all firms and entrepreneurs who seek to engage new audiences, grow their revenue and refine their brand in the Finger Lakes as the region benefits from world-wide media attention.
Rev: Ithaca Startup Works, May 21, 2024
Rev Content Session: Discovering Your Brand
Whether you're a budding entrepreneur, a seasoned professional, or simply someone with a passion to express, crafting your brand is essential for standing out in a crowded world. Join us virtually for a branding content session with Maureen Ballatori, founder and CEO of Agency 29.
The Commissary, Rochester Downtown Development Corporation, September 21, 2021
Shelf-Made: Getting your Product Ready for Distribution & On Retail Shelves
Maureen Ballatori, Founder + CEO of Agency 29, and Frank Cavallaro, COO of Ithaca Hummus, reviewed what it takes to get your product ready for a wider audience: working with a distributor, wholesaling, or pitching to get it ready for the grocery store. This workshop outlined branding, shelf life, supply chain, and pitching your product.
Future of Food, Upstate Capital Association on NY, 2021
Ready, Set, Grow: How to Scale for Acquistion
Maureen Ballatori, Founder + CEO of Agency 29, Todd Kletter of Wealthpoint Management discussed marketing and relationship building to prepare your company for acquisition.
Abbreviated Bio
Maureen Ballatori is the founder and CEO of Agency 29, an award-winning creative agency for food, beverage, and agriculture brands. Maureen's experience in brand strategy helps companies scale business growth, define their unique marketing message, and attract their ideal audiences. She is a national speaker and workshop facilitator.
Approved Images
You are free to use these photos digitally. Right click to download. Email maureen@agency29.com to request high-resolution versions.
