Paul Morrell, SBDC director
The Abbey of the Genesee has long been a favorite landmark of the region — and a tasty contributor to many a meal with the brothers’ loaves of freshly baked breads delivered to area stores. Now, the college’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will assist Monks’ Bread promote their most recent expansion of baked goods; two new lines of specialty products — Monks’ Fruit and Nut Bars and Monks’ Biscotti.
“Monks has such a rich tradition and history,” says Paul Morrell, Small Business Development Center director. “We are delighted to work with Monks Bread and promotion of their specialty products.
The SBDC has hired a student intern, Corinne Shanahan ’17, a business administration and communications major, to assist with the Monks’ Bread project. Morrell and Corinne will be focusing on marketing, promotion, market expansion, and researching opportunities for the wholesale and online retail sale in the local and Northeast region. Since 2013, the SBDC has a long history in working with the monastery by SBDC business counselor and School of Business Professor Peter Markulis, who worked with the Abbey to develop its Monks’ Bread retail store, and wrote a case study regarding the Abbey. Shanahan has already organized an email blast and helped develop a marketing research survey of about Monks’ online products. She and Morrell have also summarized and recommended an extensive promotional list of Livingston County Shop– Local marketing campaigns for Monks’ Bread.
Monks’ Fruit and Nut Bars and Monks’ Biscotti is sold online, in regional stores and on campus at Fusion Market, Max Market, Dash at the Commons and Books & Bytes in Milne Library.
Working with a respected business in the area is interesting, says Shanahan. “It’s a great, hands-on experience because I want to go into marketing. This is what people who work in marketing every day. To be able to say I do it as a student is something I value.”
Since 2012, the SUNY Geneseo SBDC has served over 400 clients creating $5.5 million in local investments and created or saved over 200 jobs.