Helping local businesses thrive is something Macomb County continually strives to accomplish. Whether a business is newly established or has been operating for years, ensuring its success is critical to a strong local economy. One sector that does not always receive as much attention is the food and beverage industry. To help address this, Macomb County launched a targeted grant program in 2025 to support these businesses directly.

Through the creation of the Equip and Thrive Grant (EAT Grant), Macomb County Planning and Economic Development invested in the local food and beverage community by offering businesses the opportunity to apply for up to $5,000 in reimbursement for equipment or technology related to Industry 4.0. Three businesses were awarded funding after meeting the program requirements: Champagne Chocolates of Mount Clemens, Eataliana Homemade Pasta of Sterling Heights, and Brown Iron Brewhouse of Washington Township. Each business represents a different use case for the grant, yet all demonstrate how strategic investments can strengthen local operations.

Champagne Chocolates

Champagne Chocolateswas the first business to receive its grant check from Macomb County Planning and Economic Development's Hali Lenney. Located in downtown Mount Clemens, Champagne Chocolates is a local candy and ice cream shop looking to expand its reach through e-commerce. Using the EAT Grant, the business partnered with a local company to build a Shopify website and provide site management support during the initial launch phase. This investment allowed Champagne Chocolates to diversify its revenue streams and reach customers beyond its physical storefront.

Eataliana Homemade Pasta

Eataliana Homemade Pastaa family-owned business specializing in authentic Italian pasta and in-store cooking classes, sought to improve and increase production capacity. The EAT Grant helped offset the cost of purchasing a pasta-making machine, allowing the business to maintain the same high-quality ingredients customers love while significantly increasing production efficiency. With support from Macomb County Planning and Economic Development, Eataliana was able to improve productivity and better meet customer demand.

Brown Iron Brewhouse

Brown Iron Brewhousehighlights another innovative use of the grant. While Michiganders enjoy craft beer both at the bar and at home, Brown Iron Brewhouse wanted to expand its distribution options beyond traditional growlers. The brewery is now testing small-batch, on-site canning using a compact canning solution from Michigan-based Oktober Can Seamers. The EAT Grant enabled Brown Iron Brewhouse to explore a new distribution method at a reasonable cost, opening the door to future growth opportunities.