Youngblood Winery, a family owned winery in Ray Township, is the recipient of a $55,000 expansion grant from the state of Michigan, obtained with the help of the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development (MCPED).
Dave and Jess Youngblood applied for the grant through the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, which partners with Macomb County to visit the vast agriculture and food manufacturing businesses. The Youngbloods were approved for the grant to expand their production facility. The expansion will allow them to process more grapes, since the output in grape yield is much higher now that their plants are maturing into their productive years. The new facility will be part production, part private event space for things like graduation parties and weddings.
In 2016, the Youngbloods decided to turn their family owned and operated farm (corn, soybean, and Christmas trees), which started in 1945 and spanned across five generations, into the first commercial vineyard in southeast Michigan. Various team members from Macomb County Planning and Economic Development (MCPED) helped facilitate meetings and materials necessary to gain approvals from Ray Township, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Liquor Control Commission.
In 2019, Youngblood Vineyards started bottling and selling their 100% estate-grown grape-based wine (not from kits), which is the only one in the state that carries the Pure Michigan trademark label (100% of the product is locally sourced)
When working with our Business Development team, your business will be connected with service providers, grants, and programs that can help your business grow. The Youngblood’s are growing their businesses by using the resources available to all food manufacturing businesses in Macomb County. If your business can benefit from grant funding, networking events, workforce needs and training, reach out to one of the only counties in Michigan to have a designated food and agriculture specialist on its Business Development team.
Your food and agriculture resource at MCPED is Jack Johns. He can be reached at 586-469-6293 or jack.johns@macombgov.org. Visit business.macombgov.org/Business-Home for additional information about the department.
To learn more about the MDARD grant that the Youngblood’s applied for, visit Michigan.gov/MDARDGrants.
