Mainebiz

V O L . X X V I N O. X X I X D E C E M B E R 1 4 , 2 0 2 0 8 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E Maine's Board of Environmental Protection has awarded the company three critical permits for its planned land-based aquaculture facility. On Nov. 19, state regulators unanimously approved licenses or permits manag- ing water discharge, air emissions, site location and pollution discharge elimination. Nordic Aquafarms has been going through the permit appli- cation process for 18 months. In 2018, the Belfast City Council approved a zoning ordinance change that allows the company to move forward on its $150 million Phase 1 project to build one of the world's largest indoor salmon farms on a 54-acre site off U.S. Route 1. N O T E W O R T H Y M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T The Maine Theater Fund of the Maine Community Foundation in Ellsworth awarded 17 grants totaling $76,829 to support professional and commu- nity theaters in the production and presentation of live theater in the state. The foundation also said its Maine Expansion Arts Fund awarded 13 grants totaling $59,250 to support indigenous, ethnic or rural arts pro- grams or projects, particularly those that serve areas with limited access to arts events. Maine Shellfish Developers LLC in Walpole received $649,690 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Small Business Innovation Research Program. The funding will be used to increase the production of low- cost, sustainable oysters and bolster Maine's seafood economy. Bar Harbor Bank & Trust presented donations totaling more than $11,000 to seven northern New England nonprofit organizations as part of its employee-driven charitable giving pro- gram, Casual for a Cause. Power company has a new president Bangor-based Versant Power has a new president, John Flynn, who began work Dec. 1. With over 30 years of utility industry experience, Flynn succeeds President and Chief process. e deal was announced in June. Andrew Silsby, president and CEO of Kennebec Savings Bank, said while the companies had originally targeted an end-of-year completion date, early March 2021 makes more sense. After the merger, he will stay in his current role at the enlarged Kennebec Savings Bank. N O T E W O R T H Y C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N As part of its Community Solutions Grants, MaineHousing in Augusta awarded $150,000 to the city of Sanford to rehabilitate tax foreclosed single family and two-family buildings and $75,000 to the city of Lewiston to support its application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's $30+ million Choice Neighborhoods Initiative. The University of Maine at Augusta is now offering a certificate and an associate degree program in Dental Assisting as well as the Expanded Functions Dental Assisting curriculum at its UMA Lewiston Center. Sunday River in Newry announced that its Food Pantry Challenge raised $24,000 for the Bethel Food Pantry. Farmed salmon site closer to reality in Belfast Nordic Aquafarms is closer to break- ing ground in Belfast now that B R I E F A growing coffee company will take over Cellardoor space at Thompson's Point B y R e n e e C o r d e s P o r t l a n d — A former wine tasting venue at the Thompson's Point mixed-use complex in Portland will soon give way to a new coffee roasting and brewing facility, as Rwanda Bean Coffee gets ready to move into the space vacated by Cellardoor Winery. Cellardoor closed its tasting room in September amid coronavirus-related restrictions on large gatherings, while continuing vineyard operations in Lincolnville and distribut- ing wine at retail outlets statewide and online. Rwanda Bean, founded in 2013, is a mission-driven coffee wholesaler and retailer that gives back 50% of its profits to growers in founder Mike Mwenedata's East African homeland. The business has retail locations at 463 Stevens Ave. in Portland and at Cape Whoopies in South Portland. Mwenedata, the company's CEO, told Mainebiz that Rwanda Bean is in the process of getting permitting and licensing for the new location, and working to get the roaster installed at Thompson's Point, where it also plans to have an espresso bar. "We are really trying to highlight the roasting and oppor- tunities for coffee experiences for coffee enthusiasts while continuing to grow our coffee subscription service," he said. "We felt that Thompson's Point was a beautiful place to tell the story of Rwanda Bean," he added. "It will allow us to increase the exposure of our coffee process, which will amplify our opportunities to support the Rwandan farmers and communities, as well as the local communities here that we are proud to serve." Rwanda Bean will occupy a 2,400-square-foot space in the Brick North Building, also home to Bissell Brothers Brewing Co., Stroudwater Distillery, Color Me Mine, the International Cryptozoology Museum, Halo Studios and Big Room Studios. Elissa English-O'Brien, regional relationships director at Northern Hospitality Group, the ownership group and management company for Thompson's Point, described the Rwanda Bean space as a high profile "end-cap" of the building, facing Interstate 295. Ben Graffius, co-founder of Rwanda Bean, said that "Thompson's Point is emerging as Portland's great new neighborhood for arts, culture, food and drink, and entertain- ment, for people of all ages and all backgrounds. This is the perfect spot for Rwanda Bean to continue its growth, and we are truly excited to be part of the amazing community of businesses at the Point." M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N F I L E P H O T O / J I M N E U G E R Rwanda Bean will join Bissell Brothers Brewing Co., Stroudwater Distillery and other retailers at Thompson's Point. Mike Mwenedata of Rwanda Bean Co., photographed at Cape Whoopies in South Portland.

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