Made With Love, Not Alcohol Founder and Flavor Maven Shelley Elkovich has brought her woman-owned, family-run business, For Bitter For Worse, to Rochester, NY, where it now operates out of a historic former distillery. For Bitter For Worse is known for crafting complex, non-alcoholic cocktails using locally farmed and foraged botanicals. The company was drawn to Rochester … Continued

Optics is Everywhere, and it’s Essential. This week, Rochester, NY, hosts SPIE’s Optifab conference and Luminate Finals, spotlighting the region’s leadership in optics, photonics, imaging, and lasers. SPIE’s CEO Kent Rochford highlights Optifab’s 20-year history in Rochester, driven by its strong academic and industry base. He explains in this GRE Why ROC segment how optics powers everyday … Continued

Your DNA, Your Health, Your Future Rochester Regional Health has launched a no-cost genetic screening program to help you understand your risk for certain cancers, heart conditions, and even traits like caffeine sensitivity. Open to adults 18+, GenoWell is a chance to learn more about your health and contribute to groundbreaking research that’s shaping the … Continued

People-First, Future-Focused Linden Digital Marketing is making waves in ROC. Linden Digital Marketing, a full-service digital marketing agency, leads with a people-first approach. The company recently invested in a new building to support in-person collaboration and create a “content house” for creative work. Lindsay Connelly, Linden’s President, discusses how her team keeps an eye on emerging technologies like … Continued

Print On Demand Leader RPI Print is thriving in Rochester, powering millions of personalized products for top brands like Canva and Blurb. With decades of experience and a tech-forward approach, RPI delivers high-quality, on-demand printing solutions from the Greater Rochester, NY region, which is known for its rich imaging history, skilled talent pool, and strategic location. Andy … Continued

Coffee That Lifts Everyone Joe Bean Coffee has been a Rochester staple for more than 20 years, thriving through a commitment to quality, consistency, and ethical sourcing. As a B Corp, its mission, “coffee that lifts everyone”, is reflected in its strong relationships with farming partners. In response to rising global tariffs, including a recent 50% … Continued

Designing With Purpose #ROC’s CPL is celebrating its 50th anniversary. While the firm has expanded across multiple states, Rochester remains its home and foundation. CPL’s growth has been driven by impactful projects across a range of industries, including healthcare, education, infrastructure, and community development, demonstrating their commitment to smart, purpose-driven design rooted in long-standing local partnerships. Todd … Continued

From Sketch to Prototype KEK Design, a third-generation family business in Rochester, has been innovating for more than 55 years. Known for turning ideas into prototypes, KEK Design has designed products like McDonald’s cash registers, L3Harris fire radios, and even Callaway rangefinders. They tap into local talent, particularly from RIT, while also leveraging programs like the GRE Economic Gardening to fuel growth. Check … Continued

Job fairs set for August 5-6 and September 9-10 fairlife, a fast-growing ultra-filtered milk brand, is hiring for a range of positions to support its new 750,000 SF production facility in Greater Rochester’s Webster, NY. This expansion, which will establish the largest dairy processing facility in the Northeast, is expected to create 250 new jobs. Katie … Continued

A Winning Tradition This week’s GRE Why Roc interview on WROC TV takes a look behind the scenes at what it takes for Saint John Fisher University to host Buffalo Bills training camp. From NFL-grade facilities and quality food to an enthusiastic welcome from staff and fans, the Roc community shows up to support the … Continued

Three Days of Spirits & Sound Save the date! The 2025 Hoochenanny Whiskey & Music Festival is coming to Camp Eastman in Irondequoit, NY from August 8–10. Enjoy 150+ premium spirits from 30+ national and regional distilleries, plus an amazing music lineup featuring Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Charles Wesley Godwin, Dark Star Orchestra, and more. … Continued

A Recipe for Success Craft Cannery has completed a major expansion, doubling its plant and installing a new high-speed bottling line, boosting output significantly for its co-packing and private label partners. This positions the company to better serve regional and national brands looking for small to mid-size batch production. In addition to scaling operations, Craft … Continued

A Celebration of Sound The Rochester International Jazz Festival returns for its 22nd year, celebrating a mix of world-class music, including jazz, funk, soul, Latin, country, and rock, ensuring there’s something for everyone. With 285 concerts across 18 walkable venues, the festival thrives thanks to its passionate fans, generous sponsors, and Rochester’s vibrant and musically educated … Continued

Powering the Future with Energy Innovations The Raymond Corporation is expanding its energy innovation efforts in the Greater Rochester, NY region, cutting the ribbon on a new advanced energy solutions test center in Henrietta, NY. In addition, they announced plans to expand in Honeoye Falls to support fuel cell testing. Jennifer Lupo, Vice President of Technology … Continued

A Boost for the Local Beverage Industry The UltraPhil Center for Aseptic Excellence recently opened in Downtown #ROC, providing a significant boost to Rochester’s beverage manufacturing sector. The new facility is the world’s first and only small-scale, bottle-based pilot plant specifically for aseptic beverage research, development, and production. UltraPhil enables beverage manufacturers of all sizes—from … Continued

Revitalizing the Rochester Skyline Gallina Development has successfully transformed the iconic Metropolitan into a mixed-use building over the past 10 years. Prive, the newest addition to The Metropolitan, is an event space on the top floor.  This elegant space offers breathtaking views, flexible room configurations, personal chef services, and customized experiences.  Lauren Gallina Payne and David … Continued

Bringing Life to the Next Generation of Breakthroughs G&H leaders look forward to cutting the ribbon on their new Life Sciences Innovation Hub in #ROC tomorrow! As a world leader in optical design, testing, and manufacturing, Rochester is the perfect place to extend its established legacy in the UK and meet market needs in the US. The hub will … Continued

Innovation Awaits The Imagine RIT Creativity and Innovation Festival returns to the RIT campus on April 26. RIT’s signature event showcases the imaginative and inventive spirit of RIT students, faculty, and staff. This free event has a record-breaking 434 exhibits this year, covering everything from AI and rockets to solar cars and DNA necklaces.  Bob Finnerty, … Continued

Changing the Way You Interact With the World Vuzix, a Rochester-based technology company, is at the forefront of wearable AR and VR display technologies. Their smart glasses provide hands-free access to digital information. Some examples include map navigation, text messages, and even real-time captions and universal translation, significantly benefiting the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and assisting with language barriers. Paul … Continued

Seating Inc. Continues to Grow Seating Inc., a multigenerational family-owned business that is consistently ranked one of the top women-owned businesses in the Greater Rochester, NY region, is growing. The company’s success at designing and manufacturing chairs is thanks to their hardworking, talented workforce. Emily Hart and Saksham Mittal discuss the company’s success and how the GRE … Continued