| The North Carolina Department of Agriculture | | | | reasons so what is a new food processor to do? |
| along with Southern Foods in Greensboro, North | | | | What is needed is a commercial kitchen for |
| Carolina hosted "Food Marketing in the Real World; | | | | incubator businesses. |
| a workshop for food entrepreneurs in March of | | | | Where are these kitchens? This is where it gets a |
| this year. After driving for more than an hour | | | | bit tricky. You can first check the local or state |
| attempting to locate Southern Foods and listening | | | | extension center, technical community colleges or |
| to the different foodies share their stories, hopes | | | | incubator business centers that have culinary/food |
| and dreams a question arose concerning the | | | | programs or commercial kitchens. |
| many perils experienced by these free thinking | | | | An incubator kitchen allows home food processors |
| foodies. How do you grow your business and | | | | the opportunity to test marketed their products |
| move your product from home kitchen and to | | | | before going the brick and mortar route; and |
| open market? | | | | although the location of the incubator kitchen may |
| The solution is not difficult, however it may | | | | not fit everyone's needs it may be worth the |
| involve a bit of investigation and collaboration. | | | | drive because a food processor can make 30 to |
| Everyone is aware that the economy is going | | | | 40 cheesecakes in those large commercial ovens |
| down the tubes at roller blade speeds and more | | | | in an hour or two along with having tons of space |
| and more folks are being "right-sized, down-sized, | | | | for dry food storage and equipment, a shared |
| and resourced out of jobs." Fortunately, there are | | | | office for the tenants with a computer and fax |
| still creative minded souls who are taking it upon | | | | machine. |
| themselves to create jobs that are not only | | | | All kitchen tenants will need to be approved by a |
| "out-the-box" but most delicious. Food | | | | selection committee composed of members of |
| entrepreneurs are popping up everywhere, | | | | the incubator center; and this membership should |
| particularly since here in North Carolina your can | | | | be made up of a lawyer, banker and the owners |
| prepare low risk products in your home and sell | | | | of the facility, unless this is a government owned |
| them directly to the public. | | | | and operated facility. The tenants will need to pay |
| Recently an email from a woman living in the | | | | an amount that covers the expenses, upkeep and |
| Dubai prompted an investigation about how to | | | | maintenance of the facility. |
| start and operate a home-based bakery. | | | | Potential tenants may be required to submit |
| According to this baker the laws in the Dubai do | | | | business, financial and marketing plans. "It doesn't |
| not allow home-based baking, but it might be | | | | mean that their business will develop in the same |
| possible to own and operate an incubator kitchen | | | | exact way, but it gives them a road map of how |
| that would assist bakers in launching their own | | | | to get from point A to point B. There are many |
| bakery business.There is one company in the | | | | other variables that will need to be address and |
| United States (NxLevel) that has an instructional | | | | the average tenant will have a limited time to |
| CD outlining how to develop a shared community | | | | participate, perhaps 24-30 months, providing |
| kitchen also known as an incubator kitchen. | | | | tenants enough time to move their business from |
| Let's say you would like to make a career change | | | | the incubator stage to a full fledged brick and |
| and start a small catering business; where would | | | | mortar business. |
| you start, what do you do first? The main issue | | | | This may sound a bit far fetched but for some |
| is locating a commercial kitchen since a home | | | | restaurant owner on the verge of closing their |
| kitchen would be an issue due to health regulations | | | | doors for good, creating an incubator kitchen for |
| requirements that do not allow food preparation | | | | home food processors may be just the thing to |
| from home-based kitchens. Many vendors will not | | | | not only keep you in business but help someone |
| rent or lease their kitchen to you for liability | | | | else on the road to entrepreneurial success. |