![]() “It’s something that’s really up to the business at this point. Brooklyn FoodWorks hasn’t set hard-and-fast criteria to gauge when it’s time for one of its member companies to move on, Feinstein said. That deal could eventually mean Bad Seed will grow too big for the incubator and need to expand into its own space. Some of the companies displayed their creations at the Summer Fancy Food Show in June, including Bad Seed Chili Granola, a spicy version of the traditional cereal that caught a break when it caught the attention of Whole Foods Market. The incubator will likely consider itself full-up when it hits somewhere between 100 and 120, depending on how much time each needs to use the facility, Feinstein said. The incubator had 84 companies at last count from many areas of food production, from packaged foods and baked goods to a meal-delivery service called Barley & Oats that delivers nutritionally complete meals and snacks for pregnant women and lactating moms. It’s nice to learn from each other and help each other instead of trying to build their businesses on an island.” “They’re joining a community of other like-minded entrepreneurs who are going through the same struggles and situations they are. Participating in the culinary incubator also offers a sense of community. “In addition, we do a ton of classes and workshops and events that also cover a lot of similar topics, many times those are open to the public and led by mentors or other community partners,” Feinstein said. Part of the scholarship money was earmarked for would-be entrepreneurs who live in the city’s public housing or have federally funded housing vouchers under the Section 8 program. ![]() launched a scholarship program aimed at giving low-income food entrepreneurs a leg up, Feinstein said. A leg-up for low-income food entrepreneursĪ $1.3 million grant from the New York City Economic Development Corp. “It can all happen very quickly,” Feinstein said. The entrepreneurs are also encouraged to bring a business plan, but mentors can help with that once the startup is accepted.Īpplicants fill out online applications, have in-person interviews and if all goes well they sign a contract, tour the kitchen and get cooking. To get a space in the incubator, startups need to show they’re serious by amassing some paperwork including articles of incorporation, a sales tax certificate and the other licenses and insurances they need to operate, Feinstein said. The incubator also offers time with about 40 volunteer mentors who advise on all aspects of starting and growing a business, from business plans, law and finance to food photography, marketing and social media. “And we also do their dishes for them,” Feinstein said. The space also comes with plenty of services including refrigerator, freezer and dry goods storage space, pest control, maintenance, utilities, upkeep and trash removal. Just having affordable kitchen space is a pretty amazing opportunity,” she said. They need a kitchen space to produce out of and it’s really expensive to build out their own kitchens, and finding somewhere they can rent for a reasonable price is hard too. “Startup food companies are coming from home kitchens where they can’t actually legally make anything for sale. The biggest benefit they receive is the kitchen space itself, said Managing Director Edie Feinstein. ![]() The startups that have become part of the Brooklyn FoodWorks pay a monthly fee based on the amount of time they use the space, ranging from $300 for 10 hours to $2,000 for 80 hours. Launched in February with backing from the New York City Economic Development Council and the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, the 10,000-square-foot space in Brooklyn’s Pfizer building boasts 11 kitchens plus a private space where member companies can hold classes, promotional dinners, food photo shoots and other events. Incubators can be found in 39 US states, mostly in cities, and 61% are for-profit operations.īrooklyn FoodWorks is one of those for-profit incubators. The number of US culinary incubators soared 50% to more than 200 between August 2013 and March 2016, according to a report earlier this year from Econsult Solutions. But in many states, the home kitchen may also be the place where the idea stalls – state laws regulating or banning home-based cottage food businesses can end a culinary startup before it begins. Home kitchens have always been the birthplace of food entrepreneurs, from home cooks looking to share beloved old family recipes with the world to foodies sure they’ve invented the next hot taste sensation.
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