FBRC Incubator Kitchen Program (at 21 Acres)
Food & Farm Business Incubator for Washington Small Farm & Agricultural Food Businesses
FEBRUARY 2023 - APPLICATIONS OPEN WITH ROLLING ACCEPTANCE
The Food Business Resource Center (FBRC) at Business Impact NW is running an incubator program focused on providing food production space and wraparound educational training for farm businesses and packaged food businesses who source ingredients primarily from local agricultural producers.
This program will support development and market testing of value-added food products using raw materials from King County/Puget Sound farms. Incubator participants will enter the program as a cohort and be divided into multiple pathways based on experience and stage of business.
What You'll Get
- Business Training and One-on-One Coaching
- Access to Production Kitchen and Support
- Tiered Cost System from No-Cost, % subsidized, to Market Rate depending on program stage
- Specialized Training and Mentorship
- Connections to other Business Owners
- Access to Capital and Market Opportunities
Incubator Program Summary
- 18-20 Month Pilot Program – Adaptable based on individual business needs
- Required Monthly Coaching Sessions
- Required Workshop Training Participation (6-7 sessions bi-weekly or monthly)
- Access to Rental Time in Commercial Production Kitchen
- Access to specialized workshops/trainings and mentor sessions
- Access to weekly or bi-weekly drop-in coaching hours
- Access to mentor sessions
- Professional Service offerings (accounting, marketing, etc)
- One-on-one technical assistance with business planning and kitchen operations from FBRC staff
How to Participate
General Participant Requirements:
- Commitment to education/workshop/coaching requirements
- Adherence to both program and kitchen operational guidelines/rules
- Products made from regionally sourced agricultural materials (at or above 60% local ingredients or plan to get to that sourcing level)
- Proper permits/licensing/insurance in place for using commercial kitchen
If Accepted into the Program:
- Intake Assessment with FBRC (permitting, sourcing, etc)
- Program Orientation and Kitchen On-Boarding Training
- Enrollment into Applicable Program Pathways (Tiered Pricing for Kitchen Time)
For questions or more info, please email fbrc@businessimpactnw.org
This project is funded in part by a grant from the King Conservation District and in partnership with 21 Acres.
FAQ
The Food & Farm Business Incubator at 21 Acres is focused on providing food production space and wraparound educational training for farm businesses and packaged food businesses who source ingredients primarily from local agricultural producers. This program will support development and market testing of value-added and packaged food products from entrepreneurs focused on local sourcing.
Interested applicants can visit the program webpage for more info on the program benefits and time commitments. Submitted applications will be reviewed for program fit and accepted into the program on a rolling basis based on kitchen capacity and stage of business.
- Business Training and One-on-One Coaching
- Access to Production Kitchen and Support
- Tiered Cost System from No-Cost, % subsidized, to Market Rate depending on program stage
- Specialized Training and Mentorship
- Connections to other Business Owners
Access to Capital and Market Opportunities
There is a local sourcing requirement at 21 Acres, so businesses need to source or be working towards sourcing the majority of their ingredients locally for products produced in the kitchen. Catering out of the kitchen not allowed due to permitted use guidelines for the 21 Acres site. Some ideas of food being produced out of the kitchen are items like herbed sea salts, pickles, peach jam, salsa, soup, mushroom jerky, cookies, marinara and so much more.
You should have an idea of what food or food product you are interested in producing. You will also need to obtain a business license, food handlers’ card, Certificate of insurance, WSDA or King County permit (depending on what and who you are selling to) and a few other documents. The great news is, we can help you through all these processes and are here to help support you.
Participants in the incubator program receive training and business coaching for free throughout their time in the program and beyond. Use of the commercial kitchen for production is free in the initial months of the program and during the formalized training portion (with time caps to ensure equal access) and then goes into tiered/below market-rate pricing structures as businesses progress to graduating out of the kitchen.
One of the benefits is the opportunity to sell your packaged goods in the 21 Acres on-site farm market. If you have sourced 60% of your products locally and your food items are sustainable and prepared locally, the Farm Market manager will consider selling your products at the market. There is also a quarterly farm market at 21 Acres that is free for vendors.
If you are interested in the incubator program, go to business Impact NW’s Food Business Resource Center (FBRC) and apply here: https://businessimpactnw.org/food-business-resource-center/incubator-program/
Participants will have access to their own FBRC business coach in addition to on-site support from the Incubator Kitchen Manager. Those staff members will also help keep you connected and informed of other programs, trainings, resources, and opportunities offered through the Food Business Resource Center and Business Impact NW.
- Business Impact NW has a lending arm and a Loan Readiness Center (LRC) that can support businesses looking for capital to grow their businesses. Program staff can also support in passing along opportunities for funding through grants, specialized loans, and/or other opportunities.