NW Michigan Food and Farming Network Report to the Community 2015 Report to the Community | Page 41

2015 Report to the community

Grow Benzie Incubator Kitchen
Program offers space,
classes, and support
By Joshua Stoltz
Grow Benzie
Grow Benzie, a community farmstead located in Benzonia, opened
its incubator kitchen in July 2013
and has been instrumental in giving
small food businesses a chance to
make and sell their products—increasing the availability of locally
grown and
produced
foods in
the region, Grow Benzie’s incubator kitchen provides food entrepreneurs the ability to start
a small food business without the need for outside equity or debt financing for a
as well
licensed kitchen to process food. (Photos: Grow Benzie)
as valueadded
products. As with other incubator
neurs using the kitchen opened
the licensed kitchen is available for
models, Grow Benzie provides food
up her own storefront bakery in
local caterers, community meals,
entrepreneurs the ability to start a
Beulah at the age of 16.
and classes such as MSU Extension
small food business without the need
Beyond simply incubator foods
Center’s Cooking Matters.
for outside equity or debt financbeing made and sold in the region,
www.growbenzie.org
ing for a licensed kitchen to process
food.
In addition to providing equipment and storage space, Grow Benzie also offers business classes and
step-by-step support for entrepreneurs through the licensing process.
Sarah
Grow Benzie employs a part-time
Schiappi
cuts the
kitchen manager who successfully
ribbon at
launched her own product and is
the 2013
able to share her experiences in
Grand
starting a company. Breads, granola,
Opening
baked goods and hot fudge sauce are
of Grow
some of the products being created
Benzie’s
and sold at farmers markets, in stores
“Incubator
Kitchen.”
and online. One of the entrepre36