Bloomington Kitchen Incubator

The Bloomington Kitchen Incubator supports food entrepreneurs in the production of fresh and preserved foods in Southern Indiana with an emphasis on turning local abundance into higher value specialty foods. We provide services to enable food producers and processors in start-up and growth phases to develop successful businesses that build and strengthen a regional sustainable food economy. We provide direct and indirect access to business education and resources, technical assistance and shared facilities, including a commercial kitchen, storage and offices in a cooperative environment at below-market costs.

History of the BKI
The Local Growers Guild has been working for many years to improve the local food economy. One of our biggest projects has been to work with Middle Way House to construct a large commercial kitchen in the old Coca-Cola Building on Washington Street in downtown Bloomington. This kitchen will house Middle Way Food Works, a local catering business specializing in healthy meals for children and seniors, and will also be rented out to small food businesses through the Bloomington Kitchen Incubator.

The Bloomington Kitchen Incubator (BKI) is a nonprofit organization that has spun off the Local Growers Guild to support food entrepreneurs in the production of fresh and preserved foods with an emphasis on turning local abundance into higher value specialty foods. The kitchen incubator offers a variety of services that go well beyond providing access to a licensed commercial kitchen. Specialized business support includes finding seed capital, navigating complicated health code requirements, developing appropriate packaging, sourcing ingredients, and distributing the end products.

What sorts of businesses might develop within the BKI?
- Custom canning using favorite family recipes
- Artisan European breads and pastries
- Specialty soups featuring locally grown ingredients
- Frozen fruits and vegetables to enjoy the sumer's abundance during the winter months
- Dried fruit sncks made from local organic fruit

Who can benefit from the BKI?
- Farmers can develop value-added products using ingredients from their farms (e.g. turn their excess basil into pesto).
- Chefs can preserve their best recipes in value-added products (e.g. specialty salad dressing).
- New food businesses wil create new jobs and strengthen our local economy.
- New food businesses means more local food options for consumers and increased food security.

How can I get involved?
If you are interested in becoming a member of the BKI or simply renting time in the Middle Way kitchen, please contact us for additional information about the program. The BKI has started work with nine pilot clients who will go through the business planning process this spring to be ready to utilize the Middle Way kitchen when it opens this summer. We will screen additional candidates in the summer and fall.

The BKI is also soliciting financial support from businesses and individuals passionae about supporting our local food economy. Their goal is to raise $10,000 by February 28th, which would allow them to hire a part-time Incubator Manager for the first year of operation.
For further information on becoming a member or a supporter, please call 812-333-8287 or contact board president Bobbi Boos at bobbiboos "at" gmail.com. You can also find us at www.bloomingtonkitchenincubator.org.

Click here to see the BKI brochure.