UpStart Kitchen incubator for food entrepreneurs opens in Sherman Park
UpStart Kitchen was scheduled to open this spring but pushed back its launch because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The food incubator for food entrepreneurs, UpStart Kitchen at 4325 W. Fond du Lac Ave., celebrated its official launch Sept. 15.
Since pushing back its opening, the commercial kitchen and business incubator in the Sherman Park neighborhood has been serving meals to people facing food insecurity.
UpStart Kitchen served as a meal production center for people who are homebound or food insecure throughout the spring and summer. It has served more than 25,000 meals since April.
The kitchen has food storage and preparation space and offers support services like mentoring and community connections. The 24-hour kitchen can accommodate up to 40 entrepreneurs.
The goal is to help aspiring food entrepreneurs start and grow businesses by using shared kitchen equipment onsite, instead of them having to make upfront investments in such things as commercial-grade ovens, grills and refrigeration.
UpStart Kitchen has already helped 20 entrepreneurs earn licenses from the City of Milwaukee to use the kitchen. Another 20 entrepreneurs are in the process of approval. Around 75 entrepreneurs are on the waiting list.
UpStart Kitchen is a project of Prism Economic Development Corp., an economic growth organization for the Sherman Park neighborhood.
The project was funded in part with a $50,000 grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.
The UpStart Kitchen Emergency Meals program continues. Ascension Wisconsin has donated $50,000 to the kitchen to provide more than 6,000 meals a month through the end of the year.