can-do kitchen Project

Due to staffing reasons and a very full schedule, we will not be taking new clients from August 31 - October 31. Feel free to submit a form and we will contact you in November. We apologize for any inconvenience - Lucy and Christine.

Cottage Industry Law Encourages Small Food Producers

The Can-Do Kitchen is looking forward to the positive effects of the new Cottage Food Operation Law on small-scale food producers. It is a great opportunity for producers & growers to learn if food business is something they want to pursue. Those wishing to go to the next level by selling at retail locations, expanding product offerings, or grossing over $15,000 have a great next step: The Can-Do Kitchen! Read a summary of the Cottage Industry Law here.

Bringing entrepreneurs into the Can-Do Kitchen in Kalamazoo

Read article about Christine Advincula here.

Mike's Famous Bean Dip lives up to its name!

See the Kalamazoo Gazette story here.

Serving Our Community

The Can-Do Kitchen is a shared-use incubator kitchen - perfect for food entrepreneurs who want to turn their idea into a viable business. We offer strong business startup resources and a low-risk commercial kitchen facility.

We also have time slots available for the occasional kitchen user not necessarily looking to start a business.

The Can-Do Kitchen is in its second phase, at the First Baptist Church in downtown Kalamazoo. From its beginnings in a great little trailer, to First Baptist, the plan is to move into a larger, brand new kitchen in the People's Food Co-op's new building in early 2011.

The Can-Do Kitchen facilitates connections between local growers and our food producing clients. We also connect them with free business counseling to ensure they have a strong foundation. In the future, we plan on creating a scholarship program to enable low-income clients to start a food business in the Can-Do Kitchen.

Can-Do Kitchen Mission

• incubate small start-up and existing food businesses
• increase the availability of locally grown and produced food for sale and donation
• facilitate the sharing of cooking and food prep skills among all sectors of our community

As of July 1, 2009, the Can-Do Kitchen is located at First Baptist Church in downtown Kalamazoo. Their commercial kitchen is around 600 square feet and has more storage and nice equipment. The Can-Do Kitchen will live here until we build our permanent site in the near future.

Helpful Services Available

In addition to a great facility, the Can-Do Kitchen offers the following services to lead you to success!

• connections with wholesale food distributors and other ingredient & packaging sources
• connections with local markets and food stores
• relationships with the Small Business Technology & Development Center and the MSU Product Center
• relationships with graphic design, food packaging and marketing firm Newhall Klein Inc. and graphic design firm Brakeman
• recipe software for easy pricing, recipe batching and portion control
• dry, cold & frozen storage
• commercial cooking consulting
• relationships with Michigan Department of Agriculture and Kalamazoo County Department of Environmental Health
• assistance in obtaining a food license
• food-safety training

Please contact Lucy Bland with questions or ideas.

Interested in using the Can-Do Kitchen?

Location

Rental Information.

Looking for locally made products or catering for your store, cafe or event?

We would be glad to provide you with contacts to our clients. Email Christine or visit this page for more information.

And check out these terrific programs:

• AceNet
• Philabundance
• The Starting Block (in Michigan!)
• Taos Food Center
• La Cocina