The Abundance Culinary Incubator of Open Door Community House provides a food business incubation program for graduates of the Open Door Culinary Arts training class who desire to start their own business. Each person has a unique plan to achieve this goal but all participants receive business incubation classes (such as how to write a business plan, budgeting, and obtaining appropriate insurance), as well as food business-specific services (such as licensing, perfection the product, mentoring from local chefs or restaurant owners, and marketing). An essential connection to a commercial kitchen for product development is also provided.
The goal of the incubator is to help persons currently living at 150% of the federal poverty level or below and who have at least a high school diploma or equivalent become a business owner and be financially self-sustaining, ending poverty for themselves and their families.
The incubator pilot was completed in December 2020; the first full cohort of participants began in January 2021.
Vital partnerships for the Abundance Culinary Incubator include StartUP Columbus for business incubation and The Food Mill for commercial kitchen access.
