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Aspiring food business entrepreneurs will have a one-of-a-kind facility downtown to test, prepare, market, and sell their products in 2018. A project of RDDC, The Commissary will be located on the concourse level of The Metropolitan, and will be the only kitchen incubator facility in the state outside of New York City.

Kitchen incubators provide the certified commercial kitchen and equipment necessary to grow a legal food business. Instead of taking on the risk of investing in expensive commercial equipment, members of The Commissary will be able to rent a kitchen station on an hourly basis - only when they need it.

In addition to use of the commercial kitchen stations, members of The Commissary and other would-be food entrepreneurs and the general public will have access to workshops that focus on building successful food businesses - topics will range from "Social Media for Food Businesses" to "Taking the Mystery out of Business Insurance." These workshops have already begun in a unique partnership with the RIT Center for Urban Entrepreneurship.

Foodies from across our community will also have the chance to get involved! We'll be hosting cooking classes in partnership with the Rochester Brainery, chef demonstrations, pop up dinners, and other food-centric celebrations that will highlight the talents of our members and take place in the heart of our rapidly transforming Downtown Innovation Zone.

stay connected with the commissary

COMMISSARY WORKSHOPS

The Commissary will be offering monthly, food industry specific workshops to help established and budding food business entrepreneurs navigate the industry. 

NEXT WORKSHOP ANNOUNCED! 

"PICTURE PERFECT: FOOD STYLING & PHOTOGRAPHY" on Tuesday September 12th. Take your business' social media to the next level with gorgeous photography. Join us for an interactive session where you'll discover the basic rules of styling and composition. With food and styling materials provided for your use, you'll walk away from the workshop knowing how to produce food photos that perform and engage your audience simply by using your phone. 

This workshop will be run by two leaders in their fields: Cara Livermore, food photographer, screen-to-print designer, hand-letterer and designer of the local indie food magazine, Chickpea, and Sarah Potter of the food and lifestyle blog The Pastiche. Purchase tickets here.

This workshop will take place at RIT Center for Urban Entrepreneurship (CUE): 40 Franklin Street, Rochester, NY 14604. Parking is free in the building's Pleasant Street lot. 

Workshops to date:

• "How To Set Your Food Business up for Success & the Permits and Documents You Need to Get There"
• "Engaging your Audience through Social Media"

Missed the workshop? Need a refresher? Check out our YouTube Channel here.

future workshop topics INCLUDE:

• Accounting & Quickbooks Basics for Food & Beverage
• Your Logo's Great! How's Your Brand? How to Best Communicate Your Food Brand
• Protect Your Business: Understanding & Choosing the Right Insurance
• Catering & The Prepared Meals Space: How To Build a Successful Operation
• Labeling, Packaging, Bottling & Paper Products
• Raising Capital: City of Rochester, Kiva, Pathstone, ESL
• Time Management
• Alternative Food Business Models (e.g., virtual restaurants, pop-up restaurants, festivals and public markets, food trucks)
• Using Social Media to Build Fans and Grow a Good Business
• Successful Food Entrepreneurs & Lessons Learned: Food trucks, restaurateurs, caterers, bakers, food product entrepreneurs
• How to Pitch Your Business

TRACKING THE PROJECT

The opening of The Commissary's doors is anticipated for mid-2018 with construction beginning in the winter of 2017. The layout has been designed by Julio Torres of BHS Foodservice Solutions. The facility will be located on the Concourse Level of The Metropolitan. Check back for updates of our progress.

Media COVERAGE

CHANNEL 8 STORY
D&C ARTICLE
CHANNEL 13 STORY
CHANNEL 10 STORY

RESOURCES

If you are a caterer, baker, restaurant, or food truck owner, you must submit these permits and documents to operate as a legal business in Monroe County and within The Commissary. This type of food operation will be regulated by the Monroe County Health Department.

If you are a producer of packaged food goods or shelf stable food products, you must submit these permits and documents to operate as a legal business in Monroe County and within The Commissary. This type of food operation will be regulated by the Department of Agriculture & Markets.

Still not sure which Department will permit your food business? Click here.

In addition to the resources and workshops created by The Commissary, there are many great sources of information and guidance within our region for food business entrepreneurs:

Cornell Venture Center
With one of the world's leading food science universities just down the road, we are very fortunate to have Cornell as an affordable, knowledgeable resource for food business of all scales.

Central Library of Rochester: Business Division
The Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County has many tools that an aspiring food entrepreneur needs to make their business a success. Their expert business research specialists can help you:

About The Commissary

The Commissary is a collaborative community, providing shared kitchens combined with business assistance to help aspiring entrepreneurs build great food companies, create jobs, and stregthen our regional food economy. The Rochester Downtown Development Corporation (RDDC) is the project lead and will be creating a Single Member LLC to hold The Commissary, both corporations will share RDDC's 501(c)(3) status. This project is made possible thanks to our partners who are providing a variety of assets including funding, conventional business incubation services, food sector mentoring, and access to raw products for our members.

Our partners include:

BHS Foodservice Solutions, Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County, City of Rochester, Connected Communities, Empire State Development, Foodlink, Gallina Development, Greater Rochester SCORE, Headwater Food Hub, High Tech Rochester, Ibero-American Action League, Kiva Rochester, LaunchNY, Monroe Community College (MCC), Palmer Foods, PathStone Enterprise Center, RIT Center for Urban Entrepreneurship, Rochester Brainery, RocGrowth, Rochester City School District, Rochester Educational Opportunity Center (REOC), Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI), SWBR Architects & Engineers, University of Rochester Simon School, Urban League of Rochester, Vargas Associates, Wegmans Food Markets

contact Us

Laura Fox O'Sullivan
Program Director

(585) 263-6954
info@rochestercommissary.org

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