Commercial Kitchen

Eastern Carolina Food Ventures Incubator Kitchen

Eastern Carolina Food Ventures Incubator Kitchen is a regional, shared-use commercial incubator kitchen designed to help develop food entrepreneurs, create new food businesses, grow existing food businesses, and provide workforce development resulting in new jobs and new economic development in eastern North Carolina. Located in the WestPark Business Technology Center in Warsaw, the kitchen is a collaborative effort of James Sprunt Community College, Duplin County, and Pender County.

Purpose

Provide hourly access to entrepreneurs and existing food businesses for:

• New food and beverage development and production
• Food research and testing
• Commercial kitchen for caterers
• Nutraceutical development

Goals

• Create new food businesses
• Grow existing food businesses
• Provide workforce development resulting in new jobs
• Stimulate economic development for eastern North Carolina
• Foster the spirit of entrepreneurship

Facility & Equipment

The Eastern Carolina Food Ventures (ECFV) Incubator Kitchen facility includes three distinct processing areas, separate dry storage areas, a walk-in cooler, and freezer, as well as a separate wash area.

Other Resources – Other available resources include wireless internet access throughout the facility, access to a conference room, computer lab, business, and food-related seminars, and free individual counseling to assist with marketing, business plan development, financing, etc. through the JSCC Small Business Center.

Geographic Target Area

The geographic target area includes but is not limited to the following counties: Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, Pender, Duplin, Greene, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Sampson, and Wayne.

The implementation and operation of the kitchen is managed by the Small Business Center. Special thanks to Pender County and the Pender Economic Development Alliance for having the vision to develop this facility for the region, and to the following funders and contributors who are helping ECFV be successful:

• Blue Ridge Food Ventures
• Cape Fear Resource Conservation & Development
• Duke Endowment
• Duplin County
• Duplin County Cooperative Extension
• Economic Development Initiative – HUD
• Four County Electric Membership Corporation
• Golden Leaf Foundation
• James Sprunt Community College
• NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
• North Carolina Department of Commerce
• Pender County Cooperative Extension
• Southeastern North Carolina Food Systems Project
• UNC-Wilmington
• USDA Rural Development