Come talk to us about how your favorite recipe can become a profitable, wealth-creating business.

 

About

Since 2006, The Starting Block has served as West Michigan's non-profit regional kitchen incubator and entrepreneurial center. As a shared-use facility, we help entrepreneurs start their food-related businesses at reasonable rentals without the initial investment in costly facilities and equipment. We offer low-cost kitchen rental, refrigerated, frozen, and dry storage, warehouse space, and office rental. From product development to marketing and outreach, we provide the assistance and support to help you achieve your business dreams.

The Starting Block offers a fully-equipped licensed, commercial kitchen as well as two additional commercial, licensed kitchens for specialty and small-scale production. Certified staff in food handling and equipment operation are available for assistance and training. The Starting Block kitchens are available for use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 
 

  • To incubate and support the entrepreneurial spirit, in the food systems and natural resources sector, by providing licensed commercial kitchen facilities, entrepreneurial education and peer-to-peer networking to new and expanding businesses in the multi-county, West Central Michigan region and beyond.

  • The idea for a kitchen incubator to support agricultural product innovation came about in 2002 when a group of representatives from Michigan-based organizations partnered to advance value-added agriculture in Michigan. Read the full history here.

  • Initial funding for The Starting Block came from a federal USDA Rural Development grant, and state grants from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and MIFFS. Without these partners, The Starting block could not operate.

    Thanks to the City of Hart, ongoing funding is provided. This strong partnership with the City of Hart was strengthened thanks to the Community Development Block Grant Program of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

 

Learn More

A short video about The Starting Block and some of our clients.