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What’s Up with Chattanooga’s Kitchen Incubator

The NOOGAtoday feature explores how the Kitchen Incubator of Chattanooga has become a key launchpad for local food and beverage entrepreneurs — especially those from minority and underrepresented backgrounds. The 10,126-square-foot facility gives members access to the essential resources every startup food business needs:

• Commercial ovens, grills, fryers, and stovetops
• Professional-grade mixers, prep tables, and cookware
• Licensed food truck commissary for prep and cleanup
• Dedicated bakery and pastry kitchen spaces
• Ample dry, frozen, and refrigerated storage

As a nonprofit program powered by LAUNCH, KIC offers more than just space — it provides training and business education to help entrepreneurs navigate licensing, regulations, and operations. This makes it an ideal fit for early-stage founders who are just getting their food concepts off the ground, while other incubators in town, like Proof, focus on testing established restaurant ideas.

Renovating for Growth

To meet the growing demand from local chefs and makers, KIC has been expanding and renovating its space to support even more businesses. Improvements include:

• Additional refrigeration and freezer capacity for cold and perishable storage
• Four new Department of Agriculture pods designed for packaged-goods companies such as spice, seasoning, and beverage makers
• Expanded pantry and dry storage to better serve the growing number of entrepreneurs

These updates position KIC to accommodate up to 34 businesses at a time — a major milestone for a nonprofit incubator committed to helping local talent succeed.

Empowering Chattanooga’s Culinary Entrepreneurs

For many in the community, KIC represents opportunity — a place to learn, experiment, and scale up without the heavy cost of opening a restaurant. From food trucks to consumer-packaged goods brands like Chei-Man Tea, the incubator continues to nurture Chattanooga’s next wave of food innovators and community builders.

As Director Mark Holland describes it, the Kitchen Incubator isn’t just a kitchen — it’s a movement that’s changing the way Chattanooga supports small business growth.

👉 Read the full article on NOOGAtoday

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