We are in the height of planning our newly branded Food Incubation Summit, and we hope you’re as excited as we are! Check out the latest updates below. 👇
First, early bird tickets went quickly and we have already sold 75% of available tickets. We are excited to see 70+ registered attendees from new and existing shared kitchens, both non-profit and for-profit, representing more than 20 states. In order to retain the intimate nature of the event, there are a limited number of tickets sold, so if you plan on attending you won’t want to wait until the last minute.
Next, this year we are accepting proposals for our Quick Fire Sessions on Innovative Approaches as well as for our 1:1 Mentoring Sessions. If you want to share your expertise, make sure to let us know you’re interested in your registration form. We will follow up with all those interested to build you into our programming! More info below.
Lastly, below are answers to some frequently asked questions. Feel free to reach out with any additional questions you may have. We are so excited to bring this growing community together again for another jam-packed Summit of learning and exploring food incubation together. We can’t wait to see everyone in Austin in October.
Warmly,
Ashley Colpaart
CEO, The Food Corridor
Event Chair
FAQs
Who should attend this Summit?
The Food Incubation Summit is designed to support food incubator and accelerator administrators, owners or operators of shared use or commissary kitchens, or ecosystem providers that service the food incubation industry. This event was created to service the largest network of shared use kitchens in the world.
When will the agenda be posted?
In order to provide a tailored agenda, the planning committee is building the session topics and speakers based on your registration forms. We will announce the session topics soon, but if you want to see specific topics covered, register now so you can give your input. We aim to have the agenda posted at the end of August.
What sessions can we expect?
While all the sessions aren’t finalized yet, you can count on seeing a panel of shared kitchen operators from Austin and hearing the industry’s macro trends based largely off the new 2019 Shared-Use Kitchen Facility survey findings. Other sessions and breakout topics you may see include (but are not limited to):
- Food safety
- Incubation programs
- Stories from newly launched kitchens
- Rural kitchens and leaders
- Financing and Financials
- Working with underserved populations
- Ghost or cloud kitchens
- Kitchen operations
- Scaling up food businesses with services
What else is new this year?
This year we will have tracks to cover 101 and 201 attendees. 101 will be geared towards folks planning new shared kitchen projects or those who have newly launched. 201 will cater towards those aiming to further build out their programming, integrate ecosystem services, and address broad industry issues.
This year you can also expect a larger venue, a food system bus tour of Austin, 1:1 mentorship, and added pre and post-summit networking events to help maximize your learnings and your time together.
Will there be breakout sessions?
Yes! One of the highlights of last year was our breakout sessions! This year we will have two types of breakout sessions: peer-led and expert-led. This will allow for more conversational/group discussion and tangible takeaways.
Will there be mentoring?
Yes! This year we will be adding a 1:1 mentoring session for folks to dig in deeper with experts, get specific questions answered, and build relationships. An email will be sent to all registrants to sign up for sessions of your choice.
Why is the ticket price higher than last year?
Last year, we produced the very first-ever Network for Incubator and Commissary Kitchen (NICK) Summit, held in Minneapolis at the Good Acre. The low ticket prices were subsidized largely by the donated venue, the volunteer planning and facilitation staff, food supplemented by The Food Corridor’s operating budget, and a handful of fiscal sponsors.
The attendee feedback from last year largely noted the limitations of the venue (size, sound, bathrooms) and indicated a strong desire to extend the event to 2 days, in order to include more networking opportunities, open up the waitlist to more attendees, and offer a deeper dive into the local community. In response to this feedback, we made the decision to rent a formal venue, add a food system bus tour, and provide pre and post-summit networking events. The increased ticket price covers additional expenses for programming and services.
Are there scholarships available?
We are working on obtaining sponsorship to cover a handful of scholarships. Stay tuned to the event website or blog for more information. If you are interested in sponsoring as an Equity and Inclusion Champion, please reach out at [email protected].
Are there opportunities to speak or provide expertise?
Yes! There are two opportunities to contribute! You can either offer to speak or mentor during your registration OR apply to speak during our morning Quick Fire sessions on Innovative Approaches. Like last year, this is a fun and energetic chance for you to introduce an organization or your kitchen to the attendees while touting something fun and innovative you are doing, all within 7 minutes! To sign up click here.
How can I communicate with other attendees?
Do you want to know who is attending, plan your lodging, or make dinner reservations with old and soon-to-be friends? This year we will be using the communication platform SLACK to encourage networking before, during and after the summit! Attendees will be invited to a shared SLACK community before the event with channels to receive announcements from the organizers, post to a bulletin board for coordinating, make introductions for networking, and ask clarifying questions for clarifying. Here is a quick overview of how to use SLACK if you want to get a head start. SLACK invites will be sent to registrants in August.
Where is everyone staying?
Check out the Travel section of our website for details on lodging! The first room block at The Guild East 6th at The Arnold is already sold out. A new block of rooms across the street at the Indie was just released. Both are a short ride to the venue and walking distance to other events. Make sure you take advantage of the discounted room rates we have up until September. If you are looking for a roommate, use the SLACK channel #bulletinboard to coordinate!
Are there volunteer opportunities available?
Yes! We are in need of some day-of support to help with logistics, flow, setup, and break down. Note that volunteering may inhibit your ability to attend a session you are hoping to attend. To get your name on the list fill out this form.
Who are the current sponsors?
We are still finalizing some amazing sponsors but so far we have confirmed:
Presenting Sponsor
The Food Corridor
Summit Hosts
RPM Kitchens
Cooks Nook
Naturally Austin
Springdale Ventures
Summit Sponsors & Partners
USDA – Agriculture Marketing Service
EPAC Flexible Packaging – low minimum, finished pouches, and roll stock
UNFI – distributor of natural and organic foods and specialty foods
Whole Brain Consulting – your outsourced operations experts
Ordermark – restaurant delivery platform
NextBiteBrands – franchisable virtual restaurants
Galley Solutions – inventory and food costing platform
Dirty Hands Merchandising – servicing brands at the store and retail level
Food Liability Insurance Program – insurance for food businesses
Foodbytes – discovery platform for food and ag innovation
Chobani Food Incubator – for small food startups with big missions
Interested in sponsorship? Click here for more information.
