Executive Summary
This summary report provides the latest data from the shared kitchen industry. In the four years since operators were last surveyed, the industry faced the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of food delivery platforms, and increased construction costs. Findings from the Fall 2023 survey of shared kitchen operators, presented in this report, found that the shared kitchen industry is continuing to grow: new shared kitchens continue opening to address unmet demand, and many kitchens are finding opportunities to pivot and grow in the aftermath of the pandemic. A large portion of kitchens report positive indicators of growth and success in the past three years: profitable or breaking even, kitchen profit increasing or staying the same, number of members increasing or staying the same, and kitchen employees increasing or staying the same. However, some kitchens are experiencing challenges and have struggled to recover since the pandemic impacts of 2020.
The survey data in this report was collected from 199 shared kitchen operators from October to November 2023. Respondents were primarily based in the U.S. (n = 184) and Canada (n = 8).
I. General Business Information
When was your first/primary kitchen established?
- Before 1990: 4 (2%)
- 1990 – 1999: 3 (2%)
- 2000 – 2004: 4 (2%)
- 2005 – 2009: 6 (3%)
- 2010 – 2014: 32 (16%)
- 2015 – 2019: 62 (31%)
- Established since 2020: 75 (38%)
- Still in the planning phase: 13 (6%)
Total responses: 199
How many shared kitchen locations do you, or your organization, currently operate?
- 1: 157 (85%)
- 2: 12 (6%)
- 3: 10 (5%)
- 4: 2 (1%)
- 5: 1 (0.5%)
- More than 5: 3 (2%)
Total: 185
Select the one that best describes your kitchen.
- Accelerator: 2 (1%)
- Commissary or Commercial Kitchen: 111 (60%)
- Community Kitchen: 3 (2%)
- Food Hub: 6 (3%)
- Food Production Facility: 9 (5%)
- Incubator: 48 (26%)
- Other: 6 (3%)
Total responses: 185
How would you describe the primary goals of your kitchen facility? (select your top 2)
- Assisting early growth businesses: 152 (82%)
- Strengthening the local food economy: 87 (47%)
- Making money: 52 (28%)
- Building a community: 43 (23%)
- Helping low-income and/or vulnerable people: 30 (16%)
- Other: 9 (5%)
- Job training: 2 (1%)
Total responses: 185
How many shared users (i.e., different businesses) can you accommodate at one time in your shared-use space?
- 1 – 4: 81 (44%)
- 5 – 10: 55 (30%)
- 11 – 25: 22 (12%)
- 26 – 50: 17 (9%)
- 51 – 100: 9 (5%)
- 100+: 1 (0.5%)
Total responses: 185
What Business Type best describes your kitchen operation?
- For Profit (e.g., C-corp, LLC): 110 (59%)
- Nonprofit: 60 (32%)
- Government (e.g., city, county, state, municipality): 7 (4%)
- Other: 8 (4%)
Total responses: 185
What best describes the area where your kitchen is located?
- Urban: 113 (61%)
- Suburban: 46 (25%)
- Rural: 26 (14%)
Total responses: 185
How many full-time employees does the kitchen have?
- 0: 51 (27%)
- 1: 64 (35%)
- 2 – 5: 53 (29%)
- 6 – 9: 10 (5%)
- 10 – 20: 5 (3%)
- More than 20: 2 (1%)
Total responses: 185
How many part-time employees does the kitchen have?
- 0: 78 (42%)
- 1: 59 (32%)
- 2 – 5: 43 (23%)
- 6 – 9: 3 (2%)
- 10 – 20: 1 (0.5%)
- More than 20: 1 (0.5%)
Total responses: 185
In the past 5 years, how has the total number of kitchen employees changed?
- Increased: 66 (36%)
- Decreased: 12 (7%)
- Stayed the same: 105 (57%)
Total responses: 183
Do you have any plans to expand and open additional locations in the next 1 – 2 years?
- Yes: 75 (40%)
- No: 110 (60%)
Total responses: 185
II. Facility Details
What is the total size of the shared kitchen facility? If your facility includes many other spaces, just include the kitchen area + storage area.
- Less than 1,000 square feet: 23 (12%)
- 1,000 – 3,000 square feet: 74 (40%)
- 3,000 – 4,999 square feet: 31 (17%)
- 5,000 – 9,999 square feet: 31 (17%)
- 10,000 – 19,999 square feet: 15 (8%)
- 20,000 – 29,999 square feet: 3 (2%)
- 30,000 – 50,000 square feet: 3 (2%)
- Over 50,000 square feet: 4 (2%)
Total responses: 184
What facilities are available as part of your kitchen? (select all that apply)
- Drive-thru/delivery pick-up area: 28
- Warehouse: 44
- Video/photo studio: 24
- Prep space only: 118
- Packing/Labeling Room: 62
- Office Space for tenants/users: 77
- Mobile unit parking and/or power: 68
- Meat processing (USDA certified): 18
- Leased food production spaces (units/pods) with independent spaces with lockable doors: 46
- Loading Dock: 66
- Food Science/Testing Lab: 19
- Food Retail on Premises: 59
- Classroom Space: 81
- None of the above: 8
Total responses: 185
Does your facility include, or are you a part of, any of the following? (select all that apply)
- None of the above: 63
- College or university: 12
- Food aggregator/food distributor (food hub): 26
- Food bank/food pantry / low-income meal provider: 24
- Non-food maker space / co-working space: 23
- Farmers market or public market: 46
- Supermarket or retail store: 17
- Workforce training program/social enterprise: 32
- Food hall: 10
- Restaurant/bakery: 28
- Event space: 64
Total: 178
Do you accommodate any of the following? (select all that apply)
- None of the above: 52
- Kosher: 24
- Halal: 24
- Gluten-free: 63
- Allergen-free: 31
- Fermenting: 46
- Cold room: 26
- CBD/Hemp production: 24
- Edible cannabis production: 12
- Pet food: 58
- Non-food health and wellness products: 44
Total responses: 180
Is your facility USDA-certified?
- Yes: 40 (22%)
- y No: 144 (78%)
Total responses: 184
III. Financial Information
What is your kitchen’s current annual operating
budget?
- Less than $50,000: 55 (34%)
- $50,000 – $99,999: 33 (20%)
- $100,00 – $249,999: 38 (23%)
- $250,000 – $499,999: 26 (14%)
- $500,000 – $999,999: 5 (3%)
- $1 million – $2.5 million: 5 (3%)
- Over $2.5 million: 2 (1%)
Total responses: 164
What is the kitchen’s current financial status?
- Breaking even: 65 (39%)
- Making money: 65 (39%)
- Losing money: 35 (21%)
Total responses: 165
Have you ever received a tax credit, subsidized
funding, or grant? (select all that apply)
- None of the above: 78
- New Markets Tax Credits: 3
- Enterprise Zone: 2
- Opportunity Zone financing: 9
- Low-Income Housing Tax Credits: 0
- Federal grant: 41
- State grant: 48
- University grant: 3
- Foundation grant: 40
- In-kind: 21
- Other: 13
Total responses: 163
What are your kitchen’s top 3 largest revenue sources? (select your top 3)
- Leasing or renting shared space for food production/manufacturing: 161 (96%)
- Cold and/or dry storage space: 120 (72%)
- Leasing permanent space for food businesses: 84 (50%)
- Classes/training: 32 (19%)
- Event-space rental: 38 (23%)
- Staffing for food business production: 4 (2%)
- Copacking or third-party packaging: 9 (5%)
- Distribution/logistics: 3 (2%)
- Retail/market: 12 (7%)
- Other: 33 (8 said Grants) (19%)
Total: 167
What are your kitchen’s top 3 largest costs (select your top 3)
- Rent/mortgage: 112 (57%)
- Salaries and benefits: 84 (50%)
- Utilities: 138 (83%)
- Insurance: 29 (17%)
- Maintenance: 73 (44%)
- Debt service: 6 (3%)
- Marketing: 5 (3%)
- Supplies: 32 (19%)
- Subscription services (e.g., technology for billing, booking, client management): 15 (9%)
- Other: 8 (5%)
Total: 167
If your facility has received grant support, was this grant specifically for capital, operating, or program expenses? (select all that apply)
- Capital expenses: 47 (30%)
- Operating expenses: 58 (37%)
- Program expenses: 45 (29%)
- Not applicable, have not received grant support: 74 (47%)
Total: 156
Compared to three years ago (or whenever the kitchen opened, if less than three years old), has kitchen revenue increased, decreased or stayed the same?
- Increased: 123 (75%)
- y Decreased: 17 (10%)
- y Stayed the same: 25 (15%)
Total responses: 165
Compared to three years ago (or whenever the kitchen opened, if less than three years old), has kitchen profit (revenue – costs) increased, decreased, or stayed the same?
- Increased: 90 (55%)
- Decreased: 22 (13%)
- Stayed the same: 52 (32%)
Total responses: 164
Compared to three years ago (or whenever the
kitchen opened, if less than three years old),
has shared kitchen competition in your area
increased, decreased, or stayed the same?
- Increased: 76 (46%)
- Decreased: 12 (7%)
- Stayed the same: 79 (47%)
Total: 167
What types of businesses are your members/ tenants currently operating? (select all that apply)
- Baker: 139 (86%)
- Caterer: 141 (87%)
- Food truck/Mobile vendor: 129 (80%)
- Packaged goods (CPG): 119 (73%)
- Private chef: 91 (56%)
- Instructors/educators: 36 (22%)
- Meal prep: 101 (62%)
- Farmer/Producer: 46 (28%)
- Delivery only: 41 (25%)
- Other: 16 (10%)
Total: 162
IV. Members/Tenants
How many shared-space members/tenants do you currently work with?
- Less than 10: 44 (28%)
- 10 – 19: 27 (17%)
- 20 – 29: 26 (16%)
- 30 – 49: 29 (18%)
- 50 – 100: 27 (17%)
- More than 100: 6 (4%)
Total: 159
What percentage of your current members/ tenants are minorities? (enter a whole number between 0 and 100)
- Average: 47%
- Median: 50%
- Mode: 50%
- Range: 0% – 100%
Total responses: 155
What percentage of your current members/ tenants are women? (enter a whole number between 0 and 100)
- Average: 55%
- Median: 53%
- Mode: 50%
- Range: 0% – 100%
Total responses: 156
Pick the top 2 most common reasons that your members/tenants moved out of your facility in the last year. (select your top 2)
- Moved to brick-and-mortar retail: 95 (58%)
- Moved to brick-and-mortar production: 37 (22%)
- Moved to another shared-use kitchen: 24 (14%)
- Business closed: 116 (71%)
- Asked to leave for a policy violation or poor conduct fit: 22 (13%)
- Other: 32 (20%)
Total: 163
What are the top 3 highest priority needs of your members/tenants? (select your top 3)
- Access to operating capital: 97 (61%)
- Market opportunities for selling their product: 103 (65%)
- Product development: 24 (15%)
- Access to affordable ingredients: 37 (23%)
- Accessing trained labor: 47 (30%)
- Distribution/logistics: 32 (20%)
- Business planning: 75 (47%)
- Branding and marketing: 56 (35%)
- Other: 9 (5%)
Total: 159
Where do your members/tenants sell their
products? (select all that apply)
- Institutions (university/hospital/stadium/ convention center): 49 (30%)
- Community Events and Festivals: 143 (90%)
- Corporate Catering: 107 (67%)
- Farmers Markets: 146 (92%)
- Food truck or mobile vending: 130 (82%)
- Online: 116 (73%)
- Direct sales: 117 (73%)
- Public markets: 91 (57%)
- Restaurants: 71 (44%)
- Small Grocers / Boutique Retailers: 108 (68%)
- Supermarkets: 58 (36%)
- Wholesale to a distributor: 62 (39%)
- Private Events (weddings, parties): 129 (81%)
- Delivery Only (virtual, cloud, ghost restaurant): 59 (37%)
- Not for sale; Product for sustenance or other reasons: 6 (3%)
- Other: 2
Total: 159
On average, how long do members/tenants typically operate in your facility before moving out?
- 1 to 5 months: 7 (4%)
- 6 to 11 months: 16 (10%)
- 1 to 3 years: 73 (46%)
- 3 to 5 years: 30 (19%)
- Longer than 5 years: 3 (2%)
- Most tenants remain permanently and don’t leave: 28 (18%)
Total: 157
What are the top 3 lowest priority needs of your members/tenants? (select your top 3)
- Access to operating capital: 18 (11%)
- Market opportunities for selling their product: 41 (26%)
- Product development: 101 (64%)
- Access to affordable ingredients: 64 (40%)
- Accessing trained labor: 82 (52%)
- Distribution/logistics: 80 (50%)
- Business planning: 37 (23%)
- Branding and marketing: 48 (30%)
- Other: 10 (6%)
Total: 159
Has your kitchen’s number of members/tenants increased, decreased, or stayed the same over the past three years?
- Increased: 120 (75%)
- Decreased: 13 (8%)
- Stayed the same: 26 (16%)
Total: 159
V. Cost/Rental Structure
For shared-use space, how do members/tenants book space? (select all that apply)
- By the hour: 126 (79%)
- By time block/shift: 54 (34%)
- By the day: 32 (20%)
- Individual pieces of equipment are rented: 44 (28%)
- First come, first served: 57 (36%)
Total: 159
What is your average hourly rate for kitchen time used? (including pay-as-you-go, billing plans, etc.)
- Less than $10: 9 (6%)
- $10 to $19: 54 (34%)
- $20 – $29: 68 (42%)
- $30 – $39: 21 (13%)
- $40 – $49: 6 (4%)
- $50 – $59: 2 (1%)
- $60 or higher: 1 (0.5%)
Total: 161
How often do you bill members/tenants? (select all that apply)
- Annually: 8 (5%)
- Monthly: 143 (91%)
- Weekly: 11 (7%)
- Per Use: 64 (41%)
Total: 158
For membership plans, how do you bill
members/tenants? (select all that apply)
- Pay as you go: 61(39%)
- Monthly pre-pay with no rollover: 84 (54%)
- Monthly pre-pay with rollover: 17 (11%)
- Monthly pay in arrears/at the end of the month based on use: 55 (35%)
- Long-term leases: 38 (24%)
Total: 157
Do you have a sliding scale/different rates for
any of the following? (select all that apply.)
- None of the above: 29 (18%)
- Volume of hours: 99 (62%)
- Time of day (peak/off-peak): 44 (28%)
- Low-income users: 17 (10%)
- Incubator members: 20 (13%)
- Community members/organizations: 27 (17%)
Total: 159
VI. Operations
How do members/tenants reserve space? (select all that apply)
- Google Calendar: 17 (11%)
- Email/phone/text to Kitchen Manager: 38 (25%)
- The Food Corridor software: 96 (63%)
- Sign-up sheet or board in the facility: 5 (3%)
- Custom-built system: 9 (6%)
- Other scheduling software (Nexudus, Cobot, Skedda): 8 (5%)
- We don’t reserve space, members just come and go: 4 (3%)
- Other: 10 (6%)
Total: 152
Is your facility accessible 24/7 for your tenants/ members?
- Yes: 139 (89%)
- No: 17 (11%)
Total: 156
How do members/tenants access the facility (select all that apply)
- Staff let them in: 15 (10%)
- Physical keys: 36 (23%)
- Swipe cards/fobs: 59 (38%)
- Lockbox: 22 (14%)
- Keypad/code: 60 (38%)
Total: 156
