Sprout Kitchen, a member of the BC Food Hub Network, provides space and support for emerging and existing food entrepreneurs to get their ideas off the ground or to scale their business for new markets. Sprout Kitchen serves the area from Vanderhoof to 100 Mile House and offers new and established food businesses and community groups access to shared processing infrastructure, including processing, packaging, and testing equipment; cooler and freezer storage; food business advisory services; product development services; analytic services; applied research opportunities; and education and training related to food processing and food safety.
Through Sprout Kitchen, food entrepreneurs can make a range of products, including baked goods, frozen foods, dehydrated foods, canned goods, and much more. Producers can connect with processors, and food entrepreneurs have the opportunity to build their businesses alongside one another, encouraging an inclusive and supportive regional foods economy. Sprout Kitchen will bring more opportunities for area farmers, ranchers, and wild harvesters to increase revenue by adding value to their products, and food entrepreneurs will be able to access training and support to get their products to markets across the province.
“The Sprout Kitchen Regional Food Hub is creating more opportunities for Cariboo food processing businesses to increase their production and sales, expand their networking, and use local ingredients,” says Lana Popham, MLA, Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries. “Thank you to everyone involved in creating Sprout Kitchen. Your work will help small businesses and farms in the region grow and strengthen food security for communities in the Cariboo Regional District.”
Food processors wishing to use the space can now request rates and register for membership at sproutkitchen.ca. A grand opening will be planned when covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
Sprout Kitchen is an initiative of the City of Quesnel, made possible by generous funding from the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Northern Development Initiative Trust.
