CommonWealth Kitchen is a food business incubator and social enterprise located in Dorchester, MA that provides start-up support, shared kitchen facilities, and business/technical assistance to help build viable food businesses and strengthen the regional food economy. It has supported over 50 companies, mostly owned by women and people of color, employing over 140 people total and creating over 500 jobs since 2009. In 2018, its $2.3 million budget included $1 million in earned income, representing 500% growth since 2013.

1. February 2018
CommonWealth Kitchen
CommonWealth Kitchen
196 Quincy Street
Dorchester, MA. 02121
Equity-Opportunity- Community
Boston’s food business incubator and urban food manufacturing social enterprise

2. Start-up support
Shared kitchen facilities
Business & technical support
Industry networks
Food manufacturing
More than just a shared kitchen,
we take a systems-based approach to building viable food businesses
and strengthening the regional food economy.

3. OUR IMPACT:
• 50+ companies- 75% owned by women and/or people of color;
• 140+ people employed;
• 45+ graduates still in business (since 2009); over 500 jobs created!
• 35+ manufacturing customers;
• 2018: $2.3m budget- $1m earned income; (500% growth since 2013);
“If you want to build a business, build the people.” - Brownie Wise, Tupperware

4. CWK’s manufacturing is filling a key gap
• Member companies able to
outsource production
• CWK staff aggregate work-create
middle-skill manufacturing jobs
• R&D and small-batch processing
for restaurants, retailers, farms
& anchor institutions
• Added benefit: deepen strategic
partnerships; expanded impact,
earned income to support
operations

5. Value-added processing made simple
Farmer provides
raw ingredients
CWK processes
using approved
recipes at a set fee
Farmer gets
finished product
with custom logo,
ready to sell

6. Leveraging CWK’s manufacturing capacity
THIS is what food waste looks like!
CWK’s institutional partners include:
✓ Harvard U. Dining Services
✓ Boston Children’s Hospital/Sodexo
✓ Boston Public Schools
✓ Bon Appetit Management (MIT, Leslie U., Emanuel College)

7. “There is nothing so
POWERFUL
as an IDEA
whose time has come.”
- Victor Hugo
Common Goals. Common Purpose. CommonWealth.