Transcript Caleb Zigas - Rutgers Food Innovation Center

SAN FRANCISCO’S FIRST INCUBATOR KITCHEN
Our Mission
La Cocina is a non-profit
incubator kitchen that
provides affordable
commercial kitchen
space and technical
assistance to lowincome entrepreneurs
who are starting,
launching or growing a
food business.
The History of La Cocina
1999
Feasability Study
2001
Break Ground
2005
Doors Open to First
Businesses
2007
First 2 Businesses
Graduate
2008
First Food Business
Incubator Conference
The Businesses of La Cocina
• Over 30 businesses share kitchen space at La
Cocina, of which 22 have been accepted into La
Cocina’s incubator program.
• Program Participants must submit a finished business
plan, personal and business financial information and
sit with an advisory committee for an interview before
being accepted to the program.
• Three years into the program we have had 2
graduates businesses, and we expect 2—4 graduates
per year going forward.
Micro-Enterprise
• In the United States, a microenterprise is usually
defined as a business with five or fewer employees,
small enough to require initial capital of $35,000 or
less.
• AEO estimates there are more than 24 million
microenterprises in the U.S., representing 18% of all
private employment and 87% of all businesses.
• Historically, microenterprises have been considered
the backbone of the U.S. economy. Most
microenterprises are sole proprietorships, which
create employment for the owner and, often, other
family members; they are commonly called "mom and
pop" businesses.
Case Study 1: Peas of Mind
• Peas of Mind began at
La Cocina in January of
2005.
• Began with a recipe, a
business plan and zero
customers.
• Initially, focused entirely
on scaling recipe,
packaging and initial
focus groups.
Case Study 1: Peas of Cake!
• Sales within 5 months
• Rapid growth company
• Technical assistance in scaling,
distribution and co-packing.
• Found co-packer, graduated,
went national
• Recently featured in Specialty
Food Magazine Press Release
• Poised for continued growth in
expanding industry.
Case Study 2: El Huarache Loco
• Veronica Salazar began her
business cooking authentic food
from Mexico City out of her
home in San Francisco’s
Tenderloin District.
• At her home restaurant, she
would sell about $200-$300
every day on the weekends.
• Through a partnership with a
business planning organization
in SF, Veronica wrote a business
plan and applied to La Cocina in
late 2005.
• Veronica began with catering and as
she moved through the program began
looking for low-capital launching pads for
her food.
•La Cocina created
relationships with local
farmers markets, and El
Huarache Loco was the
first La Cocina business to
launch in this manner.
•2 years later, Veronica is
averaging a little over
$3,500/week in sales and
employees 4 full-time staff.
Just look at the picture above to see Vero and her staff!
La Cocina Core Values
We support high-quality artisan food products. We
prioritize and search for regionally authentic products and
‘hidden entrepreneurs’.
We embrace community outreach and participation
We cultivate and encourage good business practices
(green business, local buying, organic, sustainable, fair trade,
etc.).
We strive for economic self-sufficiency and empowerment
through small business.
Money, Money, Money!
• La Cocina’s annual budget is between $600 and
$700,000 for the facility, all programs and all staff. We
currently have 3 full-time staff and 2 part-time staff.
• Of that money, roughly 60% comes from grants and
foundations, 10% from city funds and individual donors
and about 30% from internal program revenues.
• Program participants pay an average of $13/hour to use
the kitchen space and commercial users pay a minimum
of $40/hour.
• We expect to see our revenues rise over the next 2-5
years, though we are not aiming for self-sufficiency
through kitchen revenue.
Press and The Future of La Cocina
The Power of the Press
Build awareness not only of your organization
but also of the businesses that you support.
Connect your businesses to the press and
media opportunities that they will need to grow.
Work with your businesses to make sure that
they tie back in to you. They are our greatest
asset.