Shared Kitchen Certificate Process Advocacy

To produce in a commercial shared kitchen, like ours at The Hatchery, it is required to obtain the nationally recognized ANSI accredited Food Manager’s certificate, in addition to a City of Chicago Food Manager’s Sanitation Protection Certificate. Due to changes since the pandemic, the already lengthy process became longer and more cost prohibitive, with rule changes that turned the 2-3 month process into 5-6 months.

We connected with the BACP to request that the process be changed at a systemic level to allow small businesses to begin production in a shared kitchen more quickly. After the BACP held an internal review, they decided to return to their COVID era policy of accepting receipt submissions for their certificate as opposed to waiting the lengthy amount of time for the physical copy. This decision will reduce processing time and get entrepreneurs into our shared kitchen spaces much faster!

Grand Ave. Complete Streets Project Update

To widen sidewalks and put in place protected bike lanes, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) introduced their Complete Streets Project this past spring. ICNC collected feedback from our community, and we were able to put affected businesses directly in contact with CDOT to voice concerns.

Through our efforts, we're excited to say that CDOT has adjusted plans to impact businesses less, shifting areas to include loading zones, curb shifts, parking availability, and more to minimize impact to business owners while still protecting our community's bicyclists.

If you'd like to be a part of our advocacy conversations, reach out to ICNC's Advocacy and Economic Development Specialist Ashlee.

News Feature

Dope Drip Cafe

New Retail Location

Chicago Raw Foods

David and Jeoneva of Dope Drip Cafe joined WGN’s Daytime Chicago to talk about how they started their business and where the name came from, while sharing how they make their signature tamafongo. Watch the segment.

Chicago Raw Foods is open for business Time Out Market! Their juices, elixirs, chia pudding, and other 100% vegan, raw food is made daily and can be purchased at their new spot every day. See the details of their new location.

News Feature

Farmer's Fridge

Rebrand

Land Lovers

Farmer's Fridge has continued its rapid growth since launching in 2013, with recent expansion into national retailers like Costco and Target. Eater featured Farmer’s Fridge to talk about how they’ve found ways to creatively and conveniently offer well-made, healthy meals to a large audience. 

Land Lovers, formerly alchemeat, launched their rebrand at IFT First Expo in July! Their plant-full and cow-free steak is tender, juice, and cooks up like the real thing. At IFT First, they showcased their product through animal-free BBQ and Carne Asada Tacos. Find Land Lovers near you.

In partnership with Samuel Adams and the Accion Opportunity Fund, we are exciting to present Brewing the American Dream. Join us on August 30 for networking and an impactful discussion with industry experts on how to overcome challenges to growth at every stage! Join us to gain insights from local experts on how to tackle obstacles related to scaling your business.

You won’t want to miss this opportunity to get trusted business advice from experts and build your network by meeting fellow entrepreneurs and local organizations. Register now and take your business to new heights!

August 10th: Improving Shelf-life & Textures for Consumer Appeal

August 17th: Label Claims: Legal and Regulatory Overview

August 30th: Brewing the American Dream

September 12th: Starting A Food Business+

+ = Hybrid Event (In-person at The Hatchery and Online)