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Union Kitchen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Union Kitchen is an American business incubator based in Washington, D.C.[1][2][3]
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Union Kitchen merges the concepts of a shared kitchen and a business incubator, catering primarily to small food businesses.[4]
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History
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Union Kitchen was founded as Black Strap Bakery[5] in 2012 by Jonas Singer and Cullen Gilchrist in Washington, D.C.[6][7][8] It originated from Singer and Gilchrist's search for a kitchen space for their Blind Dog Cafe and Bakery.[4][1] They repurposed a 7,300-square-foot vacant kitchen near the U.S. Capitol into Union Kitchen, starting with a few members.[4][1][9] The first food incubator was opened by Union Kitchen in 2012 in NoMa.[10][11]
In February 2013, Washington D.C.'s government established a partnership with Union Kitchen aimed at supporting district residents in initiating culinary careers.[12] The initiative provided entrepreneurs at Union Kitchen's Northeast Washington facility a platform for starting their businesses with reduced costs and risks.[12]
In May 2013, Union Kitchen acquired empty lots in NoMa, launching weekend open-air bazaars for food trucks and vendors to sell prepared foods.[13][14] They also planned to host food events and acoustic music on Thursdays and Fridays, and to collaborate with Relay Foods for a weekly grocery pick-up spot.[13]
In March 2014, Union Kitchen opened a market and cafe in Capitol Hill.[15][16]
In November 2014, the National Museum of Women in the Arts formed a partnership with Union Kitchen to manage the museum's Mezzanine Cafe.[17] This collaboration involved a rotation of pop-up cafes operated by Union Kitchen's members.[17] In the same year, Union Kitchen was named as one of the finalists for USA Today's Entrepreneur of the Year award.[4]
In 2015, Union Kitchen expanded its operations by opening a second location in Ivy City.[18] It also invested $2 million in a 15,000-square-foot warehouse, increasing the capacity for new members.[19][3][20]
In 2016, Jonas Singer stepped down as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Union Kitchen.[20][21]
In January 2018, Union Kitchen opened a 2,500-square-foot grocery store in the One Franklin Square building in Washington, D.C., and another 3,000-square-foot store in the redeveloped Ballston Quarter mall in Ballston.[22]
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Business model
Union Kitchen provides small food enterprises with six-month memberships to a regulated community kitchen at a reduced cost.[4] Additionally, Union Kitchen provides services in branding and distribution, as well as catering and distribution for member products.[4]
Union Kitchen also provides a distribution company managed by the incubator itself.[3] The membership also includes a coworking space situated near one of the kitchens.[3][11]
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References
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