Local First Arizona’s Community Kitchens
Local First Arizona’s Community Kitchens are available to food entrepreneurs who are looking to grow their business and are in need of a fully equipped and licensed space to begin or expand their operation. Our incubation program accommodates small and large food operations at a low cost. Businesses incubated in our Community Kitchens have access to the resources they need in order to meet their customers’ requests. Amenities include a large walk-in refrigerator, dry food storage, and dedicated wash area. In addition to kitchen equipment and food storage, we offer free WIFI and many other business conveniences at our locations near the heart of downtown Mesa, South Phoenix and Maryvale.
Get Started with Our Food Business Incubator Program
Our food business incubation program is designed to take a business from its early operating stages to a full-fledged revenue generating business. The two-year program begins by enrolling in our Good Food Boot Camp and applying for the kitchen incubator program. After these initial steps, our team will review your application and schedule an interview once space is available in one of our community kitchens.
Take the first step in launching your food business by participating in our Good Food Boot Camp.
Sign up for our Local First Community Kitchens interest list to ensure that you are considered for an interview during the following months: January, April, July & October of each year.
Before applying to our Community Kitchen Incubator Program, please ensure you have the following completed:
EIN
Register an LLC through the Arizona Corp. Commission
Have a business bank account
A completed food menu
Preferably food-costed or in the process of food costing the recipes
Upon acceptance into the incubator program, our team of food industry experts will work with you to establish business goals, metrics of success, and guideposts specific to your operation. The incubator program is designed to make sure your business is scaling and growing at the rate needed to build a solid foundation, make critical industry connections, establish and organize the processes that work for your business, and work through the financials necessary to ensure progress. Think of our team as an extension of yours. Our only goal is your success!
A community kitchen is just that, a space for community. At Local First Arizona’s Community Kitchens, we’ve built a community of food entrepreneurs that support each other in a multitude of ways. Be surrounded by other food entrepreneurs, in a supportive environment, is just one of the many benefits of going through Local First Arizona’s Food Entrepreneurship programs.
Local First Arizona Community Kitchens
Rental Cost: First Year of Incubation: $8 per hour (minimum of 12 hours per month). Second Year: $12 per hour (minimum of 12 hours per month).
Local First Community Kitchen - Mesa
Location:
659 E. Main St.
Mesa, AZ 85203
Hours:
open seven days a week
6 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Amenities Include:
2,500 square feet of industrial collaborative space
Four (4) different types of storage: Refrigerated, Freezer, Dry Storage, and Lockable Storage
Two (2) six-burner gas stoves
Double stack convection ovens
Deep fat fryer
Six (6) eight-foot stainless steel prep areas
Complete ware washing stations
One (1) 25-seat communal dining table
Local First Community Kitchen - South Phoenix
Location:
3146 E. Wier Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85040
Hours:
open seven days a week
6 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Amenities Include:
1,100 square feet of industrial collaborative space
Three (3) different types of storage: Refrigerated, Freezer, and Dry Storage
Six-burner gas stove with griddle
Double stack convection ovens
Proof box
Six (6) eight-foot stainless steel prep areas
Complete ware washing, food prep, and produce processing capabilities
Local First Community Kitchen - Maryvale
Location:
3631 W. Thomas Road
Phoenix, AZ 85019
Hours
open six days a week
(Monday thru Saturday)
8:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Amenities Include:
1,500 square feet of industrial collaborative space
Three (3) different types of storage: Refrigerated, Freezer, and dry storage.
10-burner stove with two ovens
Double stack convection ovens
Proof box
Gas grill
Five (5) stainless steep prep tables
Pots, pans, spoons, spatulas, knives, cutting boards, etc
Complete ware washing, food prep, and produce processing capabilities
Local First Community Kitchen - Eastlake
Amenities Include:
• 1,500 square feet of industrial collaborative space
Three (3) different types of storage:
refrigerated, reach-in freezer, and dry storage
• 6-burner stove with two ovens
• Double stack convection ovens
. Flat-top gas grill
•Seven (7) stainless steep prep tables
• Pots, pans, spoons, spatulas, knives, cutting boards, etc
• Complete ware washing, food prep, and produce processing capabilities
Location:
1153 East Jefferson Street
Phoenix AZ, 85034
Hours:
Open seven days a week
6 a.m. - 10 p.m.
FAQs
What is the cost to use the kitchen?
Kitchen usage is billed at an hourly rate. The rate is $8 an hour during the first year of incubation and $12 an hour during the second year of incubation.
What do I need to do to be able to use the kitchen?
Apply for the kitchen incubator program by filling out our kitchen interest form, enroll in our Good Food Boot Camp, interview to be accepted into the incubation program, be inspected and licensed by Maricopa County Environmental Services, hold a business insurance policy, and have a food safety manager’s certification.
How do I reserve time and pay rent each month?
Time is reserved on a shared calendar open to all entrepreneurs. The space is shared so you’ll be working alongside other entrepreneurs. Rent is paid at the start of each month for the prior month, based on usage. Rent is payable online.
What are the hours of operation for the kitchen?
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Seven days a week. Should you need access before or after these times it may be arranged with the kitchen manager.
Do you charge extra for storage?
No. Dry, refrigerated, and freezer storage are included in monthly rent. This is done to remove barriers for the entrepreneur and make beginning business easier.
Does the kitchen have equipment that I can use?
Yes. The kitchen is well equipped for most operations. If there is a piece of specialty equipment your business requires you are free to bring it for use and leave it in your storage area and no one else will use it unless they have permission from you.
What does it mean to work in an “incubator kitchen”?
Local First Arizona believes economic development happens through entrepreneurial development. The purpose of the kitchen is to help remove common barriers to help grow your business. Incubation is about leveraging the network of over 3,000 businesses and community connections Local First has to enable you to be successful. One-on-one incubation of your business is part of membership in the Local First Community Kitchen.