Sauce Magazine – STL Foodworks provides commercial kitchen space, advice and more to startups, ghost kitchens and beyond
STL Foodworks offers startups, ghost kitchens and more commercial kitchen space, advice and more
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STL Foodworks opened as a culinary incubator in November 2019 to empower your business, whether you are just starting out and don’t even have a business license or if you have an experienced company that simply needs extra space to do the work take care of.
Located at 408 N. Sarah St. in the Central West End, the space offers two shared commercial kitchens – one with three workstations and one with two – as well as two private kitchens, all of which can be rented by the hour and allow up to seven businesses or businesses Individuals who are supposed to work at a certain point in time. Each station is equipped with standard equipment, from a 20-liter mixer and a full-range fan oven to prep tables and sinks, cooling and much more.
stl foodworks // photo by lauren healey
Ideal for startups, STL Foodworks can help you set up a business license, get food liability insurance, and even get ServSafe certification. “We help with the preparatory work at the beginning and then help with research and development,” said General Manager Daniel Movitz. “After helping create a phased growth plan, we can also schedule some popups to see how people are getting the food.” Companies are currently securing pre-orders through their own websites and delivering the groceries to customers on the roadside.
STL Foodworks has helped several local businesses get started including Bold Spoon Creamery, Anderson & Son Pepper Co., and Shorty Mix Gourmet Cookies.
erica king of shorty mix gourmet cookies // photo by suzy gorman
“Bold Spoon Creamery, which has all of the local flavors, was amazing,” said Movitz, adding that it is available at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market. “They started with us last May and we’ve seen them just start. Their original business plan was to wholesale their ice cream to restaurants, but they’ve had to turn around because of the pandemic and are now thriving in farmers markets and retailing places like Schnucks. ”
Anderson & Son Pepper Co. founder Joel Anderson turned to STL Foodworks when he decided to turn his passion into a business. “He has a whole garden of peppers and needed a commercial facility to cook and bottle his hot sauce,” Movitz said. “He started with us last year and does a lot every month to sell bottles online.”
Shorty Mix Gourmet Cookies have just launched and will be available when the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market kicks off for the season on Saturday April 10th. “They were inspired by world travel, so the cookie recipes really show this,” Movitz said, adding that there are flavors such as Texas Jalepeno Lime, Moroccan Snickerdoodle, Mexican Churro Chip, and more.
anderson and son pepper co. // Photo by Papa Blankson
While STL Foodworks is the perfect place to start a startup, it’s also a great option for busy kitchens that are struggling to keep up with demand. “Some stationary companies are so busy that they no longer have to make deliveries because they can’t keep up. So we’re providing an amazing ghost kitchen opportunity where you can send a couple of cooks to just deliver orders at peak times, so people in the store can focus on making things run smoothly, ”said Movitz.
The incubator serves a diverse clientele 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The registration fee is $ 50 and there is a refundable deposit of $ 300. Hourly rates start at around $ 35 per hour, and scheduling is done through an online portal. “When you register as a member, you will receive your own security code and you can set up at 4 a.m. if you want to bake something before sunrise,” explained Movitz.
Co-founded by Charlie and Christy Schlafly and Ford Hotel Supply, STL Foodworks has numerous connections for those seeking help designing kitchens, commercial appliances, and scaling a business. “Ford’s desire to nurture the local food scene and be a resource for local businesses is evident in how they help our entrepreneurs,” Movitz said.
Follow STL Foodworks on Instagram for pop-up announcements. For more information, call 314.833.3423 or visit stlfoodworks.com.
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