It香蕉视频直播檚 Isabel and Malcolm Taliano香蕉视频直播檚 first day working out of the Zest Commercial Food Hub and the two are already in love with the space.

The couple are the creative culinary entrepreneurs behind Summit City Artisanal Foods of Revelstoke. Their need of a certified commercial kitchen space to produce recently brought them to the Salmon Arm food hub, where they were able to rent one of the two shared-use kitchens to produce mustard.

Malcolm, who has worked in Salmon Arm as a paramedic, said there is a kitchen facility available in Revelstoke but it can香蕉视频直播檛 be used privately.

香蕉视频直播淭he price point here is better, the facilities are nicer and it香蕉视频直播檚 private香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� said Malcolm.

The Talianos said their goal is to one day open their own commercial kitchen.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e just saving up for that, so to make that happen we香蕉视频直播檒l be using spaces like this,香蕉视频直播� said Malcolm. 香蕉视频直播淚 really love living in Revelstoke, but this is really cool having this space.香蕉视频直播�

Since Zest opened its doors in November 2021, the facility has undergone some renovations to accommodate demand by providing more space for anchor tenants and users of the shared kitchens. The facility is managed by Tracy Edwards, who also serves as a mentor to food hub users, and is overseen by the Salmon Arm Economic Development Society (SAEDS).

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香蕉视频直播淲e started it because we recognized there was a critical supply chain gap in our food processing sector,香蕉视频直播� said SAEDS economic development manager Lana Fitt, explaining the facility addresses barriers to start-up and existing businesses by providing an affordable, certified food processing space.

香蕉视频直播淭he goal of the facility is to support start-ups and existing businesses,香蕉视频直播� said Fitt. 香蕉视频直播淯ltimately, we香蕉视频直播檇 love to see our tenants outgrow this facility and start processing spaces outside of Zest in the community and we can continue to circulate new businesses and new start-ups through Zest.香蕉视频直播�

Zest is currently home to seven anchor tenants, who have 24/7 access to the facility, and its shared kitchens have 26 approved users with another 25 coming onboard. Fitt said about 40 full-time equivalent jobs are associated with Zest, where approximately 160 food and beverage products are being created.

Kyle Jobin said without Zest, No Bull Eats probably wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 exist. Jobin and partner Lindsay Anderson, both personal trainers, produce healthy, pre-made meals at Zest that are sold through their business, No Bull Eats. They started using Zest in January 2023, and have gone from producing just under 100 meals a week to about 300 a week.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a place where small businesses basically get a chance to grow, because small businesses can香蕉视频直播檛 afford to have a kitchen with the quality of equipment in here,香蕉视频直播� said Kyle, adding without Zest, No Bull Eats may could have ended up in a lot of debt. 香蕉视频直播淵ou香蕉视频直播檇 have to take out loans to be able to get a kitchen going. You香蕉视频直播檙e probably looking at close to $100,000 minimum to get something decent going, for what we香蕉视频直播檇 need for equipment to produce the amount of meals we do.香蕉视频直播�

Anchor tenant Kurt Sauter, of Kurt香蕉视频直播檚 Sausages, was in need of a new space when someone suggested he check out Zest.

香蕉视频直播淚 had a smaller spot but needed more space,香蕉视频直播� said Sauter. 香蕉视频直播淭his is just what we need香蕉视频直播� It香蕉视频直播檚 a good thing for us. It香蕉视频直播檚 a good price and everything is included, we don香蕉视频直播檛 have to worry about anything. And it香蕉视频直播檚 inspected 香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 all we need.香蕉视频直播�

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Jo McDermott, who creates numerous types of granola, hot cereals and other products for her business Gaia香蕉视频直播檚 Pantry, explained successful sales at farmers markets necessitated a move from her home kitchen to Zest.

香蕉视频直播淚t had taken over and gotten too big and was pushing my family out of the kitchen, so I had to find a space that could accommodate me and, at the time this was the last vacant room available for an anchor tenant,香蕉视频直播� said McDermott. And because the Zest kitchen is commercially certified, McDermott said this gives her the opportunity to get into some retail locations around town, which is her next project.

Since coming to Zest, Amanda Kilborn has seen her business, Forest and Food Fixation, shift and grow. She explained her business began in 2018, but was more focused on the foraging of wild foods. She said she started making bread to sell at farmers markets to supplement the wild foods side.

香蕉视频直播淣ow I supplement my breads with wild foods, it香蕉视频直播檚 kind of swapped, but it香蕉视频直播檚 given me something to make a living from and that香蕉视频直播檚 pretty great,香蕉视频直播� said Kilborn, who has gone from working at Zest three days a week to five days a week, and as an employer.

香蕉视频直播淚 really wanted to have my own thing, and when this opened it just kind of coincided with exactly what I needed for my own space,香蕉视频直播� said Kilborn.

In addition to the space it provides for her business, Kilborn also appreciates Zest for its community, offering opportunities for education and collaboration.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e had a lot of people who are just starting out come talk to me about how I progressed, to give a bit of an insight香蕉视频直播� not that I香蕉视频直播檓 an expert, just that I香蕉视频直播檝e done it recently,香蕉视频直播� said Kilborn. 香蕉视频直播淚 think that香蕉视频直播檚 really beneficial for any small business starting out, not just the facility but also the environment and all the different people that come through.香蕉视频直播�

With the space built out to maximize use, Fitt said a focus is now building on those networking opportunities, 香蕉视频直播減roviding an expanded supportive environment.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e want to see this facility really be leveraged as a network for food and beverage processors and producers as well,香蕉视频直播� said Fitt. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e going to be hosting some new events, some new workshops and kind of moving into that realm of creating that network.香蕉视频直播�

Getting to know the Zest community was something the Talianos wished they had more time for.

香蕉视频直播淚 wish we had more time to talk to the other producers here and get to know everyone, but I香蕉视频直播檓 really glad we found this and it香蕉视频直播檚 working out for us,香蕉视频直播� said Malcolm.

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