On April 24, 2017, HBK Incubates hosted its first Buyers Showcase in our East Harlem kitchen. 16 of our members had an opportunity to share their products with buyers from Whole Foods, The Brooklyn Kitchen, Our Harvest, and Farm to People.
In addition to the exposure to buyers and potential new customers, Incubator members also were able to receive feedback about their product, sales pitch, packaging design, and more from the buyers, as well as advice from two of Hot Bread Kitchen’s board members – Chef’s Club’s Dana Cowin and former VP of City Harvest Matthew Reich.
Ginjan‘s Rahim chats with HBK boardmember Matthew
The businesses displayed a wide variety of products, from cookies, chocolates, and pastries to meal kits, beverages, and savory spreads.
HBK Incubates member Sup Dinner Kits‘ display
“We were thrilled to see our entrepreneurs selling themselves and their brands to potential buyers,” shared Kobla Asamoah, Program Director for HBK Incubates. “You can have the most solid business plan in the world, but if you don’t have sales, you don’t really have a business. At HBK Incubates, we’re proud to give small food business owners access to market opportunities, and to help build the confidence they need to successfully land purchase orders.”
The curated list of presenters, along with the familiar space of the HBK Incubates kitchen, created an environment where attendees were able to chat with all 16 businesses. Said Mike Winill of Our Harvest, “I thought the event was a great success. We will be launching with at least a few of the vendors soon.”
Camille from Farm to People with Saundra, owner of Chocolat Palette
In addition to commercial kitchen space for food entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, HBK Incubates offers workshops and business advising, and assists with access to market opportunities. We were proud to host this showcase with support from New York Community Trust, who was also in attendance.
Interested in joining the HBK Incubates kitchen? Apply here.
Images credit Sam Rosenthal
