Jesebel Gumogda, a pastry chef and owner of Pure Confections, was steadily building her business and establishing a legacy for her family as a member of Hot Bread Kitchen—until the pandemic hit. Read about the support and connections Hot Bread Kitchen was able to provide that have helped Jesebel weather the storm.
incubator
10 Tips for Growing Your Food Brand + Building Relationships during COVID-19
Small food brands often face an uphill battle even after they get into retail stores—brand-building, marketing, communication with buyers, increasing orders, and more—which has only been exacerbated by COVID-19. Hot Bread Kitchen’s panel discussion on August 13, 2020 convened food industry experts for a discussion on how small food brands can strategically pivot, strengthen their […]
Voices from the Field: Nafi’s
Meet Chef Bintou N’daw of Nafi’s Hot Pepper Condiments. Bintou, a caterer and food consultant, took over Nafi’s from her mother, Nafi. Nafi created the line of West African peanut sauces to fill a market need for African-influenced products in New York City. Nafi’s catering and in-store sales have slowed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
Voices from the Field: Kanpekies
Meet Suzanna of Kanpekies. A systems-focused architect, Suzanna started her shortbread cookie company as a side-business. In Japanese, the word kanpeki translates to “perfect,” which is what Suzanna wants to convey with her cookies (shop online here). Suzanna’s goal in 2020 was to increase her wholesale orders, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, her existing […]
Voices from the Field: Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods
Meet Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods. After a dark period of addiction and homelessness, Janie Deegan found solace and healing through baking. Now, she’s a Food Network CHOPPED Sweets champion, and baker of sweet treats including her famous pie crust cookies (available online here). Janie had plans to scale her business through several grocers this […]
Voices from the Field: Fauzia’s Heavenly Delights
Business at Fauzia’s famous food truck came to a screeching halt in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the family out of work.
