Cleveland’s food scene is thriving, thanks in part to Central Kitchen, the incubator that has helped nearly 100 small food businesses launch and scale, trained more than 500 workers and created more than 1000  products and 400 jobs.

Founded in 2013 with a mission to empower local food entrepreneurs, the organization provides a comprehensive support system that includes access to commercial kitchen space, business training, and direct retail connections.

For many aspiring food business owners, the biggest challenge isn’t just creating a great product—it’s knowing how to build a business around it. Central Kitchen steps in to bridge that gap, guiding entrepreneurs from concept to commercialization.

"We help companies start and grow their businesses," said CEO Eric Diamond. "Ninety-five percent had never been in business before. They just had a good idea."

From first-time food entrepreneurs to established small businesses looking to scale, Central Kitchen is fueling Cleveland’s culinary ecosystem, making it easier for local makers to turn their passion into a livelihood.

Starting a food business is more than just perfecting a recipe. It requires understanding regulations, navigating supply chains, and finding customers. Central Kitchen offers a Craft Classroom that provides both in-person and online business education, ensuring entrepreneurs have the knowledge and tools needed to turn their ideas into viable businesses.

Once their products are ready, entrepreneurs take their first steps into the market with small steps, such as selling at local farmers markets. This helps them refine their branding, gather customer feedback, and generate initial revenue.

The next big step? Retail. Central Kitchen has developed strong relationships with regional grocery chains and hosts bi-annual pitch days, where selected food businesses get to present their products directly to store buyers.

“Access to markets is one of the biggest challenges for small food companies,” Diamond explained. "At one point, a grocery executive called me and said, ‘I get five phone calls a week from your incubator businesses wanting to sell in my store. You tell me which ones I should meet with, and I’ll meet with them.’ That’s how our pitch days started.”

These connections have helped local brands like Randy’s Pickles and Cleveland Kitchen (formerly Cleveland Kraut) expand beyond farmers markets into major retailers.

As Cleveland’s food entrepreneurship scene has grown, so has Central Kitchen. In 2020, the organization opened its Food Hub on Carnegie Avenue, a 130,000-square-foot facility that provides production space for growing businesses.

"We were just rated last year as the number one incubator kitchen in the country," Diamond noted. "We’re now the third-largest pickup hub in the U.S."

This space allows entrepreneurs to move beyond shared kitchens into private, customizable kitchen pods, which helps them scale more efficiently. The Food Hub also serves as a distribution center, enabling businesses to streamline logistics and increase production without having to invest in their own infrastructure.

Most recently, Central Kitchen expanded its impact even further by launching a stand at the historic West Side Market, in partnership with PNC Bank. This innovative program provides rotating retail opportunities for seven food entrepreneurs at a time, with each brand featured for three months.

"These people have been selling at farmers markets but aren’t quite ready for retail," Diamond said. "This is a way to bridge that gap and get them more exposure."

Beyond its physical spaces, Central Kitchen fosters a collaborative and diverse entrepreneurial community.

"About 70% of our members are women and minorities," Diamond shared. "We’re not just an incubator; we’re a community where people help each other."

Members frequently exchange supplier contacts, share insights on which farmers markets yield the best sales, and even collaborate on new products.

Cleveland’s affordability and strong food culture are also attracting entrepreneurs from outside the city. "We have people moving here just for this," Diamond said. "The cost of living is low, labor is affordable, and we have an incredible food culture."

As demand for food business support continues to grow, Central Kitchen is already looking to expand.

"We’re kind of outgrowing our space at 2800 Euclid, so we’ve been looking for a new facility," Diamond revealed.

The goal is to create even more opportunities for small food businesses, ensuring that Cleveland remains a hub for food entrepreneurship.