It害羞草研究所檚 Isabel and Malcolm Taliano害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檛 be used privately.

害羞草研究所淭he price point here is better, the facilities are nicer and it害羞草研究所檚 private害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� said Malcolm.

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

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e just saving up for that, so to make that happen we害羞草研究所檒l be using spaces like this,害羞草研究所� said Malcolm. 害羞草研究所淚 really love living in Revelstoke, but this is really cool having this space.害羞草研究所�

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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害羞草研究所淲e started it because we recognized there was a critical supply chain gap in our food processing sector,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淭he goal of the facility is to support start-ups and existing businesses,害羞草研究所� said Fitt. 害羞草研究所淯ltimately, we害羞草研究所檇 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.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所檛 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.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a place where small businesses basically get a chance to grow, because small businesses can害羞草研究所檛 afford to have a kitchen with the quality of equipment in here,害羞草研究所� said Kyle, adding without Zest, No Bull Eats may could have ended up in a lot of debt. 害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檇 have to take out loans to be able to get a kitchen going. You害羞草研究所檙e probably looking at close to $100,000 minimum to get something decent going, for what we害羞草研究所檇 need for equipment to produce the amount of meals we do.害羞草研究所�

Anchor tenant Kurt Sauter, of Kurt害羞草研究所檚 Sausages, was in need of a new space when someone suggested he check out Zest.

害羞草研究所淚 had a smaller spot but needed more space,害羞草研究所� said Sauter. 害羞草研究所淭his is just what we need害羞草研究所� It害羞草研究所檚 a good thing for us. It害羞草研究所檚 a good price and everything is included, we don害羞草研究所檛 have to worry about anything. And it害羞草研究所檚 inspected 害羞草研究所� that害羞草研究所檚 all we need.害羞草研究所�

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Jo McDermott, who creates numerous types of granola, hot cereals and other products for her business Gaia害羞草研究所檚 Pantry, explained successful sales at farmers markets necessitated a move from her home kitchen to Zest.

害羞草研究所淚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,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淣ow I supplement my breads with wild foods, it害羞草研究所檚 kind of swapped, but it害羞草研究所檚 given me something to make a living from and that害羞草研究所檚 pretty great,害羞草研究所� said Kilborn, who has gone from working at Zest three days a week to five days a week, and as an employer.

害羞草研究所淚 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,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝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害羞草研究所� not that I害羞草研究所檓 an expert, just that I害羞草研究所檝e done it recently,害羞草研究所� said Kilborn. 害羞草研究所淚 think that害羞草研究所檚 really beneficial for any small business starting out, not just the facility but also the environment and all the different people that come through.害羞草研究所�

With the space built out to maximize use, Fitt said a focus is now building on those networking opportunities, 害羞草研究所減roviding an expanded supportive environment.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e want to see this facility really be leveraged as a network for food and beverage processors and producers as well,害羞草研究所� said Fitt. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e going to be hosting some new events, some new workshops and kind of moving into that realm of creating that network.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淚 wish we had more time to talk to the other producers here and get to know everyone, but I害羞草研究所檓 really glad we found this and it害羞草研究所檚 working out for us,害羞草研究所� said Malcolm.

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