Laserfiche WebLink
Section III: Market condition survey <br />Introduction <br />The original aim of this study was to evaluate the potential for an incubator within <br />the City of Ramsey. The models proposed were a culinary incubator designed to grow <br />and support food businesses and a co -working space in which potential tenants may <br />operate. In order to produce final recommendations, it was decided that tenant and <br />talent interviews were necessary to narrow the scope of recommendations. Interviews <br />were conducted to identify potential partners, tenants, and asses the talent supply. <br />These interviews were conducted via email and potential case studies for future use <br />were identified. Further, we hoped to determine interest and theoretical activity levels for <br />the culinary incubator. Obtaining interviews was relatively difficult and more thorough <br />case studies will be necessary for future research. <br />Local restaurants <br />The overarching theme of interviews conducted with local restaurant -owners was <br />the lack of commercial kitchen and storage space for their business. Home -based <br />caterers often cannot produce enough of their goods to justify expansion; at the same <br />time they require increased production space to grow their business. Through our <br />research, we identified a number of caterers within Ramsey and a number of <br />restaurants in the area. Comments regarding the potential of partnering with or <br />expanding to an incubator included the following: <br />• Potential incubator amenities: <br />o "I would look for meat processing equipment, packaging equipment, and <br />Combi ovens along with office space and a loading dock" <br />o "...the current building needs Tots of updates (kitchen floor & walls, some <br />equipment is very old, we need a turbo oven for efficiency, etc..." <br />o Separate clean space to prepare foods for sale and not take up actual <br />space in the front of house <br />• Regarding expansion: <br />o I am comfortable running only one location. It would be too much stress <br />running more, since I do all the handiwork myself. <br />o My business has huge growth potential already but I can't do everything <br />myself. <br />• Disadvantages in current location: <br />o Too crowded, not enough space to work and keep enough product on <br />hand to sell <br />11 <br />