OAFVC Blog

Curious about how your business can grow with the help of a commercial kitchen? Northumberland County’s Ontario Agri-Food Venture Centre (OAFVC) is where your food business can leverage modern appliances to see the growth and increased profits you are striving for.  If there’s some mystery about what goes on inside the OAFVC, let’s shine some light on what a commercial kitchen can do.

In 2018 and beyond consumers are more and more concerned with the impact their purchases are having on the environment. Whether buying online or at a local farmers’ market, people want to know they have purchased something that isn’t going to further damage the environment - and they’re willing to pay more for it. 66% of consumers would spend more on a product if it came from a sustainable brand.

At any stage of your food production or farm-to-table business, a commercial kitchen is a helpful facility to consider. Whether you need to start filling larger orders or just begin production for your business, examine the following benefits of using a local commercial kitchen.

With no experience needed, you can go from zero to hero in no time using OAFVC’s commercial kitchen. True heroes know that the path to success comes through empowerment. The hero sets out in pursuit of a quest, just as you devote yourself to the journey of your food business. The hero is often accompanied by a group of loyal comrades. Let OAFVC’s professional experts be your sidekicks on the journey to help you plan, learn, and execute the skills you need to make your business grow. No need to bring anything with you.

Before you ring in the New Year, here are 10 things a commercial kitchen can do for your business. You may be surprised at what is available for your food production business when you use a commercial kitchen like the Ontario Agri-Food Venture Centre (OAFVC).

Scaling up your business can seem daunting with all the new things you need to learn, especially if you’re thinking of moving from your familiar kitchen to a commercial space. The kitchen appliances in our commercial kitchen can help you produce your product in large volumes. While their names (and what you can do with them) may be unfamiliar to you, these appliances are actually larger, more efficient versions of appliances you can find in smaller kitchens.

Did you know that a food processing commercial kitchen can help you grow your craft beer business? OAFVC’s commercial kitchen has a product development lab where you can try out new ideas.

Saving time is important in all areas of your business because saving time often saves money; in this context, a commercial kitchen is one of the most valuable places to increase efficiency. The more product you can process each time you book OAFVC’s commercial kitchen, the more you can potentially sell. Plus, you can book rentals according to your schedule. Try implementing some time-saving cooking tips used by professional chefs, commercial caterers, and household cooks.

Food safety is important, especially when your business and the health and safety of your customers are on the line. Don’t take any chances or shortcuts. Use a food processing commercial kitchen. Build a reputation for going above and beyond requirements when it comes to food safety standards, and you will protect your customers, yourself and your business.

Consumers love to get behind-the-scenes access to their favourite products. Today’s informed consumers want to know how things are made and to have the inside scoop on trade secrets. Why not teach a culinary class to give your fans a look at what it’s like to create the food they love so much?

The value of working with a commercial kitchen is undeniable: there are so many benefits. But one of the best advantages of working with Ontario Agri-Food Venture Centre is Sharpe’s Food Market. Sharpe’s is an award winning (Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year, silver, 2016) grocery store in downtown Campbellford, in Northumberland County. Sharpe’s has worked with OAFVC for a number of years to offer a retail location to sell products made in our commercial kitchen.

With an explosion in the number of craft breweries in Ontario, hops have had a resurgence in popularity. But since hops can only be harvested five to six weeks of the year, hops producers must find effective storage to ensure fresh brews all year round. Turning hops into pellets — known as pellet hops — for storage takes up less room, and gives hops a longer shelf life (around 2 years) compared to storing dried whole-leaf hops (around 6 months).