CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Two local food production kitchens, one in Charlottesville and the other in Fluvanna County, are among a dozen recipients of grants totaling nearly half-a-million dollars overall Governor Youngkin has awarded from the Virginia Department of Agriculture’s infrastructure grant program. Beacon Kitchen at 201 Carlton Avenue in Charlottesville is receiving a $50,000 grant which will aid in the purchase of the initial packaging and distribution products needed for the new phase of the project. A VDACS release said grant funds will be used to purchase equipment such as juicers, labelers, printers, baggers, food processors, tray sealers, cappers, fillers, shrink wrappers and dehydrators for this shared-use commercial kitchen. Beacon Kitchen is a shared-use commercial kitchen organizers say is for aspiring chefs, established food brands and everyone in between. It operates essentially as a small business incubator that teaches not only aspects of commercial cooking and food preparation, but also skills needed outside the kitchen to run a small business.
The second area entity getting almost $7400 is the Fluvanna County Community Center Commercial Kitchen on James Madison Highway just outside of Fork Union. VDAC said, “Grant funding will support the purchase of essential commercial equipment and the installation of a dedicated electrical circuit, to expand the functionality of the Fluvanna County Commercial Kitchen. These upgrades will remove key operational barriers, expand the kitchen’s user base, and generate long-term economic impact by supporting the growth of small food-based businesses in Fluvanna County.”
According to the county, “The Fluvanna County Community Center Commercial Kitchen is a licensed commercial kitchen that is certified for food production. Renters can use the kitchen by the hour or day to produce food while fulfilling regulatory compliance to create food products to sell directly to a consumer, online, wholesale, or to a retail establishment. Target users of the commercial kitchen include small business owners and startups interested in food production. The kitchen features a commercial six-burner stove, large refrigerator and freezer, stainless steel serving line, and stainless steel prep line.”