Grand Traverse Food Innovation Hub

Rob Sirrine<sirrine@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Exension - July 17, 2015

Food Hub offers space for value-added agricultural producers.

Blueprints of the Grand Traverse Food Innovation Hub in Traverse City, Mich.

The Grand Traverse Foodshed Alliance 501(c)(3), coordinated by Michigan State University Extension and other community partners, have been working diligently over the last several years to build-out the Grand Traverse Food Innovation Hub (GTFIH) in Traverse City, Mich. The GTFIH is co-located with regional food distributor Cherry Capital Foods and consists of ten separate suites that are newly renovated and ready for leasing. Each of the suites is “white-boxed” and ready for move in. The suites offer: 24 hour access; individual metering of gas, water, and electric; private entrance; rentable cooler and freezer space; storage; shared meeting room, bathrooms, and kitchen; and potential for distribution with Cherry Capital Foods.

Current tenants include: The Michigan Hop Alliance, Cultured Ferments, and Taste The Local Difference. Other potential suitable businesses include value-added food processing, wash-pack-sort, packaging, food science laboratories and more. While the suites are suitable for processing and manufacturing, current zoning prohibits onsite retail sales. Suites vary in size from 380 sq. ft. to 1,623 square feet. Lease prices begin at $5 per square foot per year (for the first year) with incremental increases each year.

For example: Suite 105 at 946 square feet x $5 per square foot would have a first year leasing cost of $4,730 per year or $394 per month. An additional shared space fee (not to exceed 10 percent) will be assessed for management and maintenance of shared spaces. Shared spaces include access to kitchen facilities, bathrooms, showers, and coordinated use of the lobby and meeting room areas. Adjacent off-street parking is provided for tenants.

We envision the GTFIH as more than an address to call home, but rather a community of like-minded businesses that will collectively realize the benefits of co-location and contribute to the goals of the Michigan Good Food Charter.

To download an application please visit: http://GTFoodshedAlliance.org. For more information contact: Bill Palladino, Taste the Local Difference, 231.714.0656, GTFoodshedAlliance@gmail.com.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).