Response
Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Broome County secured funding to expand its commercial kitchen incubator. Construction began in September 2025 and includes a second production kitchen, a walk-in cooler, a freezer, dry storage space, a secure entrance, a restroom, and a loading area. The expansion increases capacity for food safety compliance, improves operational efficiency, and supports scalable production for incubator members. To ensure uninterrupted operations during the renovation, CCE Broome coordinated a temporary local relocation of all incubator members to partner organizations with commercial kitchen facilities.
Results
The investment expands commercial kitchen production space, cold and dry storage capacity, and operational infrastructure to better serve a growing network of food entrepreneurs. During construction, all incubator members maintained continuous business operations through coordinated relocations and partnerships with local organizations, strengthening support for food-based small businesses. The expansion positions Cornell Cooperative Extension to serve more entrepreneurs, increase the production of value-added food, and support job creation and small-business growth in the region.
Public Value
By expanding commercial kitchen infrastructure, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County strengthened local food businesses, supported value-added agricultural production, and contributed to economic growth. An investment in a commercial kitchen production space increases market opportunities for small businesses and enhances food production capacity in the region.
