Green County Kitchen Survey Results (Monroe)

Mark your calendars for the release of the Green County Commercial Kitchen Survey results! On Monday, June 1 at 5:30 p.m., Green County UW Extension will showcase the results of the Community Commercial Kitchen Needs Survey. This public meeting will be held at the Amcore Bank community meeting room, 1625 10th Street (north side of Monroe’s Historic Square).
“A community commercial kitchen would enable local residents to produce food products for sale,” explained Cara Carper, Community Resource Development Educator at Green County UW Extension. “Anyone who completed the survey, is interested in launching a food-based business or supportive of the local food movement here in Green County is encouraged to attend.” More than 100 people indicated their interest in a shared-use commercial kitchen facility through the Green County Community Commercial Kitchen Survey.
“We were very thrilled and encouraged by the number of people who filled out the survey, as well as the large number of different products they would like to produce for sale,” explains Carper. “The potential economic impact of a community kitchen is great.”
Forty eight of the respondents indicated in the survey their desired sales goals for products that would be made at the facility. If each of them met their goals, the impact would be more than $650,000 per year in sales.
“Even if a small percentage of those who would were interested in starting a food business met their goals, we’re looking at a significant impact here in Green County.”
Community-based, “incubator” commercial kitchens are gaining popularity both throughout Wisconsin and the nation as these ventures help stimulate local economic vitality and promote regional food through the creation of small business enterprises. As part of the survey, people were asked to indicate educational classes and other assistance they may need to make their businesses successful.
Discussion at the June 1 meeting will be encouraged regarding survey results, potential user needs and next steps. Focus group discussions with those who completed the survey will be scheduled the week of June 8. If you completed a survey, but did not include contact information, please contact Cara Carper, UW–Extension at (608) 328-9441 or cara.carper@ces.uwex.edu.