Below are several documents shared during Food BIN meetings that may be helpful in planning and management for your food business incubator.

A Food Business Incubator includes both commercial food production facilities as well as technical assistance services available to those business that use the facility.  More information about the key components of an incubator are available on the Food BIN Network page.

Facilities and Equipment

Because they are tangible, facilities and equipment are often the most straightforward place to begin assessing your incubator project.  The documents below are designed to help you intially get a handle on the physical resources you’re working with and to develop a maintenance plan to ensure that you get the most out of them.

• Facility and Infrastructure Inventory
• Equipment Inventory
  • SAMPLE: Inventory of Equipment

Risk Management Assessment and Planning

Operating a Food business Incubator carries a significant amount of risk at several levels.  Food Safety is an obvious concern but make sure you also consider other sources of risk such as the physical safety of those using equipment or visiting the facility, client confidentiality, and other issues that may be specific to your location.

• Risk Management Planning Overview
  • SAMPLE Risk Assessment Matrix
• Insurance
• Recall Plan
• Confidentiality
  • SAMPLE confidentiality agreements
  • SAMPLE service disclaimer

Client Services

The most important characteristic defining an incubator is the level of technical assistance offered to clients.  you should have a well thought out management plan in place to ensure that proper technical assistance is available and accessed by the businesses in your incubator.

• Service Needs Worksheet
  • SAMPLE: Service and Resource Sources

Incubator Management

Each incubator will naturally set it’s own policies regarding tenant admission.  For example, some will require  a complete business plan to be in place while other facilities may work with a client to help develop these and other base requirements.

SAMPLE Policy Manual

SAMPLE tenant application

Sample Operating Forms

The following list of operating forms was developed by the Denver Enterprise Center as it began operations of its kitchen. Rather than an exhaustive list, these forms are presented as a help and starting point to those that will draft the operating forms for the local kitchen. No legal review or status is implied and any forms based on the following should be reviewed by appropriate legal representation in the proper jurisdiction.

• User Application
• Kitchen Inspection Checklist
• Kitchen Facility Equipment List
• Incubator Background/Policies/Procedures
• Statistical Employment Information
• Kitchen Incubator Monthly Statement
• User Start-Up checklist
• Kitchen Incubator Lease / Operating Agreement

e Food BIN Network is managed by the Agricultural Innovation Center
with the support of Thrive and the Economic Development Administration.