Canadian FoodTech startup Food Starter abruptly shuts down 3

Food Starter, a Toronto based startup incubator is shutting down. According to Canadian news agency, CBC, Food Starter sent out an email to clients alerting them that the final day for processing at the facility would be December 21, and that all tenants would need to move out of the plant as early as December 31.

According to their website, Food Starter, a startup incubator was aspiring to

“Operated by a not-for-profit board, Food Starter focuses on helping early-stage food processors commercialize and scale the development of their food products. Food Starter builds great food businesses!

provide access to shared production and packaging facilities, business advisory services and a structured training program in order to help entrepreneurs build and grow their food processing business.” The advantage of signing up with  Food Starter were

• Access to shared production and packaging equipment
• Access to expert advisers and industry insiders to help you solve problems unique to your business
• Training in all facets of starting and growing a food processing business – from selling to retailers and developing your production line, to implementing systems and building a solid business model to finding funding and setting up your own food plant
• Mentoring from food sector experts and experienced entrepreneurs
• Hands-on assistance to help food entrepreneurs bring their products to life and achieve market success
• Accelerator rental spaces available for businesses who need a step between incubation and moving into their own plant

CBC also notes that according to Food Starter executive director Petra Kassun-Mutch, funding from Ontario “dried up” in fall 2017, but the incubator had been looking at partnering with universities or colleges to help offset costs. However, these partnerships failed to close, and even with funding from the City of Toronto, Food Starter could not make ends meet and had to shut down.

“The idea of supporting food entrepreneurship is really important,” Kassun-Mutch told the CBC. “The cost of doing it is going to require public funding and some private support.”