CHICAGO, Ill., Apr 02, 2020 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- In the face of the COVID-19 crisis, many food producers are scrambling to find food production spaces that meet unprecedented, rapidly evolving needs. To fulfill those needs, Amped Kitchens announced it will move ahead with plans to open its new Chicago location - providing best-in-class food-safe, sanitized and fully-permitted production spaces for up to 64 food producers.
The new facility is in Northwest Chicago, just minutes from major centers, including Logan Square and Albany Park. "Think of it as an apartment building for commercial food producers," says Brian Albert, Chief Managing Officer and co-founder of Amped Kitchens. "We provide the infrastructure, facilities and expertise needed by producers so they can focus on the business of producing, marketing and delivering their product safely and efficiently. They will be surrounded by some of the best food producers in the country and our team of professionals will be on the ground day one to help support their needs."
The new Chicago location represents an almost-$30 million investment to convert a former Zenith factory into a bustling food production complex. The building will house 64 independent, exclusive production spaces and support an estimated 250 jobs in the community. Company leaders say building community and providing jobs during this time is core to our business model. "We're proud to breathe new life into buildings that had sat vacant," says Mott Smith, CEO and co-founder of Amped Kitchens. "We're ready to see this new facility become a vibrant hub of food production, jobs, innovation, and quality."
According to Smith, each location is built on solid financial and business foundations, with an eye to the future: "As with all our locations, we own this property, so we're in this for the long haul. We've invested in major power, HVAC and plumbing systems to support our tenants. Especially now, food producers need the room to grow and thrive in unexpected ways."
Features of the Chicago area facility include:
* 64 pre-approved state-of-the-art food production spaces
* Health & Safety Support
* Expedited permit processing with the Cook County Department of Health
* Multiple loading docks
* Logistics assistance, attended docks and staffed warehouse
* USDA office onsite
* Accommodations for gluten-free, kosher, organic and third-party certifications
* Good access to expressways and trucking lines
* On-site parking
* Office space & conference rooms
Leadership at Amped expected demand in Chicago to be strong, but the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for our production spaces.
"Chicago is a world-class culinary city and the nation's Number One food production center," says Albert. "We're proud we can provide solutions for these producers to deliver what the public needs safely and efficiently while we pull together as a nation."
About Amped Kitchens
Amped Kitchens develops and operates facilities that lease premium production spaces to a broad range of food companies. The company's mission is to empower food businesses to grow, enter new markets and develop products faster and with less capital. Notable current and recent tenants have included Beyond Meat, Soylent, Blue Bottle Coffee, Applebee's, Power Brands, Hakuna Banana, Backyard Bowls, Good Bites, and more. Amped Kitchens has locations in Los Angeles and Chicago.
Learn more at: https://www.ampedkitchens.com/
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Media Only Contact:
Marcy Massura
marcy@ampedkitchens.com
News Source: Amped Kitchens
Related link: https://www.ampedkitchens.com/
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