A SPACE FOR CREATIVITY AND PARTNERSHIPS
At Amped Kitchens, we believe that when diverse firms and people come together, they fuel each other’s creativity and drive. Our tenants and staff are a community of incredible food professionals. They all contribute to a vibrant, professional and supportive environment.
Feed Folks: Keeping a Meal Prep Program Running Through a Kitchen Build Delay
Feed Folks co-founders Mary Sue Millikin (chef and co-owner) and Susan Feniger (chef and co-owner) discuss relocating operations to Amped Kitchens, why the flexibility of a commissary kitchen saved their nonprofit meal program during a building delay, and why they recommend other food entrepreneurs test their concept at Amped before committing to their own space.”
Mary Sue Millikin [0:00]: Hi, I’m Mary Sue Millikin, chef and co-owner with this young lady…
Susan Feniger [0:04]: I’m Susan Feniger. We’re excited to talk today about Feed Folks and what has been an amazing experience for us here at Amped Kitchens.
Mary Sue Millikin [0:14]: We were in a kitchen temporarily, and had thought because we had purchased a building, we’d be moving on time, which I don’t know… That, I think, was Mary Sue’s problem — she thought we’d actually be on time, which we weren’t.
Mary Sue Millikin [0:29]: Because nothing is ever on time when you’re building.
Susan Feniger [0:32]: Amped and Mott saved our butts. We literally moved almost overnight into this kitchen [at Amped] and got our team into production. Which was a miracle, because had that not happened, we would have had to lay off people, and there would have been all the people that were food insecure that would not have gotten meals from us. So, it would have changed our whole direction.
Mary Sue Millikin [0:58]: When someone comes and says at the last minute, “Can you do an extra 500 meals?”, it’s easy for us to say yes because we’re here at Amped. There’s a lot of flexibility in terms of the space and [for us] to add those extra three or four people to get the meals made. When you’re trying out new ideas and you want to really see what the market is out there for your product, or how you’re going to be able to sustain the rent [as well as] the build out, it’s so much easier to try your ideas out at a place like Amped because you can do it affordably and you can do it without a huge, huge financial risk.
Susan Feniger [1:39]: Come to Amped! Do not buy a building.
THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT TO NUTURE A GROWING CPG COMPANY
“One thing that really helped us early on, was figuring out all the permits and licenses. As a new company, that stuff can be a total headache and is super confusing, But with Amped, they have pre-inspected spaces that make it way easier. They guided us through everything and saved us a ton of time, so we could actually focus on the product, which is what really matters! ”
“The staff at Amped have always been amazing. So kind, so helpful, I’ve always been blown away. They hire these incredible people, with great vibes. The whole team here feels like a part of our crew.”
“They’ve backed us at every step along the way, creating this environment here that’s kind of like an apartment building for food businesses. We have our own dedicated space, but with all of the shared perks and that sense of community collaboration, we’re just so thankful that we’ve found Amped. They’ve been the ideal partner for us. If you are a small food business around here trying to launch or expand, I absolutely recommend them.”
A HUB FOR AMBITIOUS FOOD CREATORS
“From day one, it felt like home. I was there all hours—Amped runs 24/7—which was huge for me…I kept connecting with other community members and everyone was open, helpful and hustling. It created this energy that pushed me forward.”
PILOT PRODUCTION SOLUTION FOR CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS COMPANY
“L.A. Prep (now Amped Kitchens) and the L.A. Prep community has helped us grow at every stage, from providing basic supplies to countless vendor recommendations to partnering with other tenants. It’s allowed us to go from placement in five local stores to over 3,000 stores and made our business the success it is today.”
START-UP SOLUTION FOR FAST-GROWING CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS COMPANY
“We were able to get production up and running within two months of signing our lease. Having the space at L.A. Prep (now Amped Kitchens) allowed us to grow from zero through product development to a revenue run rate well into six figures. We were able to move in, install our equipment and focus on our business growth needs rather than permitting and facilities issues. The strong community of like-minded food producers was invaluable as a sounding board throughout the process.”
COMMISSARY FOR MULTI-LOCATION PREMIUM BRAND
A coffee roaster and retailer headquartered in Northern California needed local commissary space as they expanded operations into the LA market. L.A. Prep (now Amped Kitchens) gave them the ability to get started immediately, with more control than is typical in existing commissaries. Infrastructure for kitchen build-out was already in place, permitting process took less than two weeks, key shared amenities were available. Other tenants in the community have become key suppliers. The company was able to grow rapidly from two to fifteen coffeehouses in the market with seamless commissary operations at Amped Kitchens.
