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S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
3561
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
January 28, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sens. CLEARE, BORRELLO, JACKSON, WEBB -- read twice and
ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on
Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business
AN ACT in relation to requiring the Empire State development corporation
in consultation with the department of agriculture and markets and the
office of new Americans to study the economic impact of optimizing and
creating kitchen incubators in New York state
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
1 Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature hereby finds that in
2 order to improve the economic opportunities for its citizens and entre-
3 preneurs, New York state must use and expand its capabilities to offer
4 space and resources to the next generation of food manufacturing busi-
5 nesses.
6 It has been documented that the chief obstacle for start-up food manu-
7 facturing businesses is their inability to access affordable commercial
8 kitchen space. Currently, in New York state, there are only a few kitch-
9 en incubators, which face high demand and are unable to meet the needs
10 of the many potential start-up businesses.
11 Kitchen incubators are valuable resources for New York state in it's
12 efforts to promote new jobs, business and increased tax revenues.
13 In New York city alone, there are more than 900 food firms, with over
14 16,000 employees and another 2,500 who are self-employed, making entre-
15 preneurs' intent on developing their food manufacturing ideas into full
16 scale functional business business evident.
17 Minority and immigrant populations are growing significantly through-
18 out the state and so is their involvement in entrepreneurship, including
19 production of foods from their place of origin, which creates growing
20 demand for such foods. This directly benefits minority and immigrant
21 communities.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03860-01-5
S. 3561 2
1 Increased capacity for kitchen incubators throughout New York state
2 will help new entrepreneurs succeed and increase the economic benefits
3 for the entire state.
4 New York must do more to propel these business start-ups and potential
5 manufacturers into full scale operations, and should move to allow its
6 university systems to expand their regional economic catalyst activities
7 to serve entrepreneurs looking to enter the food manufacturing sector.
8 § 2. For purposes of this act, the term "kitchen incubator" shall mean
9 a food preparation facility that provides kitchen space and access to
10 commercial grade equipment to prepare food at a shared or leased
11 location.
12 § 3. a. Using available appropriations, the Empire State Development
13 Corporation, in consultation with the department of agriculture and
14 markets and the office of new Americans shall study and examine the
15 potential economic impact for optimizing kitchen incubators in New York
16 state, including establishing and/or expanding such opportunities at
17 public or private locations with appropriate kitchen preparation space
18 for a kitchen incubator that the corporation may identify.
19 b. The study conducted pursuant to this section shall evaluate the
20 impact of such optimization on entrepreneurship efforts in growing
21 women, minority and immigrant populations.
22 c. The Empire State Development Corporation shall work with the
23 department of agriculture and markets and the office of new Americans to
24 convene a group of stakeholders to provide further insight into optimiz-
25 ing and expanding kitchen incubators and entrepreneurship efforts for
26 women, minority, and immigrant populations in New York state.
27 d. The Empire State Development Corporation shall create a report
28 containing recommendations for the creation, funding and future expan-
29 sion of kitchen incubators throughout the state, and increasing entre-
30 preneurial success in the culinary industry, by providing comprehensive
31 advisory and business development services along with access to facili-
32 ties and equipment in a co-working shared environment conducive to
33 collaboration, networking, mentorship, and food safety education.
34 e. The report compiled by the Empire State Development Corporation
35 pursuant to subdivision d of this section shall be submitted to the
36 governor and the legislature not later than one year after the effective
37 date of this act.
38 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.