Alt Kitchen, Philadelphia’s come-as-you-are shared ghost kitchen space opened operations in MaKen Studios, joining a hotbed of other makers, small business owners, and community-serving businesses. With flexible shared kitchen space for rent, Alt Kitchen is the alternative to high-overhead and long-term leases that often serve as a roadblock for small business growth in the food industry.
The founders, Eben Altmann and Jonathan Fishman are the team behind the success and longevity of Baltimore’s B-MORE Kitchen, a space they developed and opened in 2016, which has helped grow dozens of successful local food brands and now regionally-known concepts such as HEX Ferments, Papi Cuisine, Well Crafted Kitchen, and Bottoms Up Bagels. In Philadelphia, the founders have enlisted on-site operations manager Brett Healy, who previously oversaw local operations of SNAP Kitchen.
“The whole goal of Alt Kitchen’s brand and concept is to provide an alternative path for someone who’s not sure if their business has legs,” said Co-Founder Eben Altmann. “Our model is flexible and an alternative to doing things the ‘usual way.’ We’ve seen time and time again how people value the flexibility to grow an idea into a business without fully committing to a physical space or lease. This gives them that alternative.”
The almost 11,000 square-foot commercial kitchen contains top-of-the-line equipment and specialized components that are rarely accessible to startup food brands and entrepreneurs. Massive walk-ins, blast chillers, and batch ovens, all situated in expansive sun-lit spaces are available 24/7 for members to leverage and use to develop and grow their food brands.
SHIFT Capital, who developed and operates MaKen South Studios, supports and embraces Alt Kitchen’s vision as it fits into MaKen’s ethos and aligns with SHIFT’s vision.
Brian Murray, CEO of SHIFT Capital, emphasizes the value this opportunity brings to Kensington and Philadelphia, “Our long-term vision for our spaces is to support thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems that are accessible, growth-driven, and in-line with creating healthy neighborhoods. Alt Kitchen checks all these boxes. We are excited to support them as they fill this critical need in the entrepreneurial food ecosystem.”
Why did the founders choose Philadelphia? After several visits to the city, the team noted the need for a quality shared kitchen space that straddles the professionalism of a national, corporate-minded enterprise with one that feels accessible and approachable to anyone with an idea. Working with Cohere, a creative agency with offices in Baltimore and Philadelphia, the Alt Kitchen team determined there was a growing need for up-and-coming brands already in the industry. Cohere is a leading food and hospitality branding agency that has helped usher in new resources for Philadelphia’s next generation of food entrepreneurs who are shaping tomorrow’s food scene.
“Maybe someone’s been quietly baking, selling at farmers markets, and scaling what they can make from their mom’s kitchen. Maybe they’re set up in a church basement. We’re speaking to those folks just as much as we’re looking at the national-level brands in search of a ghost kitchen to quickly inject themselves into the Philadelphia community. Whether that’s scaling delivery or adding a satellite operation, Alt Kitchen is the hub for them,” says Fishman.
Alt Kitchen memberships are managed online with customized software, allowing users to book their desired time and pay for only what they need. Blocks of time range from one hour to multiple days per week. There’s no long-term commitment, which lets a brand easily dabble with an idea or get their feet wet with operations before reserving more time in the kitchen.
No matter what stage of business, Alt Kitchen has the space, equipment, and resources to get you started and to keep cooking. For more information, visit ALTKITCHEN.CO or email hello@altkitchen.co for membership options, FAQs, and to be one of the first to join the community.
Alt Kitchen is Philadelphia’s come-as-you-are shared kitchen. Alt Kitchen is a commercial ghost kitchen facility that offers an alternative to high-overhead and long-term leases with all the equipment that you need to scale your business. Located in MaKen Studios in Kensington, Philadelphia, the space offers flexible membership options including 24/7 access and community benefits. altkitchen.co
MaKen Studios North and South provide workspaces for the next evolution of makers, entrepreneurs, small businesses, purpose-driven organizations, and manufacturers. These two previous economic engines of manufacturing communicate a balance between old and new, heritage and modernity. MaKen Studios are designed and managed by the team at SHIFT Capital, a nationally recognized neighborhood investment group that executes real estate projects and financing strategies that create equitable and mixed-income communities for the long term. makenstudios.com
