Churchill Technology and Business Park in Jefferson Parish is getting the area’s first ever Food & Beverage (F&B) Incubator, courtesy of $4.2 million in grant funding awarded to the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) for the design, engineering, and construction of a 15,000 square-foot facility. Construction is expected to begin in 2025. The project is expected to generate approximately 55 new construction and engineering-related jobs and will retain 420 industry-related jobs in the region. Based on industry estimates, the project is expected to bring in more than $66.2 million in private investment. “This project will fill a significant void in the region,” said Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng. “Greater New Orleans and Jefferson Parish have long been a hub for food and beverage businesses, ranging from major manufacturers to successful startup companies. The construction of the incubator will allow us to keep serving and supporting the vibrant, innovative industry that drives much of our economic success.” On Oct. 2, federal, state, and local officials visited the Churchill Technology and Business Park in Avondale to celebrate the funding and first step of the facility coming to fruition. “Businesses within the food and beverage space are major economic drivers for Jefferson Parish. This project further lends to our dynamic economic landscape and directly aligns with our focus on growing the culinary products industry, a major targeted cluster in the parish’s long-term economic development strategic plan,” said JEDCO President and CEO Jerry Bologna. The $4.2 million in funding comes from the U.S. Economic Development Administration ($2 million) and an additional $2.2 million in matching dollars through the Jefferson Parish Council, Louisiana Economic Development, and the JEDCO Development Corporation, JEDCO’s financing arm. Through a $25,000 USDA planning subgrant via Greater New Orleans, Inc., JEDCO teamed up with the Louisiana Small Business Development Center to conduct a Needs Assessment to determine the demand for an F&B Incubator. The organizations met with dozens of F&B companies, entrepreneurs, supply chain partners, and key industry players. “The GNO Food and Beverage Incubator is a foundational investment in the future of our region’s burgeoning food and beverage industry,” said Michael Hecht, GNO Inc. president and CEO. “As the only facility of its kind in Southeast Louisiana, this incubator will provide food entrepreneurs with the resources they need to scale and thrive in Jefferson and Louisiana. The combination of commercial kitchen space, technical support, and mentorship fills a gap in the market and strengthens the ecosystem to power one of the region’s most iconic industries.” The incubator will include three commercial kitchens, demonstration and training space, offices, and storage space, including cold storage. Once constructed, entrepreneurs and small business owners in the food and beverage industry will be able to rent space for food production. Tenants will have exclusive access to kitchen equipment, storage and loading space as well as technical support in programming, mentorship, and marketing. There will be comprehensive resources and guidance to help entrepreneurs start up and maintain their businesses in the region. “Many of the area’s most iconic food manufacturers started as small, homegrown companies years ago,” said Bologna. “A regional food and beverage incubator will solidify Jefferson Parish as a destination for culinary manufacturing and innovation. More importantly, it will keep our best and brightest entrepreneurs operating in our community, creating southern Louisiana food and beverage startup success stories that can elevate Louisiana’s brand on a global scale.” Food, beverage, and culinary-related businesses make up a billion-dollar industry in New Orleans, creating nearly 7,000 area jobs and generating $578.8 million in earnings. “This new facility is a testament to what partnerships at the local, state and federal level can achieve to expand and diversify the state’s economy,” said LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois. “The food and beverage incubator leverages one of our state’s most valuable cultural traditions to create opportunities for business innovation. That’s how you position Louisiana to win.” The Food & Beverage Incubator will serve as a key anchor tenant in Churchill Technology and Business Park, a 480-acre site on the West Bank. Churchill Park’s tenants include JEDCO, JEDCO Conference Center, Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy, and Delgado Community College River City Campus and Advance Manufacturing Center. “This is a substantial win for the West Bank and will serve as a catalyst for future economic growth for the West Bank,” said District 3 Councilman Byron Lee. “On behalf of the entire Parish Council, we are honored to support such a significant economic project aimed at fueling new business and creating countless jobs, investment, and major exporting opportunities for the area in the process.”