Nantucket's First Shared Commercial Kitchen Opens

NANTUCKET, MA — Four local makers are the first class of businesses to open with The Hive, Nantucket's first shared-use commercial kitchen.

The Hive came online this week, and the public will be invited into the 5 Amelia Dr. space on Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Noemi's Dumplings, 8 Arms Catering, Siam to Go and Marmitaria Sabor de Minas are among the first members to begin working from the shared kitchen facility. Two additional food entrepreneurs are scheduled to join in November.

Nantucket Food Group (NFG) will manage The Hive’s operations and programming under the leadership of Karen Macumber, founder of NFG, and Tom Pearson, culinary operations manager.

NFG works with food businesses to set them up for sustainable growth by offering memberships that include the use of commercial kitchens, access to experts in food manufacturing and business operations and new pathways to continually increase sales and profit.

“We hope to change the dynamics of operating a food business in a seasonal market in two ways,” said Macumber. “First, the shared kitchen model reduces upfront capital needs and ongoing operating expenses, making it easier for new products and services to launch. Second, we help members create multiple, year-round revenue streams. For example, a chef who is busy in the summer can turn their customers’ favorite sauce into a new product during the winter, selling it to local retailers.”

Remain purchased the building in July 2022 to realize the vision of Remain Founder Wendy Schmidt, who sought to create a profitable, shared-use food production facility to advance community efforts working toward a vibrant, local food system, officials said.

They said The Hive will support small farmers and sustainable agriculture practices, while creating a place where food entrepreneurs find the support they need to advance their products and careers.

“Nothing brings a community together like food—especially when we minimize the distances between farms, fisheries, restaurants and homes to create resilient local systems," said Schmidt. "We are excited to deepen the ties connecting Nantucket, particularly year-round residents, to the growers and makers of food, and to provide a sustainable shared kitchen space for island food entrepreneurs."

Members of The Hive will also have access to a community workspace, where they can hold meetings and conduct business when not using the kitchens.

"This is an exciting and new opportunity for food businesses on Nantucket,” said Pearson, the former executive chef of the White Elephant. “We will have a diverse group of entrepreneurs in a state-of-the-art culinary facility that gives them a special chance to operate safely and successfully. We want to connect with all aspects of the food chain, including becoming a place for farmers to turn produce into products. Offerings for the public to purchase food made at The Hive through an innovative food locker pick-up system will soon be available."