Why are F&B incubators on the rise?

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Everyone knows about tech incubators – but outside of industry circles, F&B incubators tend to fly under the radar.

That doesn’t mean they’re not busy, thriving, and driving the success of more and more of the world’s favourite food and beverage brands. 

Food and beverage incubators are on the rise around the world. In 2018, Galeeveurs Group became the first integrated F&B incubator ecosystem in Malaysia. 

In the US, the Junction Halls Food & Beverage Success incubator partnered with the SIPS coffee startup – launching its first class in September 2022. 

And in Dubai, the Co-Kitchen was the first kitchen incubator to launch under the Dubai Business Incubator Network – accredited by the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for SMEs. 

Are incubators driving F&B brand success?

Yes – absolutely. 

For example, participants in the Kraft Heinz Springboard Incubator, first launched in 2018, have included Ayoba-Yo (South African dried meat products), Cleveland Kitchen (fermented foods), Kumana (Venezuelan avocado sauce) and Poppilu (antioxidant lemonade). 

And the General Mills 301 INC has helped several emerging brands to scale – including Kite Hill (plant-based cheese and yoghurt), Rhythm Superfoods (vegetable snacks), Beyond Meat (plant-based meat products), and Farmhouse Culture (probiotic snacks and drinks). 

These are just the tip of the iceberg, as a growing number of incubators operate behind the scenes of the F&B industry. 

Why are more incubators emerging?

The rise of F&B incubators is being driven by a growing interest in food entrepreneurs and startups. Increasingly, both major industry players and key VC firms are recognising the impact that startups have on the wider F&B ecosystem – driving innovation, accessing new markets, and enabling more sustainable business models to emerge and thrive. 

Incubators provide the resources that early-stage food brands need, but often struggle to access. For example, some incubators offer commercial kitchen spaces or production facilities that enable a business to launch or scale. Others provide mentorship and training, and most offer some form of funding opportunity to their selected startups. 

All incubators also provide entrepreneurs and early-stage founders with access to professional networks and partners that can help them get to market. 

By providing this backing to fledgling brands, major food companies and government bodies are tapping into the value of entrepreneurial innovation in the sector. They’re nurturing startups in areas where innovation is most needed – including the development of alternative proteins, sustainable food solutions, and agri-tech. 

The benefits go both ways

We think the uptick in emerging food incubators is a sign that key industry players are changing their approach to success. Instead of seeking market monopoly over everything else, they’re recognising their weak spots: creativity, agility, innovation, and scope to try and fail. And they’re supporting the entrepreneurs who can fill those gaps and lift the entire industry up. 

At the same time, the benefits for the startups are obvious: they gain overnight access to resources and networks that would take them years to develop on their own. 

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