ZESTFEST

Zest staff and Salmon Arm Economic Development Society (SAEDS) will welcome B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham for the food hub’s formal grand opening.

Zest is a shared processing space where local food businesses can produce their products and benefit from vast community experience. By eliminating the need to purchase cost-prohibitive food processing equipment, the food hub incubates new businesses. Both current and new businesses can expand their operations and take advantage of new market opportunities through the food hub.

This model offers multiple ways to engage—from committed anchor tenants to small contract users to community partners. In addition, it cultivates relationships between new and existing businesses, creating opportunities for mentorship and information sharing, which form the foundation of the Zest Network.

Located at 1140 4th Ave. SW (beside the ReStore), the food hub provides space for several full-time tenants and about a dozen rotating tenants to develop and produce food and beverage products. Zest offers a commercial kitchen and other amenities, including a classroom.