Food Fort Columbus

11/07/2025

In Honor of Veterans Day, all ECDI offices will be closed Monday and Tuesday, November 10–11, as we honor and remember the sacrifices of those who have served our country.📣

Please reach out before the long weekend if you need assistance. We’ll resume regular office hours on Wednesday, November 12.

Thank you to all veterans for your service and dedication.🇺🇸
Wishing everyone a safe and meaningful holiday.

10/30/2025

ECDI Food Fort is a finalist for Kitchen Incubator of the Year at the Golden Whisk Awards!🎉

We’re so honored to be recognized among amazing shared kitchens from across the country. The winners will be announced live on November 12 at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during the Shared Kitchen Summit, where kitchen operators and entrepreneurs gather to celebrate community, mentorship, and innovation in food business.

Join us for a night of live music by Match City, dinner, a cash bar, and plenty of rock & roll energy as we celebrate the people shaping the future of local food!

🎟️ Grab your tickets here: https://monkeylink.co/1e014b The Food Corridor

10/29/2025

10/29/2025

Join us Saturday, Nov. 9 from 5–7 PM at the Crowne Plaza Ballroom for the Shared Kitchen Makers Market! The Food Corridor

This free event brings together 20 amazing local food entrepreneurs who cook, bake, and create in shared kitchens across our region. Come sample, shop, and meet the makers behind some of Cleveland’s most exciting new food brands.

Let’s show up and support the small businesses that keep our city’s food scene thriving! 💪 Learn more: https://monkeylink.co/bfd521
📍 Crowne Plaza Cleveland at Playhouse Square

10/27/2025

Check out one of our incredible Food Fort members — Tee Grill!

They specialize in freshly cooked, diced gyro dishes served with crisp veggies — plus fan-favorite quesadillas and Philly cheesesteaks that customers rave about with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reviews! Don’t miss their fresh-squeezed lemonade, available in classic and strawberry flavors.

Business advice from Tee Grill:
“Being devoted to your business and staying in one location for a long time helps you gain regular customers and build trust.”

📍 Find them: Food truck located at 6800 E Broad St, Columbus, OH
📲 Follow: .gyro
🛒 Order online: https://monkeylink.co/3879fa

10/06/2025

Join us one last time this year!

Stop by ECDI's Community Garden for fresh, local produce and help us close out an amazing season of growth and community. 🌱

📍 1655 Old Leonard Ave, Columbus, OH
🕘 Friday, October 17 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

See you there! 🥕🍅

10/01/2025

Happy !☕🌎

Today, we’re shining a spotlight on Café Graciela, a Colombian coffee business owned by three siblings right here in Columbus. Their family grows the coffee on farms in Colombia, and they’ve brought it to Central Ohio so you can enjoy it locally—or order it online!

With support from ECDI and our commercial kitchen, Café Graciela gained the space, funding, and resources to expand into retail and strengthen their business strategy. Just as importantly, being part of a community of fellow entrepreneurs gave them mentorship and encouragement along the way. 💡

👉 Read more of their story: https://monkeylink.co/9cb3f2
👉 Support this small business: https://monkeylink.co/3c395e

The line formed before they even set up. Word had spread—someone was selling spiced coffee that tasted unlike anything else at the festival. The siblings behind the business—Andres De Arco, Nora Graciela, and Edy Soraya—had barely finished preparing it just hours before. The night before the C...

09/22/2025

Want to take your idea to the shelf? We can help!🚀

The Consumer Packaged Goods Cohort is a 6-week, hands-on program for Columbus-based entrepreneurs ready to take the next step.

📅 Program Dates: Oct. 2 – Nov. 13 (Thursdays, 6–8 PM)
📍 Location: ECDI, 1655 Old Leonard Ave, Columbus, OH
⏰ Application Deadline: Friday, September 26

👉 Limited spots available — apply now: foodfortohio.com/cohort

Thank you J Mitchell's Spices & Sauces for sharing your experience as a past CPG Cohort participant! 👨‍🍳

09/21/2025

Don’t just dream it—launch it!🚀

The 6-week Consumer Packaged Goods Cohort starts Oct. 2 at ECDI Food Fort.

⚡ Only 8 spots available — apply by Sept. 26 to secure yours!
👉 foodfortohio.com/cohort
Special thanks to Accelerate Columbus (Columbus Chamber of Commerce) and Common Greens for making this possible!

09/20/2025

“ECDI’s cohort has helped me gain a better understanding of the business side of things… It also connected me with other local entrepreneurs, and learning from their experiences has been incredibly valuable.” – Doris Bozzi, Local Millers- Regenerative Grains, Stone Ground Flours

The Consumer Packaged Goods Cohort helps Columbus food entrepreneurs take their products 🍪☕🍫 from recipe ➡️ revenue. Over 6 weeks, you’ll build a stronger business foundation, learn to price & brand your product, and connect with fellow makers.

⚡ Only 8 spots available — don’t miss this chance!
⏰ Apply by Friday, Sept. 26 👉 foodfortohio.com/cohort

09/18/2025

For Columbus entrepreneurs, opportunities like this don’t come around often.👩‍🍳

The Consumer Packaged Goods Cohort is a 6-week, hands-on program that helps you take your product further — from building your business foundation to preparing for real growth in grocery stores and beyond.🏪

Just ask Nora De Arco of Café Graciela, who shared how the cohort gave her the realistic and professional guidance needed to make expanding into local and national grocery stores more accessible.🤝

➡️ This is a limited-time opportunity — only 8 spots available!
⏰ Apply by Friday, Sept. 26: foodfortohio.com/cohort