Shared Kitchen for Food Entrepreneurs
Looking for a flexible, affordable shared kitchen to launch or grow your food business? Stock Pot Malden provides commercial kitchen access and long-term growth opportunities designed specifically for food entrepreneurs.
A Shared Kitchen Built for Growth
Food startups need more than just a place to cook — they need infrastructure that removes barriers to entry. Our shared kitchen gives entrepreneurs access to a fully equipped commercial kitchen at a fraction of the cost of building their own.
Stock Pot Malden supports food entrepreneurs in two ways:
By offering flexible shared kitchen rentals
By providing partnership opportunities for qualified entrepreneurs who want to scale
Affordable Professional Kitchen Access
Our shared kitchen rental model is ideal for food businesses that need professional kitchen access without long-term overhead. In this role, Stock Pot Malden serves as your commercial kitchen landlord, giving you the space and flexibility to operate legally and efficiently.
Kitchen rental fees are based on:
Time of the day you want to be in the kitchen
LENGTH OF Time spent in the kitchen
Size of Your Team
Parking Requirements
Storage Needs (utensils and packaging, dry, refrigerated, freezer)
This structure allows entrepreneurs to start small, scale intentionally, and stay focused on building their business.
Stock Pot Malden 2 (SPM2)
Our shared kitchen facility is called Stock Pot Malden 2 (SPM2). It is a 3,500 sq. ft. commercial kitchen located at 278 Pearl Street in Malden.
It offers the following equipment:
Shared office space
Ovens
Burners
Grill
Fryolator
Dishwashing area
Mixer
Prep Tables
Utensils and packaging area
Dry storage area
Two walk-in refrigerators
One walk-in freezer
Parking spaces for food trucks and food trailers.
Ice maker
Space for loading and unloading of delivery trucks and food trucks, also used by third-party delivery companies (UberEats, DoorDash, GrubHub)
Availability of Space and Pricing
Applicants to our shared kitchen often face one of two obstacles:
Availability of time slots
Minimum rent required.
Because space is limited in our shared kitchen, we are sometimes unable to accommodate worthy applicants. This is particularly true for the “peak slot” from 6 am in the morning to 4 pm in the afternoon. Demand is particularly steep in March-April of each year, when the food truck and farmers market seasons get going. Slots often open up in late fall and winter because of the turnover of member-tenants.
We do have a minimum rent of $1,000 per month and require a one-year lease. We realize this sets the bar higher than what most candidates would wish. This minimum was established in partnership with the City of Malden whose Board of Health must review each application for our shared kitchen and needs to visit each member-tenant once a year, which generates a lot of work and costs for them. Their hope is that our member-tenants will create employment for city residents, and experience shows that to do so, member-tenants need to be full-time people willing to invest at least $1,000 in rent, thereby demonstrating the necessary commitment.
Who Uses Our Shared Kitchen?
Our shared kitchen community includes a wide range of food entrepreneurs, from early-stage startups to growing operators.
Our shared kitchen supports:
Food trucks & Trailers
operating through street vending, catering, and festivals
Prepared meal companies
and caterers serving homes, schools, senior centers, corporate offices, and events
Product-based companies
selling through their website, serving farmers’ markets, or supplying small or large retailers (e.g., charcuterie, bakers, etc.)
Many of our most successful partners began as shared kitchen tenants, allowing relationships to develop naturally over time.
Current Member Tenants
Partnership Opportunities: Invitation into the Stock Pot Academy Program
Within one or two years of joining our shared kitchen and after demonstrating operational and business excellence, the member-tenants in our shared kitchen may be invited to enter into a partnership program called "Stock Pot Academy."
Get rid of "while continuing to operate their own independent food business. These partnerships support meal programs serving school-aged children, seniors, childcare centers and families.
The Stock Pot Academy partnership model includes:
Guaranteed income for two years
Free access to our shared kitchen (including private catering use)
Participation in existing client contracts
Financing support to help ensure success
Intensive training and coaching program on how to succeed in serving food to the regulated markets of schools, childcare centers, senior institutions, and other government-sponsored programs.
Entrepreneurs manage the operational side of the program — from food production to staffing and menus — while building equity in their own business beyond the guaranteed compensation. Stock Pot Malden provides clients, kitchen and equipment, and the regulatory, legal and business infrastructure required. Both parties then share in the profit of the program, as a function of their respective contribution (most commonly 50-50).
Apply for Shared Kitchen Access
Complete our application form and a member of our team will contact you to discuss availability, pricing, and next steps.
Not sure which option is right for you? Our team will help you determine whether shared kitchen rental or a partnership opportunity is the best fit for your business.