City of Brampton officially opens its first-ever Commercial Kitchen, fueling food entrepreneurship and local economic growth

​​​​New downtown culinary hub provides certified space and business supports for local food entrepreneurs

​BRAMPTON, ON (March 25, 2026) - The City of Brampton is set to officially open its first-ever Brampton Commercial Kitchen​, a new public health-certified culinary hub designed to support local chefs, bakers, caterers and food entrepreneurs as they launch, test and grow their businesses. Serving as one of the only municipally supported, public health-certified shared kitchens in Ontario, the facility was created to address a long-identified gap in infrastructure for local food entrepreneurs.

​​Strategically located in the heart of downtown Brampton, the Brampton Commercial Kitchen offers more than 1,200 square-feet of flexible booking options and fully equipped facilities, removing key barriers for entrepreneurs and strengthening the city's growing food and beverage sector. The facility will serve a wide range of users, including food start-ups, home-based businesses looking to scale up, private caterers, food vendors and culinary innovators, helping businesses move from concept to commercialization.

They will have access to up to two individual kitchen spaces along with:

• Commercial-grade kitchen appliances, such as a cooler, freezer, six-burner range, convection oven/proofer, food processor, tilt skillet, kettle, stand mixer, fryer, combi oven, etc.
• Dishwashing area.
• A packaging and labelling station, including access to a unifiller, air compressor and vacuum sealer.
• Storage cabinets and shelves.
  

The kitchen will be operated in partnership with Grey Matlock Bakery, selected through a competitive request for proposals process and awarded the opportunity based on demonstrated experience in restaurant and property management, as well as a strong understanding of food regulations and practices across multiple jurisdictions, including Peel Public Health, Health Canada, the Ministries of Health and Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness and Food Premises Regulations. As part of this partnership, Grey Matlock Bakery will provide trained staff, an online booking system and day-to-day management of the facility, with all staff holding required food handler certifications.

The project was partially funded through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario's (FedDev Ontario) Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF), supporting the City's efforts to strengthen local entrepreneurship, create jobs and advance downtown revitalization. This partnership reflects a shared commitment between the Government of Canada and the City of Brampton to invest in infrastructure that supports small businesses and community-led economic growth.

Brampton's food and beverage processing industry contributes $1.3 billion annually to Canada's GDP and employs approximately 8,500 people across 300 companies, underscoring the sector's importance to the city's economy. Home to multinational leaders such as Maple Lodge Farms, Italpasta, Sofina Foods and Coke Canada Bottling, along with recent investments from Niche Bakers, Handi Foods, HelloFresh and Marcangelo Foods, the sector continues to grow and diversify. The Brampton Commercial Kitchen supports this momentum by strengthening the local food entrepreneurship pipeline and creating new opportunities for business growth and innovation.

Save the date | Brampton Commercial Kitchen Grand Opening Celebration

The City of Brampton will host a public grand opening celebration for the Brampton Commercial Kitchen, inviting residents, entrepreneurs and community partners to tour the facility and learn more about available programs and supports. RSVP to attend the grand opening here.

Date: Monday, March 30, 2026

Time: 5:30 pm

Location: Brampton Entrepreneur Centre, 41 George St. S., Brampton, ON

How to book the Brampton Commercial Kitchen

Entrepreneurs interested in using the Brampton Commercial Kitchen can book one of the spaces and learn more about available services, rates and eligibility by visiting, bramptoncommercialkitchen.com. ​

Explore food sector training opportunities

Food entrepreneurs can access Foodpreneur Advantage, offering training and guidance on regulatory compliance, food safety, pricing and profitability, marketing and branding and labelling and packaging. To attend an upcoming seminar and for a full calendar of listings, visit brampton.ca/bec. ​

Quotes

"Brampton's food and beverage sector is a powerful driver of economic growth, innovation and job creation, and the opening of our first-ever Commercial Kitchen is a major milestone for our city. With world-class amenities and a purpose-built space for entrepreneurs, this new facility removes barriers, supports local talent and creates new pathways for businesses to grow right here in Brampton. We are putting Brampton on the international food and beverage sector map while making it easier than ever for local entrepreneurs to grow right here at home." - Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton ​"This grand opening reflects Brampton's commitment to supporting small businesses and fostering innovation in one of our strongest sectors. The Commercial Kitchen will help nurture local talent, attract new investment and reinforce Brampton's reputation as a destination for food entrepreneurship, creating opportunities for businesses to grow from local farmers' markets to national and international markets." - Gurpartap Singh Toor, Regional Councillor, Wards 9 and 10; Chair, Economic Development, City of Brampton ​"Downtown Brampton is defined by the diversity, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of its local businesses. As a member of the Downtown Brampton BIA, I see every day how these businesses contribute to a vibrant and welcoming community. Investments to create spaces like the Commercial Kitchen, build on those strengths by giving entrepreneurs the space and support to grow, while attracting new businesses and talent to our downtown. This project reflects our commitment to continue to revitalize our dynamic downtown." - Paul Vicente, Regional Councillor, Wards 1 and 5; Chair, Public Works and Engineering Section, City of Brampton; Board Member, Downtown Brampton Business Improvement Area ​"As both a food entrepreneur and one of the local councillors representing this new space, I know firsthand the challenges of starting and growing a business in this sector. This kitchen is a game-changer for our community, giving local entrepreneurs the space, tools and confidence to turn their ideas into reality. It is exciting to see this investment right here in our neighbourhood, supporting small businesses, creating opportunity and bringing new energy to downtown Brampton." - Dennis Keenan, Regional Councillor, Wards 3 and 4, City of Brampton; Board Member, Downtown Brampton Business Improvement Area "Our community is full of talented entrepreneurs with incredible ideas, and this space gives them the tools and support to take that next step. The Commercial Kitchen builds opportunity locally, supporting small businesses and continuing to revitalize our downtown for residents, visitors and businesses alike." - Martin Medeiros, Regional Councillor, Wards 3 and 4, City of Brampton "Supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs is essential to building strong, resilient communities. Through FedDev Ontario's Canada Community Revitalization Fund, the Government of Canada is proud to partner with the City of Brampton to support the Brampton Commercial Kitchen, helping local food entrepreneurs grow their businesses while contributing to a vibrant downtown and local economy." - Amandeep Sodhi, Member of Parliament for Brampton Centre ​"As a food entrepreneur who once relied on access to a professional, public health-certified kitchen to get my business off the ground, I know firsthand how essential spaces like this are. I started by selling Jamaican coconut drops at the Brampton Farmers' Market, and with the support of the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre, I was able to grow Tropix into a business that now reaches customers around the world. Today, I am proud to operate my own facility-but I would not be here without access to a commercial kitchen in those early days. The Brampton Commercial Kitchen fills a critical gap, and it will make a real difference for the next generation of food entrepreneurs building their businesses right here in Brampton."- Denise Edwards, Local Business Owner, Tropix Coconut Drops ​"We are proud to partner with the City of Brampton to bring this important initiative to life, delivering a fully accessible, public health-certified commercial kitchen that empowers food entrepreneurs at every stage. We look forward to supporting local businesses as they launch, scale and thrive in the City of Brampton." - Wale Rabiu, Owner, Grey Matlock Bakery; Operator, Brampton Commercial Kitchen​