New Kamloops Food Policy Council commercial kitchen causing quite The Stir for culinary businesses

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Food Policy Council (KFPC) has been around since 1995, which makes it the longest-standing independent organization of its kind.

Last October, the council took a big step forward when it opened up The Stir, a facility meant to act as a hub for food-related activities in the city. CFJC Today got a tour around The Stir today, including the commercial kitchen which is available for food entrepreneurs to rent to help grow their businesses.

“Welcome to The Stir kitchen.”

Some impressive culinary hardware lines the pristine white walls of The Stir’s shared commercial kitchen, located at 185 Royal Avenue.

The kitchen is a space where folks who are building a food-focused business can take the next step and reach a broader clientele.

“It helps people meet those standards that they need if they want to grow their businesses if they’re manufacturing product to sell in retail stores,” Kent Fawcett, food hub manager for the KFPC says. “But we also have catering businesses or cloud kitchens that offer food service out of the kitchen, as well.

On a Thursday morning, two of the local businesses that call the kitchen home are hard at work. Jennifer and Jestine run JStax Eatery, which offers comfort food through services like Skip the Dishes or Uber Eats.

“[It’s] the biggest kitchen either of us has ever worked in,” Jennifer explains. “It was a little intimidating, but the whole process was so easy. Kent was there to literally walk us through everything and show us how everything works, The intimidation took a step back and it was like, ‘Okay, let’s play.’”

Kimberly Shipton moved to Kamloops from Dawson Creek last summer and brought her passion for baking with her. While the equipment gives her the ability to create delicious baked goods, the big selling point for Kimberly was the expertise Kent and the rest of the Food Policy Council folks bring to the table.

“It takes a lot of the thought process and money out of our overhead and gives us, as small business owners, the ability to grow our business from the ground,” Shipton says. “They help us every step of the way — with our planning, with our health inspection, everything. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have been able to rock in three months.”

There are big plans in motion to expand what The Stir is able to offer. That includes a collaboration with an Indigenous fishery company, opportunities to connect local farmers with Kamloops consumers, and the potential for retail space in what they call the Stir-front area. All ideals that match up with the core values that help build this venue.

“The ultimate goal of The Stir is to connect people in the region with food that’s made and grown in Kamloops, to really contribute to the food security and food sovereignty of the region,” Fawcett explains. “A big part of that is helping food businesses succeed that are using local ingredients, making things locally, and employing local people.”

For more information, you can visit www.thestir.kitchen or you can pop into 185 Royal Avenue to see what’s cooking.