Hope & Main Needs Assessment SurveyHope & Main Needs Assessment Survey

1. What type of company are you?

What type of company are you? Specialty food producer

Caterer

Family farm

Restaurant

Community group

Other

2. Are your currently selling a food product?

Are your currently selling a food product? Yes

No

3. Please describe the food items you are selling OR are interested in producing: (e.g., soups, prepared or frozen foods, seasonal crops, dairy, free-range poultry/beef OR please describe your catering or restaurant business)

Please describe the food items you are selling OR are interested in producing: (e.g., soups, prepared or frozen foods, seasonal crops, dairy, free-range poultry/beef OR please describe your catering or restaurant business)

4. If you are currently producing a food item:

If you are currently producing a food item: a. Where are you preparing your product?
b. What is the fee that you are paying for kitchen rental?
c. Do you receive any services at your current location in addition to the kitchen? (YES/NO)
d. Please describe those services:
e. Do you pay an additional fee for those services? (YES/NO)
f. How much is the fee?

5. What type of equipment do you need to prepare your food product? Please check each item needed:

What type of equipment do you need to prepare your food product? Please check each item needed: Standard range/ oven

Canning equipment

Commercial mixer

Sinks

Freezer

Stainless steel table

Kitchen utensils

Forced hot air oven

Steamer oven

Meat slicer

Walk-in cooler

Steam kettle

Package heat seal

Food processor

Dish washer

Scales

Grill

Rotating oven

Vacuum sealer

Dry storage

Labeling equipment

6. Is there any other specialized equipment that you require?

Is there any other specialized equipment that you require?

7. How many times and hours per week would you use the Hope & Main facility?

How many times and hours per week would you use the Hope & Main facility? a. Times per week?
b. Hours per week?

8. What time of day would you need the facility? (check all that apply)

What time of day would you need the facility? (check all that apply) 8AM - 10PM

Early AM (before 8:00)

Late night (after 10:00)

9. Would you use the facility on weekdays, weekends or both?

Would you use the facility on weekdays, weekends or both? Weekdays

Weekends

Both

10. Because Hope & Main is not only a shared kitchen, but a kitchen incubator, we plan to provide the additional professional services and supports necessary to ensure your food business matures and can eventually stand alone.

On a scale of 1-4, please rate how helpful assistance in the following areas would be to the success of your business:

1 = not necessary; 2 = somewhat helpful; 3 = needed; 4 = very much needed

	Rating
Mentoring/coaching	Because Hope & Main is not only a shared kitchen, but a kitchen incubator, we plan to provide the additional professional services and supports necessary to ensure your food business matures and can eventually stand alone. On a scale of 1-4, please rate how helpful assistance in the following areas would be to the success of your business: 1 = not necessary; 2 = somewhat helpful; 3 = needed; 4 = very much needed Mentoring/coaching Rating
Food prep assistants	Food prep assistants Rating
Copy/fax machine	Copy/fax machine Rating
Telephone service	Telephone service Rating
Accounting	Accounting Rating
Marketing/sales	Marketing/sales Rating
Distribution	Distribution Rating
Licensing	Licensing Rating
Labeling	Labeling Rating
Insurance	Insurance Rating
Purchasing	Purchasing Rating
Online/ catalogue sales	Online/ catalogue sales Rating
Web site development	Web site development Rating
Storage	Storage Rating
Shipping/receiving	Shipping/receiving Rating
Payroll	Payroll Rating
Packaging	Packaging Rating
Financing	Financing Rating
Business plan preparation	Business plan preparation Rating
Onsite computing	Onsite computing Rating
Managing staff	Managing staff Rating

11. Are there other professional services or supports that your business needs?

Are there other professional services or supports that your business needs?

12. Hope & Main plans to manage an on-site, year-round "Town Market" on weekends. This market will offer specialty & prepared food products; farm fresh local produce, meat, fish & dairy; and will showcase area food businesses. Members of the Hope & Main kitchen incubator can participate at no charge.

Hope & Main plans to manage an on-site, year-round "Town Market" on weekends. This market will offer specialty & prepared food products; farm fresh local produce, meat, fish & dairy; and will showcase area food businesses. Members of the Hope & Main kitchen incubator can participate at no charge. a. Would you be interested in participating in the Town Market? (YES/NO)
b. Why or why not?
c. What would you expect to pay to participate?

13. What do you feel is a reasonable fee:

What do you feel is a reasonable fee: a. For the MONTHLY use of facility including the kitchen, cold & dry storage, access to the business services you require, and the ability to offer your product at our weekly Town Market? ($$/MONTH)
b. For the HOURLY use of the kitchen only? ($$/HOUR)

14. Who is your targeted end-user? (i.e., population and/or demographic)
For example: children, dogs, diabetics, upscale, special dietary restrictions such as gluten-free, vegetarians, health-conscious, singles, families, a certain ethnic group, or perhaps you're unsure.

Who is your targeted end-user? (i.e., population and/or demographic) For example: children, dogs, diabetics, upscale, special dietary restrictions such as gluten-free, vegetarians, health-conscious, singles, families, a certain ethnic group, or perhaps you're unsure.

15. What is your current or intended channel of distribution?
(check all that apply)

What is your current or intended channel of distribution? (check all that apply) Neighborhood grocers

Supermarkets

Specialty/ gourmet food stores

Events

Onlline/ catalogue

Restaurants

Wholesale food distributors

Farmers markets

16. If you are a food start-up venture (either specialty food producer or caterer):

	Yes	No
a. Do you currently have a business plan?	If you are a food start-up venture (either specialty food producer or caterer): a. Do you currently have a business plan? Yes	a. Do you currently have a business plan? No
b. Do you currently have financing?	b. Do you currently have financing? Yes	b. Do you currently have financing? No
c. Do you have prior experience in the food business?	c. Do you have prior experience in the food business? Yes	c. Do you have prior experience in the food business? No
d. Do you have a license from the state Department of Health to produce your product?	d. Do you have a license from the state Department of Health to produce your product? Yes	d. Do you have a license from the state Department of Health to produce your product? No

17. What is your target distribution area?

What is your target distribution area? Your local community

Rhode Island only

Regional

National

18. What is your sales goal per month, i.e., both in volume and dollars?

What is your sales goal per month, i.e., both in volume and dollars? a. Units per month
b. Gross monthly sales

19. Hope & Main will also offer a private banquet facility on site with a capacity of 75-100 people.

Hope & Main will also offer a private banquet facility on site with a capacity of 75-100 people. a. Would you be interested in utilizing the banquet facility? (YES/NO)
b. Why OR why not?

20. Hope & Main will offer food demonstration and classroom space that can be utilized by local chefs to showcase their businesses or to offer cooking demonstrations or classes to the public.

Hope & Main will offer food demonstration and classroom space that can be utilized by local chefs to showcase their businesses or to offer cooking demonstrations or classes to the public. a. Would you be interested in showcasing your business in this way? (YES/NO)
b. Why or why not?

21. Would you be interested in attending a meeting to discuss future plans for the development of the Hope & Main facility?
If you would like to attend an informational meeting, please make sure you supply us with your contact information.

Would you be interested in attending a meeting to discuss future plans for the development of the Hope & Main facility? If you would like to attend an informational meeting, please make sure you supply us with your contact information. Yes

No

22. Do you have any further thoughts about Hope & Main that you would like to share with us? Is there anything else you want us to know about your food business or your needs?

Do you have any further thoughts about Hope & Main that you would like to share with us? Is there anything else you want us to know about your food business or your needs?

23. The following questions will allow us to classify your responses and enable us to contact you as our plans progress!

The following questions will allow us to classify your responses and enable us to contact you as our plans progress! Name:
Company:
Address:
City/Town:
State:
ZIP:
Email Address:
Phone Number:

24. Do you know of anyone else who might be interested in using this kitchen incubator?
Please feel free to pass along the link for this surevy or to provide us with their contact information:

Do you know of anyone else who might be interested in using this kitchen incubator? Please feel free to pass along the link for this surevy or to provide us with their contact information: Name:
Company:
Address:
City/Town:
State:
ZIP:
Email Address:
Phone Number:

Hope & Main Needs Assessment SurveyExit this survey

Hope & Main Needs Assessment Survey
Exit this survey