The Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON) broke ground yesterday, October 16, 2024, on their long-anticipated food incubator facility. NEON launched in 2006 and has since worked tirelessly to advance the efforts of underserved entrepreneurs in the northside community.
North Minneapolis is the 5th largest food desert in the country. The NEON collective kitchens will combat this by providing a physical space to serve as a launching pad for local business owners to learn and grow their businesses.
NEON’s new facility will feature 24 private kitchens, a community shared kitchen, a food science research laboratory, a packaging and marketing facility, and educational services for entrepreneurs. NEON’s food incubator will host 270 business clients each year, providing the northside community with reliable and affordable workforce development, business cultivation, and food services.
NEON’s president Warren McLean, Senators Tina Smith and Bobby Joe Champion, Mayor Jacob Frey, Commissioner Irene Fernando, Council Member Jeremiah Ellison, Wellington Management’s founder and CEO Steve Wellington, and Representative Esther Agbaje, among others, spoke about this transformational and aspirational endeavor. Senator Champion described the food incubator as “a space where dreams can grow and thrive,” highlighting the dedication and optimism fueling this collaborative and community-driven project.
Wellington Management has always believed in being an active participant in the communities we serve. We are pleased to have contributed charitable land and financial donations to NEON for this facility. Steve Wellington described yesterday’s groundbreaking event as a “joyous moment” in which the community could gather and watch this dream get closer to becoming a reality.
We are dedicated to North Minneapolis and are excited about the new NEON food incubator. To learn more about our presence in the northside, including future development plans and how our tenants are helping to bring North Minneapolis out of this food desert, check out the links below.
