Spotlight on Stirling: The Kitchen Osborne Park
For more than 13 years, The Kitchen Osborne Park has been helping food businesses turn ideas into reality, providing a space where entrepreneurs, caterers and artisan producers can create, test and grow.
Based in: Osborne Park, City of Stirling
Industry: Commercial Kitchen and Food Business Incubator
For founder Don Hancey, hospitality has always been more than a career. From completing his chef's apprenticeship at some of Perth's leading hospitality venues to running award-winning restaurants and catering major events across regional Western Australia, his journey has been driven by a passion for great food, hard work and supporting others in the industry.
That passion eventually led to the creation of The Kitchen Osborne Park.
After discovering a former bakery premises on Rowallan Street, he saw the potential to build a purpose-designed commercial kitchen in a central location that was easily accessible from across Perth. The site already had many of the essential foundations required for a commercial food operation, making it the ideal home for a new venture.
Creating opportunities for food entrepreneurs
What began as a base for catering and team-building events has evolved into something much bigger. Today, The Kitchen operates as a commercial test kitchen, providing food entrepreneurs and small businesses with access to professional facilities where they can develop, trial and manufacture products without the significant upfront costs of establishing their own commercial premises.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the business has been watching start-ups flourish.
"I regularly visit local markets and see successful producers selling products that were first developed and tested here in The Kitchen," he says.
The facility is now home to 18 catering businesses and artisan food manufacturers, all registered within the City of Stirling, producing a diverse range of products for customers across Western Australia.
A business built on community
Community has always been at the heart of The Kitchen.
Over the years, the business has supported organisations preparing meals for people experiencing homelessness, provided hospitality training opportunities for students and hosted numerous corporate team-building experiences. The team also prioritises supporting local suppliers wherever possible, purchasing from Osborne Park and surrounding businesses to help strengthen the local economy.
These partnerships have helped create a network of businesses that support one another through both opportunities and challenges.
Navigating challenges and embracing change
Like many businesses in the hospitality sector, The Kitchen faced significant disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, with bookings dropping dramatically almost overnight. Rising operating costs, utilities, insurance and compliance requirements have continued to place pressure on businesses throughout the industry.
To navigate these challenges, the business has focused on careful financial management, strong relationships with suppliers and a commitment to maintaining quality while continually improving efficiency.
Advice for other local businesses
When asked what advice he would give to other business owners, the answer is simple: build trust.
"Word of mouth remains the most effective form of advertising. Deliver quality, be reliable and exceed expectations, and your customers will become your greatest advocates."
He also encourages businesses to support local networks and community initiatives, emphasising that strong relationships can make all the difference when challenges arise.
Today, The Kitchen Osborne Park continues to provide a launchpad for food businesses at every stage of their journey, helping entrepreneurs transform ideas into successful products while contributing to the growth of the City of Stirling's vibrant food and hospitality sector.
Spotlight on Stirling shines a light on the people and businesses helping shape our local economy. Each feature shares the stories, ideas and experiences behind businesses operating within the City of Stirling, celebrating their achievements, innovation and contribution to the community.
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