Beef Jerky to Delicate Cupcakes, Seltzer to Amazing Breads 

June 27, 2014: A most unusual event is being cooked up today in East Williamsburg, in the old Pfizer factory: a convocation of Brooklyn based food entrepreneurs.

Working from kitchen labs retrofitted from the old pharmaceutical company building, from their homes, from small business incubators, and yes, from their mother's kitchens, over a hundred local food and drink makers, organized by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, got together for a Brooklyn food trade show.


  And while a handful of those represented family businesses in operation for decades, the majority were forging new paths, building on the ever-so-hot Brooklyn brand, and hoping to make a match between their product and  growing demand for locally sourced, small batch produced, organic -- or just plain delicious --  specialty products.

What's the Brooklyn food entrepreneur food scene? There are  vegan and gluten-free baked goods. Bottled sauces from popular Brooklyn restaurants. Pickles, both locavore and organic. Chocolate galore. Cold brew coffee that promises to be to coffee what craft brewed is to beer. Brooklyn-brewed craft beers of course, but also whiskey and wines. Sorrel beer made according to a centuries-old Caribbean recipe. Ginger ale with the kick of real ginger. Savory yogurts and spoonable caramel sauce. Come hungry!

Among the younger entrepreneurs are those trained as engineers, lawyers, graphic designers, as well as folks with a formal background in restaurants or food production.Many tnew Brooklyn entrepreneurs work with family members -- sisters, brothers, cousins -- and some with friends.

Quite a few have been in business only for a few years -- the Great Recession made a lot of people rethink their careers. But if even half of them make it to sustainable businesses, Brooklyn will end up with a significant local food manufacturing sector, with an ethos that embraces health and sustainability.

A food revolution, indeed!

About Brooklyn Eats 

Brooklyn Eats is now a project of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. "The Chamber’s new incarnation of Brooklyn Eats is as Brooklyn’s leading food manufacturing trade show featuring the best of new and old Brooklyn combined to introduce and promote our local products and manufacturers," it says.