1625 Eckington Place NE · 30,000 sq ft · USDA, FDA, Gluten-Free certified
Shared Commercial Kitchen in Washington, DC
Union Kitchen is a certified shared commercial kitchen for food and beverage businesses, from a first product case to a full pallet.
Two options. Pick yours.
Option 01 — Union Kitchen
I know what I'm looking for: production space
Certified space, shared equipment, and equipment days you book by the month. Everything below is for you.
Book a tourOption 02 — First Run, official accelerator partner
I need help getting from idea to shelf
First Run is a 90-day food and beverage accelerator in Washington, DC. Coaching plus production, bundled.
See First RunWhat you get for your membership
Union Kitchen is located at 1625 Eckington Place NE in Washington, DC. Every tier of membership gets access to the same space, the same certifications, and the same team of food safety experts.
Room to run a small batch and a pallet order in the same week, in one building.
The certifications a buyer or co-packer asks for already exist.
Product made here is made somewhere retail buyers recognize.
The unglamorous infrastructure that decides whether you can take a pallet order.
Cold chain handled on site, not rented across town.
You hold 2, 5, 8, or unlimited equipment days a month.
From frozen and refrigerated to snacks, beverage, our facility is set up to support your production needs.
High-speed internet, printer, and conference space for holding meetings and engaging with fellow entrepreneurs.
45 minutes, weekdays and weekends. Bring your questions. Let's chat Food Business.
Four tiers. One facility.
Membership runs $899 to $3,290 a month. Every tier includes the same certified 30,000 square foot facility and access to shared equipment. Tiers differ by how many equipment days a month you hold. Some specialized equipment carries an additional fee.
R&D
$899/mo
2 equipment days a month
Recipe work and first cases, before you commit to volume.
Essentials
$999/mo
5 equipment days a month
A regular rhythm: markets and first wholesale accounts.
Production Pro
$1,399/mo
8 equipment days a month
Standing retail orders and the build toward pallets.
Premium
$3,290/mo
Unlimited access
Full pallet production on your own schedule.
Bring your production needs from batch size and volume. Our General Manager sizes the tier in front of the equipment you would use.
What are you looking for?
Two destinations. Kitchen tours book straight onto the membership team's calendar. First Run applications go to our partner at First Run Accelerator at hello@firstruncpg.com.
Pick a tour time
45 minutes walking the space, weekdays and weekends. No pitch deck required. Bring your questions. Let's chat food business.
Learn about First Run
Idea stage is the right stage. First Run is the food and beverage accelerator in Washington, DC. Through our partnership, production is included as part of the First Run DC program.
Applications are read weekly. The accelerator team replies from hello@firstruncpg.com.
90 days to shelf. 90
days to prove it.
Most food brands die between the kitchen and the shelf. Not because the product is bad. Because nobody solved manufacturing, margins, and distribution before the money ran out.
Union Kitchen is the licensed facility where you produce. First Run is the playbook that runs with it. First Run is a food and beverage Accelerator in Washington, DC that meets you at the idea stage and builds the brand with you. 90 days to shelf. 90 days to prove it's ready to scale.
Shared kitchen questions, answered
Cost, tiers, certifications, and how First Run fits. Anything left, we answer in person on your tour.
What's included at each membership tier?
Every Union Kitchen tier includes the same certified 30,000 square foot facility, access to shared equipment, and office space with high-speed internet, printer, and conference space. Tiers differ by equipment days per month: 2 days on R&D, 5 on Essentials, 8 on Production Pro, and unlimited access on Premium. Some specialized equipment carries an additional fee.
What is a shared commercial kitchen?
A shared commercial kitchen is a licensed manufacturing facility where a food or beverage business makes packaged product to sell in stores. Union Kitchen is built for exactly that: certified production space, shared equipment, and enough room to go from a first case to a full pallet.
How are Union Kitchen and First Run related?
They are two separate offerings that work together. Union Kitchen is the licensed facility where you produce. First Run is a food and beverage accelerator in Washington, DC and the official accelerator partner of Union Kitchen, providing the playbook that runs alongside production. You can rent kitchen space without joining First Run, and First Run founders produce in the Union Kitchen facility on a 90-day clock.
How do I apply to First Run?
To apply to First Run, submit the First Run application on this page; the accelerator team replies from hello@firstruncpg.com. First Run is a food and beverage accelerator in Washington, DC and the official accelerator partner of Union Kitchen. It is not required to rent kitchen space.
Is Union Kitchen certified for retail buyers?
The Union Kitchen facility is USDA certified, FDA certified, Gluten-Free certified, and Whole Foods approved.