Djenaba Johnson-Jones

Name: Hudson Kitchen
Location: Kearny, NJ

When Djenaba Johnson-Jones, a graduate of UCEDC's entrepreneurship program, needed funding to purchase and improve the site for her small business, Hudson Kitchen, she turned to UCEDC for help. While the project wasn't the right fit for UCEDC to take on as a lender, our lending and training teams worked with Djenaba to help her prepare for the financing she needed. UCEDC advised her on the steps she needed to take before she could secure a loan, such as hiring an architect and a kitchen designer and pricing out every piece of equipment she would need to buy. And when her plan was ready, UCEDC connected her with the right lenders and packaged a loan that would bring Ms. Johnson-Jones' plan to fruition.

Now complete, Hudson Kitchen, a commercial kitchen located in Kearny, New Jersey, is the incubator for other food-focused small businesses. They offer commercial kitchen membership options to suit the needs of bakers, meal delivery services, caterers, specialty product makers, food trucks, and more. They also run a food-centric entrepreneurship program.