Oakland A Food Hub Once Again

28 October 2009 - 8:00am

Affordable space, city incentives, and good transport are bringing Oakland, CA back to its roots as a center of the food processing industry.

Oakland used to be the world's largest food processing center, with scores of canneries, bakeries and breweries. The industry died off when giant companies consolidated, but today Oakland is seeing a revival of food production.

"At a time when most industries in the state are suffering, Oakland's food business - including everything from tofu to doughnuts - appears to be expanding and hiring workers for living wage jobs.

"We're growing what has always been a strength and recognizing that there is a new momentum building in food production," said Margot Prado, industrial specialist in the city's economic development agency."

Source: San Francisco Chronicle, October 25, 2009