Hudson Kitchen

Djenaba Johnson-Jones launched Hudson Kitchen to bridge a critical gap she discovered after her own corporate layoff: the need for professional kitchen space paired with real business mentorship. What began as a community-driven platform in 2015 has evolved into an 8,000-square-foot flagship incubator in North Jersey. Hudson Kitchen provides serious founders with 24/7 production access and a collaborative ecosystem designed to move products from "early idea" to "market-ready." Under Djenaba's leadership, the impact of the incubator has been staggering. In 2024 alone, Hudson Kitchen member businesses created 120 jobs and generated $3.5 million in collective revenue. Through her flagship Food Business Bootcamp, Djenaba has trained hundreds of founders on the essentials of licensing, pricing, and operations, emphasizing practical execution and long-term viability over industry hype. Inside the Episode: How Djenaba built the region's first dedicated food business incubator and why professional infrastructure is the backbone of CPG success. Why Djenaba prioritizes accountability and practical decision-making over the "growth at all costs" mentality. Djenaba's personal journey of pivoting from a corporate career to becoming a mentor and advocate for over 400 food businesses. Connect here! This podcast episode was made possible by Hummingbirds — the go-to platform built for creator-powered retail activations—connecting everyday creators with CPG brands to spark shelf-level awareness, drive in-store momentum, and generate authentic content in the markets that matter most. Learn more! This podcast episode was made possible by Glimpse — the AI-powered deduction management tool helping CPG brands recover lost revenue from invalid retail deductions. With in-house experts and custom-built AI, Glimpse saves founders time, money, and countless hours so they can focus on scaling. Try it free for 30 days at tryglimpse.com/trial.