BagelUp Growth Lab Returns as Business Incubator for Emerging Bagel Entrepreneurs, Launching a Year-Round Partner Program

Second annual BagelUp Growth Lab expands with vetted industry partners and an educational webinar series designed to help rising bagel makers open and grow their first shops

NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Great bagels may start with flour, water, yeast and skill, but building a successful bagel business takes much more. On Saturday, November 14th, 2026, BagelUp (which produces New York BagelFest) will present the second annual BagelUp Growth Lab, a business incubator designed to help promising bagel entrepreneurs gain the knowledge, connections and industry resources needed to turn their bagel concepts into sustainable businesses. Taking place at Loft 39 the day before New York BagelFest at Citi Field, this year's expanded Growth Lab will feature business education, access-to-capital discussions, live pitches, product sampling and direct connections with experienced operators, suppliers and other industry professionals.

BagelUp is also taking the incubator beyond a single day. In an effort to support participating bagel makers as they work toward opening their first shops and scaling their businesses, it has created a year-round Growth Lab Partner Program, connecting entrepreneurs with vetted vendors across the essential areas involved in building a modern bagel business. Throughout the following year, participating partners will separately present a series of educational webinars sharing practical guidance with the Growth Lab entrepreneurs, covering everything from selecting equipment and designing a physical shop to choosing packaging, processing payments and understanding the operational infrastructure needed to open the doors. The goal is to give founders an ongoing network of specialists they can turn to as their businesses develop.

"The Growth Lab helps rising stars of the bagel industry survive the leap to their first brick-and-mortar. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, roughly 40-50% of new accommodation and food service establishments close within five years. That's why we connect these founders with industry veterans who've already been through it—and back again—so they get the candid feedback and mentorship that can make the difference in those critical early years," says Sam Silverman, President of BagelUp.

BagelFest introduced Growth Lab in 2025 as both an incubator and tasting experience for early-stage bagel makers from across the United States and Canada. The inaugural program brought rising entrepreneurs together with the public, media and industry professionals while creating opportunities to discuss the realities of starting and scaling a modern bagel business. It positioned the Growth Lab and its accompanying Industry Mixer as a new professional pillar of the New York BagelFest weekend, intended not only to showcase up-and-coming makers but also to support the next generation of entrepreneurs while strengthening connections across the larger bagel ecosystem.

The program returns in 2026 with an expanded curriculum and a more deliberate emphasis on business incubation, and under the BagelUp umbrella. Rather than ending when participants leave New York, the second annual Growth Lab creates a pathway for continued education, professional guidance and access to trusted industry resources throughout the year.

The new partner initiative addresses a simple reality…a founder preparing to open a bagel shop suddenly has to become an expert in far more than dough. Entrepreneurs need to understand architectural plans, ovens and production equipment, point-of-sale and payment systems, packaging, workflow, financing, staffing and dozens of other decisions that can determine whether a new food business succeeds. BagelUp has assembled a network of vetted vendors and specialists who can provide information and guidance within their respective areas of expertise, with participating businesses gaining opportunities to learn directly from these partners through a webinar series over the next year.

"There's nothing like seeing a baker's dream take shape. Great bagels are where it starts, but building a bagel shop that lasts also takes solid business fundamentals, a well-planned space with the right equipment, and access to the right capital. The Bread Bakers Guild of America is thrilled to be part of the Growth Lab, sharing what we've learned so early-stage owners and operators can build resilient businesses that thrive for years to come," says Karen Bornarth, Executive Director of the Bread Bakers Guild of America.

Initial partners span the key ingredients, services and infrastructure needed to build a bagel business, including King Arthur Baking Company for flour, All Bake Technologies for bakery equipment and services, Philadelphia Cream Cheese for cream cheese, Malt Products Corporation for malt and sweeteners, Bettani for plant-based alternatives, Manischewitz for kosher foods, Echelon Payments for merchant services, noissue for packaging, and thinkDESIGN Architecture for architecture and design.

King Arthur Baking Company brings a longstanding commitment to quality baking products, education and community, reflecting its belief that baking can connect people and should be accessible to everyone. All Bake Technologies Inc. supplies bakery equipment, parts and services to professional bakers, from small retailers and wholesale bakeries to commercial chains and industrial operations. Philadelphia Cream Cheese, made with fresh milk and real cream, emphasizes quality dairy ingredients without artificial flavors, preservatives or dyes. Malt Products Corporation, a family-owned company founded in 1957, supplies barley malt syrups and powders, a key bagel ingredient. Its custom-blending capabilities and available non-GMO and organic-certified products offer insight into ingredient sourcing and production needs as businesses grow. Bettani Farms develops protein-rich, dairy-free cream cheese using plant-based technology, offering an alternative free from dairy, soy and nuts for shops considering inclusive menu options. The Manischewitz Company, a name associated with traditional Jewish foods since 1888, brings a longstanding kosher-food heritage to the partner network. From pioneering machine-made matzo in 1888 to its matzo ball soup and other traditional offerings, the company represents a connection between Jewish culinary traditions and the food businesses carrying them forward.

Echelon Payments provides customized payment solutions combining payment technology with customer support and an emphasis on trust and transparency, helping entrepreneurs better understand the merchant-services infrastructure necessary to operate a growing retail business. noissue works with brands and businesses of varying sizes to create custom, sustainable packaging, emphasizing accessible customization and low minimum-order quantities, considerations valuable to emerging businesses developing a cohesive customer-facing brand experience. thinkDESIGN Architecture, a full-service boutique architectural firm specializing in residential and commercial renovations and developments, introduces the planning and design considerations involved in turning a business concept into a functioning physical space, and have designed dozens of bagel shops in New York, including iconic brands like Utopia Bagels, La Bagel Delight, Terrace Bagels, Highway Bagels, and The Bagel Store. Additional partners and webinar topics may be announced as the program develops.

Together, the partners are intended to form a practical resource network around the entrepreneurs, helping founders understand who they need, what questions they should be asking and what decisions they will face before opening and operating a shop. The program is designed to make it easier for early-stage business owners to identify experienced resources before they reach critical points in the process of opening, financing or expanding their businesses.

The in-person Growth Lab curriculum begins at 10:30 a.m. with "The Business of Bagels," presented by Karen Bornarth, examining the operational and entrepreneurial side of building a successful bagel company. At 11:30 a.m., participants will have an opportunity to schmooze and refresh before the program turns to one of the greatest challenges facing growing food businesses: financing. At 12:00 p.m., "Access to Capital" will explore funding pathways available to entrepreneurs seeking to launch or expand their businesses, featuring Guild Board President Kobla Asamoah and Adam Pollack, Partner at Echelon Payments. The session will address how entrepreneurs can prepare for capital conversations, what financial partners may look for in a developing business and what founders should understand as they consider funding their next stage of growth.

Following lunch, Growth Lab Pitches begin at 2:00 p.m., giving participating entrepreneurs an opportunity to present their concepts, share their stories and articulate their plans for growth. At 3:00 p.m., the focus shifts from business plans to the bagels themselves with a sampling session featuring the participating makers. The educational portion of the day concludes at 4:00 p.m. with "Outfitting a Bagel Shop," a practical discussion about transforming a bagel concept into a physical operation. The session will feature Peter Sonenstein, VP of Sales & Marketing at All Bake Tech, Dominick Ciccarelli, Partner at thinkDESIGN, and Dianna Daohuang, co-Founder and Executive Chef at Black Seed, with topics spanning equipment, architecture and shop design, production workflow, scalability and considerations founders should address when planning their first brick-and-mortar location.

2026 Growth Lab Entrepreneurs

This year's participating businesses represent different stages of the entrepreneurial journey, from home-based micro-bakeries and farmers-market businesses to founders developing brick-and-mortar concepts. Together, they also reflect the continued evolution of bagel culture beyond its traditional markets, with entrepreneurs from communities across the Northeast, Midwest and South bringing distinct culinary perspectives and business models to the category.

Bright-O Bagels. Peoria, Illinois

Founded in 2025, Bright-O Bagels is part of BrightSide Kitchen, an independent kitchen focused on making food from scratch. Founder Josh Lanning and his team combine traditional bagel-making techniques with a distinctive culinary personality, offering classics alongside varieties such as Black Russian pumpernickel, za'atar and blueberry. Rather than trying to replicate New York in Illinois, the team is focused on creating what it considers a distinctly Peoria bagel, with an emphasis on quality dough, fermentation, texture and flavors that reflect the personality of the business. "We are excited to be rubbing shoulders with like-minded bagel lovers seeking to reach their full potential," said Lanning. "I believe in growing alongside the best in order to become one of the best."

Oy Vey Bagels and More. Atoka, Tennessee

Sarah Gulick, a U.S. Navy veteran and military spouse, began making bagels after years of moving around the country and struggling to find the New York-style bagels she missed. What started as a hobby grew through farmers markets before Gulick made the leap into a physical shop. Drawing from her pastry background, she has developed inventive offerings including tiramisu and crème brûlée bagels, combining her love of traditional bagels with a willingness to experiment and create flavors distinctive to her business. "I'm honored to have the opportunity to work with and compete with so many amazing bagel businesses, as an up-and-coming shop," said Gulick.

Gross Bagels. Tivoli, New York

Jake and Andy Gross began making bagels while living in Los Angeles during the pandemic as a way to connect with friends. They eventually returned to their careers, but their lives changed dramatically in 2025 when their home and much of their Altadena, California, community were destroyed by fire. After relocating to New York's Hudson Valley to be closer to family, they returned to bagel making and began building Gross Bagels, this time with an increasing focus on the traditions of the Jewish deli and the possibility of turning a project they had once pursued informally into a lasting business."We can't wait to learn from everyone at BagelFest," the team shared.

Maxine's Bagels. Hudson, New York

Chef Jeff Srole created Maxine's as an homage to his mother and the Ashkenazi cooking traditions that helped form his culinary foundation. Before Maxine's, Srole worked in New York City kitchens under chefs including Lidia Bastianich and Tom Colicchio, experiences that shaped his approach to sourcing, technique and ingredients. Today, he applies that culinary background to hand-rolled, boiled and baked bagels served alongside seasonal vegetables, smoked fish, house-made jams and cream cheeses, creating a menu rooted in nostalgia, simplicity and classic technique. "We at Maxine's are super grateful and excited for the opportunity to showcase our product at the Growth Lab," said Srole.

Bite Club. Stamford, Connecticut

Founded by New York natives Kristi DeSimone and Rodrigo, Bite Club is a sourdough micro-bakery currently producing hand-shaped bagels from an apartment kitchen in Stamford. Every bagel relies on wild yeast and a multi-day fermentation process, while the company operates through preorder drops and local pickup, a model designed to maximize freshness and reduce waste. According to the business, its drops regularly sell out within an hour of text notifications, and the founders are now looking toward scaling production, expanding the menu and bringing their sourdough bagels to a larger audience. "As a home micro-bakery, sharing our sourdough bagels at Growth Lab is a huge milestone for us," said DeSimone. "We're so excited for the opportunity to get feedback from industry experts and learn from the very best."

Jake's Bagels. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia-area native Jake Zebley began baking bread at home before becoming consumed by the challenge of producing the bagel he had struggled to find locally. Hundreds of batches later, and after being inspired by attending BagelFest 2025, Zebley launched his business in early 2026. His hand-rolled bagels incorporate intentionally sourced ingredients, including organic Pennsylvania-milled flour and Pennsylvania-sourced malt, before being cold-fermented overnight, boiled and baked fresh. The young business reflects the kind of entrepreneurial path Growth Lab was created to support: a passionate maker moving from experimentation and word-of-mouth demand toward a more established business. "I'm so excited to be at Growth Lab, I'm about to shred a couch up like a Labrador puppy," said Zebley.

Bite Me Bagels. Maplewood, New Jersey

Stephen Joseph began Bite Me Bagels in his Maplewood home kitchen during the pandemic, when his appreciation for great bagels became an effort to master making them himself. Each bagel is hand rolled, boiled and baked in small batches, but Joseph's larger vision is rooted in family, community and creating traditions that can eventually be passed between generations. For Joseph, building the business is as much about creating something meaningful and lasting as it is about perfecting the product itself. "I'm really excited to bring Bite Me Bagels to Growth Lab because this has become so much more than just making bagels for me," said Joseph. "It's about making something with my own hands, sharing it with people, and creating the kind of food and tradition people remember."

Beast Bagel. Wilmington, Delaware

Beast Bagel, founded by Nicholas Vouras, is a Delaware-based bagel pop-up bringing a fresh approach to traditional bagel-making. Inspired by his experience in the pizza industry, Vouras specializes in New York's emerging "new school" bagel style, crafting sourdough bagels using a three-day fermentation process. With three varieties currently in development and plans to open a storefront, Beast Bagel emphasizes flavor, quality, and digestibility, creating bagels that taste as good as they make you feel.

The educational sessions are only one component of the Growth Lab model. BagelFest is deliberately bringing founders into contact with experienced operators, lenders, equipment suppliers, architects, service providers and other specialists so entrepreneurs can begin forming the professional networks they will need as they grow. At 5:00 p.m., Growth Lab transitions into the BagelFest Industry Mixer, where entrepreneurs, operators, vendors and industry professionals can continue the conversations begun throughout the day in a more informal setting. The mixer runs through 7:00 p.m., providing another opportunity for emerging founders to build relationships with people across the wider bagel and food-business community.

The combination of the Growth Lab, Partner Program, webinar series and Industry Mixer reflects a larger ambition for the initiative… to create an ecosystem that helps promising bagel makers become successful bagel business owners. By combining a concentrated day of learning and networking with access to expertise throughout the following year, BagelUp is working to create a more continuous path of support for founders moving toward their first shops, new locations and the next stages of their companies.

2026 BagelFest Growth Lab Schedule

10:30 a.m. — The Business of Bagels
Presented by Karen Bornarth, Executive Director, Bread Bakers Guild of America

11:30 a.m. — Schmooze + Refresh

12:00 p.m. — Access to Capital, featuring:

- Kobla Asamoah, Bread Baker's Guild of America Board President

- Adam Pollack, Partner at Echelon Payment Solutions Group

1:00 p.m. — Lunch

2:00 p.m. — Growth Lab Pitches

3:00 p.m. — Sampling

4:00 p.m. — Outfitting a Bagel Shop, featuring:
- Peter Sonenstein, VP of Sales & Marketing at All Bake Tech

- Dominick Ciccarelli, Partner at thinkDESIGN

- Dianna Daohuang, co-founder and Executive Chef from Black Seed

5:00–7:00 p.m. — BagelUp Industry Mixer

The BagelUp Growth Lab also thanks its supporting sponsors: the Bread Bakers Guild of America, Arnel Associates, Goldfine & Company CPA PC, Morgan Business Council, Polaris Risk Management, The Copy Specialist, Zimner Law, and Hudson Peak Wealth Advisors. Learn more about the official partners here.

Growth Lab takes place one day before New York BagelFest, returning to Citi Field on Sunday, November 15th, 2026. Together, the programs represent two sides of BagelUp's mission, celebrating the people and products shaping contemporary bagel culture while investing in the entrepreneurs who may become its next generation of leading businesses. Tickets for the Growth Lab and Industry Mixer can be purchased at https://www.bagelfest.com/tickets. For press inquiries, contact Pietra Communications at 212.913.9761 or email [email protected].

About BagelUp

BagelUp's mission is to promote bagels and the people, culture and history behind New York's iconic food. Founded by Sam Silverman after he identified a "hole in the market" for a festival dedicated to one of New York City's most recognizable foods, BagelUp produces BagelFest, now a leading trade and consumer event for the bagel industry. Held annually in New York City and Los Angeles, BagelFest brings together bagel makers, industry professionals and enthusiasts from around the world for a celebration of the businesses, people and traditions shaping modern bagel culture.

Beyond BagelFest, BagelUp creates year-round experiences designed to entertain, educate and connect people through bagels. The company offers hands-on artisan bagel-making classes for bakers of all experience levels, as well as guided NYC Bagel Tours that explore some of the city's best-known and emerging bagel shops while sharing the history and culture behind the food. Together, BagelFest, BagelUp's classes and its tours create multiple ways for consumers, visitors and industry professionals to experience and participate in New York's evolving bagel tradition. BagelUp is led by founder Sam Silverman, widely known as New York's "Bagel Ambassador," alongside a team of instructors, storytellers and bagel enthusiasts committed to preserving bagel heritage while helping introduce it to new audiences. For more information, visit BagelUp.com.

SOURCE BagelUp