🔒On eve of foreclosure, investor group steps in to save Fork Food Lab

On the eve of a pending foreclosure of Fork Food Lab, a group of investors has stepped forward to rescue the South Portland food-business incubator space. An investor group called Darling Fork LLC acquired the nonprofit's building, at 95-97 Darling Ave. Investors include Justin Alfond; the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation; and John Wasileski, who owns senior living facilities in southern Maine. The deal was done under the guidance of Coastal Enterprises Inc. of Brunswick. With the action, the foreclosure auction, which was scheduled for Jan. 28, was avoided. Fork Food Lab and its members are able to continue operations uninterrupted, the investor group said Tuesday. “The closure of Fork Food Lab would have been a tragic loss to the shared-kitchen model and to the 80-plus businesses that rely on the community space,” said Justin Alfond. "Our priority is to ensure there is no interruption to services for the members while continuing to help Fork stabilize and continue its services into the future." Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But Fork Food Lab, which operates as a nonprofit, had shouldered the weight of a significant investment when it moved from Portland’s Bayside neighborhood to the Darling Avenue site in South Portland. Four years ago, when the nonprofit acquired the space, it took on a $3.6 million loan backed by the Finance Authority of Maine, Mainebiz reported in March 2022. At that time, Mascoma Bank, which has a Portland office, was listed as the lender. In December, the Portland Press Herald reported that Norway Savings Bank held the mortgage.

Essential food infrastructure

With the deal announced this week, Fork Food Lab can continue to host food entrepreneurs and startups. “The preservation of Fork Food Lab brings a profound sense of relief to Maine’s food community, ensuring that a critical anchor for our local economy remains intact,” said Corinne Tompkins, Fork's interim executive director and director of member services. “By moving past the threat of foreclosure and securing our building," she added, "we have protected the essential infrastructure that has allowed hundreds of small businesses — from New Mainer startups to established food producers — to find a path forward.” She said the financing gives the organization "a renewed focus" and "the breathing room it needs to continue supporting Maine's food producers, farmers and the many projects we will see in the future." The Fork Food Lab space includes commercial-grade equipment combined with professional guidance. From July 2024 to June 2025, the 80-plus member businesses working out of Fork Food Lab supported more than 200 jobs and generated more than $18 million in sales, according to an impact report cited in the news release.