Immigrant small business report highlights challenges for new restaurateurs in Pittsburgh
nextpittsburgh | December 19, 2018
In the last several decades, Pittsburgh’s local food scene has been revitalized by a growing number of restaurants opened by newly-arrived immigrants that showcase cuisine from Asia, South America and Africa.But according to a new study from All for All, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting immigrant communities, significant hurdles and gaps remain for immigrant entrepreneurs looking to enter the food industry, particularly in areas like public assistance and access to capital.“Enabling and strengthening entrepreneurship efforts is critical to welcoming immigrants in Pittsburgh and supporting economic empowerment of the community at large,” says the report.Pittsburgh needs a thriving immigrant community: As the report notes, the Pittsburgh region’s population is growing older and smaller every year. Attracting significant outside immigration will be critical to giving the city a dynamic workforce in the coming decades.The Immigrant-Owned Small Businesses and Local Food Economy Report, as it is officially known, is based on interviews with 40 different immigrant-owned restaurants in the Pittsburgh region conducted in the spring of this year.