Faced with rising costs and tighter margins, some Wilmington-area food businesses are looking to build through collaboration and community. They’re partnering with like-minded entrepreneurs for pop-ups, special events and unique products and experiences.
In recent months, Wilmington has seen tours that visit local speakeasy bars, a pop-up that brought a pizza maker and coffee shop together, yoga at breweries, beer collaborations, wine-and-oyster excursions, and multi-course dinners that explore local food and history.
A 2025 study from American Express found that 95% of small business owners said community support is vital to their business and that people understand how local vendors are important in making a place special. Industry experts are also
seeing growing consumer demand for experiences that go beyond a traditional meal or drink. In Wilmington, that has translated into creative partnerships that are reshaping the food scene.
Creating experiences
Take the Saltwater Stories dinner series, for example. Chef Keith Rhodes of Voyce Bistro in downtown Wilmington partnered with Cedric Harrison of the Wilmington Color Heritage Tours. Rhodes said he has followed Harrison’s work over the years and believed that food would be another way to help him tell those stories of the local Black community -- and support a young entrepreneur.
These dinners shared the history of Black seaside resorts like Shell Island and Seabreeze through the foodways of the people who lived there at the time. And they've been a success, regularly selling out.
"One thing about food, especially at that point in time, is that we all ate the same way," Rhodes said. "And it's kind of going on now, too. But we have food, and food really brings people together."
In another part of Wilmington, a popular coffee shop and roastery has been partnering with a Cargo District pizza maker for a once-a-month event with special wines, seasonal pies and affogato. Salita Pizza owner Jim Diecchio first purchased portable Gozney ovens and worked with his friend and wine seller Chris Miller for pop-ups at N. Sea Oyster Co. But they've also been a good fit for warm-weather Wednesdays on the shady patio behind the Casa Blanca, a Market Street coffee shop.
“It’s kind of nice because we have a little piece of the Cargo District come this way,” said Anthi Docous, the food and beverage director for Casa Blanca.
Meanwhile, at Trask Family Farms, Angie Trask said partnerships are important for encouraging people to visit the Castle Hayne farm. They've worked with artists, food trucks and more. Recently, it was a Wildflowers and Wine event with Amanda Leese, of The Wine Gal.
Attendees could cut flowers and build their own bouquets in mason jars. While they strolled through the flower fields, Leese poured a selection of wines, including cava, rose and vinho verde. The Grateful Graze supplied charcuterie.
These collaborations can also include tangible products. Zack Bennett, owner of the mobile coffee trailer Common Tides, uses locally made Sea Love Sea Salt in his signature Salted Caramel Latte and also worked on translating that into a limited release beer with Mad Mole Brewing, the Salted CaraMOLE Latte Cream Ale.
While the partnerships vary widely, business owners say many are motivated by the same goals: reaching new customers and building opportunities together.
Sharing success
Leese estimates that about 50% of The Wine Gal's business comes through partnerships and joint events. She offers classes, and tastings at businesses like Wine Knot Sky Bar and Cocktail Lounge and The Vine. She's also done other events combining wine and flowers and wanted to do more. She reached out to Trask to discuss possibilities.
"I have a different demographic of followers and they are really on a completely different side of town," she said.
Trask's business is seasonal and ever changing, from growing produce to events like their corn maze. To provide the full range of experiences that people are looking for, these collaborations are necessary.
"We couldn't do it without those partnerships," Graham Trask said.
For the Wildflowers and Wine event, they sold 80 tickets but could have easily sold more, he said. Leese said many of her wine students quickly signed up and she knows that Trask's customers now know more about her and her sommelier business.
These partnerships are also about building community. When Bennett started Common Tides, that was a guiding mission.
"The whole reason I started the business was to support other local businesses and grow together," he said.
He wants his mobile business to feel like a brick-and-mortar. He uses local ingredients like honey from FreeBees Apiary and sells things like locally made dog treats from Tails and Trails at the trailer. He brews with reverse osmosis water from Tidal Creek Co-op. He believes his commitment to community helps set him apart.
"There are so many different choices in coffee shops in Wilmington, I wanted to do something different," he said. "Eventually, I hope to grow that with even more partners."
Now more than ever, Rhodes said, people are understanding how challenging the food industry can be. Collaborations help businesses navigate industry hurdles together.
"It works. I can't tell you how many times people come in and say, 'I just took the tour with Cedric,'" he said.
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Finding the right fit
Industry experts say that partnerships work best when audiences overlap. Problems can arise when benefits aren't shared equally, or if collaborations don't feel authentic and organic.
For Casa Blanca and Salita Pizza, there was a mutual appreciation before they started. Docous said she and Casa Blanca owner Marissa Ruehle got to know Diecchio when he visited the coffee shop with his family.
"And, of course, we love his pizza," she said, so working together has been a fairly natural process.
There are other caveats to keep in mind, too. Rhodes said challenges can come from conflicting expectations and assuring all parties can express their creativity and vision.
Bennett, who said he launched his Common Tides in the area's first battery-powered trailer, said that a focus on sustainability is one of the things he looks for in potential partners. One of his newest is Soundside Collective, a local coastal conservation company.
"I pick and choose my collaborations," Angie Trask said. She said she looks for partners who have a good sense of business and a good reputation in the community -- because that's what they want, too, as one of only a few remaining farms in New Hanover County.
Rhodes said that even with challenges, these types of collaborations can be a way to work against some of those forces negatively impacting the food business. He said he would also encourage more chefs in the Wilmington area to start offering similar experiences, not just as a way to build their own business but also to help younger entrepreneurs.
For business owners navigating a tough economy, these partnerships are more than a marketing strategy, they are a way to grow the local food scene.
"You don't have to do it alone," Graham Trask said. "You don't have to be on your own island,
Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: How Wilmington-area restaurants are building a collaboration economy
