2 Upstate New York Bagel Makers Selected for National Program

Two Hudson Valley bagel makers are getting a big opportunity in New York City after being selected for a national program.

Two Hudson Valley Bagel Makers Were Selected For A National Business Incubator

It's part of a national business incubator designed to help the next generation of bagel entrepreneurs turn their concepts into real, lasting businesses.

Gross Bagels of Tivoli and Maxine's Bagels of Hudson have both been selected to participate in the 2026 BagelUp Growth Lab, taking place November 14th at Loft 39 in New York City, the day before New York BagelFest at Citi Field.

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The stories behind both of them are as good as the bagels themselves.

Their Stories Are Worth Knowing

The two businesses couldn't have more different origin stories.

Jake and Andy Gross started making bagels during the pandemic while living in Los Angeles, mostly as a way to connect with friends. They eventually went back to their regular careers.

Then 2025 happened. A wildfire destroyed their home and much of their Altadena community, and they made the decision to relocate to the Hudson Valley to be closer to family.

They came back to the bagels too, this time with a clearer sense of purpose and a growing focus on Jewish deli traditions. Gross Bagels is now a real business in Tivoli, and the Growth Lab is their next step.

"We can't wait to learn from everyone at BagelFest," the team shared.

Maxine's Bagels in Hudson is a different kind of story entirely. Chef Jeff Srole created Maxine's as a tribute to his mother and the Ashkenazi cooking traditions she passed down to him.

Before launching the business, Srole spent years working in New York City kitchens under chefs Lidia Bastianich and Tom Colicchio, experience that shaped everything about how he approaches ingredients and technique.

Today he's applying all of that to hand-rolled, boiled, and baked bagels served alongside seasonal vegetables, smoked fish, house-made jams, and cream cheeses.

"We at Maxine's are super grateful and excited for the opportunity to showcase our product at the Growth Lab," Srole said.

At the Growth Lab, both Hudson Valley makers will join emerging bagel entrepreneurs from across the country for a full day of business education, access-to-capital discussions, live pitches, and product sampling.

They'll also connect with experienced industry veterans and a year-round partner network covering everything from equipment and shop design to financing, packaging, and payment systems.

The program was built around a hard truth: roughly 40 to 50 percent of new food service businesses close within five years. The Growth Lab exists to improve those odds by connecting early-stage founders with people who have already been through it.

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Source: 2 Upstate New York Bagel Makers Selected for National Program

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