Hy-Vee awards $50K in grants to local minority, women-owned businesses
Hy-Vee awarded $50,000 to minority- and women-owned businesses during the Hy-Vee OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit.
During the pitch competition component of the event, 15 companies from across the Midwest presented to a panel of judges and more than 150 event attendees. The competition included celebrity judge Paul Wahlberg, executive chef and co-owner of Wahlburgers and Almo Nove. Additional judges included Brienne Maner, president for Startup Sioux Falls, Ricky Espino, vice president for Inca Salsa and Shelby Stritzke, vice president, fashion, beauty, innovation for Hy-Vee.
Company leaders were given the opportunity to demonstrate their product or explain their service for the chance to win a small-business grant from Hy-Vee.
Hy-Vee recognized the following during an awards presentation that followed the pitch competition:
Grand Prize Winner: $30,000: Soul Grain, Liza Jackson and Sylvia Williams, Saint Paul, Minn.
About: Soul Grain Granola is made in small batches to ensure freshness and a light crunch. Flavors include Sweet Potato Casserole, Banana Pudding, Coco Mango, Spiced Paradise and Neutral Nelly. All are gluten-free, contain only natural ingredients and no canola oil.
Category: Food & Beverage
1st place - $5,000: Salas Salsas, Marcela Salas, Sioux Falls, S.D.
About: As first-generation immigrant women, Salas Salsas journey has been fueled by resilience, passion and a commitment to sharing its heritage through food. Salsas include Salsa Roja, Salsa Verde, Jalapeño Lime, Sala’s Queso and Salsa Macha. Each ,one is designed to bring a burst of flavor to any dish.
Category: Innovation & Technology
1st place - $5,000: Sensiil Studios, Aniekanabasi White, Des Moines, Iowa
About: As Iowa and Nebraska's first black comic book publisher, Sensiil Studios aspires to bring representation to the science fiction and fantasy genres. Sensiil Studios is a space where Pan-African people can see themselves and see that they have a future by producing stories with black lead characters.
[Read more: Hy-Vee sets date for next Local Brands Summit]
Category: Health, Wellness & Beauty
1st place - $5,000: Healthy Hip Hop, Roy Scott, Kansas City, Mo.
About: Healthy Hip Hop is the "Urban Disney," blending the essence of hip-hop culture with cutting-edge technology and educational values to enhance student learning environments and establish a safe online experience for children. Through the company's dual-sided streaming platform, it seamlessly integrates culture into classrooms while empowering kids to safely create, publish and share video content.
LAMIK (Chicago, Ill.) and Jefferson Beer Supply (Jefferson, S.D.) also were presented with smaller cash prizes for their business ventures.
In addition to the above winners, the following also participated in the pitch competition:
- Boxes, Minneapolis, Minn.
- eqUTI, Aberdeen, S.D.
- Every Body Eat, Evanston, Ill.
- IFRI, Minneapolis, Minn.
- MY AED & CPR SOLUTIONS, Woodbury, Minn.
- sisu, Lee’s Summit, Mo.
- Teresa Wrich Consulting, Hartford, S.D.
- TrueToForm, Rochester, Minn.
- Yes! Athletics, Topeka, Kan.
The event featured an expo that offered resources for small businesses, as well as learning opportunities through breakout sessions, one-on-one mentoring with Hy-Vee store leaders, the chance to learn about local brands and more.
[Read more: Hy-Vee opening infusion clinic in Chicago]
The Hy-Vee OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit is one of several initiatives led by the realtor to help support minority-and women-owned businesses in the communities it serves. Hy-Vee said it remains committed to inclusivity by expanding product and service offerings that appeal to diverse lifestyles and backgrounds.