Hy-Vee Awards $50K To Support Women-, Minority-Owned Businesses
Continuing its effort to support minority- and women-owned businesses, Hy-Vee has awarded a total $50,000 to six up-and-coming product suppliers as part of its 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 200 event attendees. Each company leader demonstrated their product or explained their service for the chance to win a small-business grant from Hy-Vee.
The winners are as follows:
Grand Prize Winner - $30,000: Humbl Roots, Jacquelyn Burkland, Omaha, Neb.
Humbl Roots is a food manufacturing company whose mission is to bring people to the table and have them leave feeling good. Without compromising quality and taste, we reinvent familiar foods in order to accommodate dietary restrictions.
Category: Food & Beverage
- 1st place - $5,000: A+ Berry, Dr. Xiaoquing Xie, Lincoln, Neb. A+ Berry is a Big 10 food tech company based at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln that is creating innovative & delicious antioxidant drinks for health. Their first product is AroJuice, a cold-pasteurized and delicious juice made from a super fruit, the Aronia berry, which is grown in the Midwest and provides the highest antioxidant protection.
Category: Innovation & Technology
- 1st place - $5,000: RESPI, Jessica Queen, Omaha, Neb. RESPI is developing a medical device to save lives during military operations, mass casualty events, and overcrowded Emergency rooms. Our StatPatch® is uniquely designed for monitoring large groups of people simultaneously.
Category: Health, Wellness & Beauty
- 1st place - $5,000: Mama’s Garden Apothecary, Newhall, Iowa In its most simple form, Mama’s Garden Apothecary is comfort. Whether it is the small batch handmade skin care, aromatherapy, loose leaf teas, soups, spices or herbal remedies, Mama’s Garden specializes in bringing peace and comfort to peoples’ everyday lives.
Planting People Growing Justice, LLC (St. Paul, Minn.) and Angel Buck Corporation (Bunker Hill, Ill.) were also presented with smaller cash prizes for their business ventures.
In addition to the above winners, the following also participated in the pitch competition:
- Cup of Coa, Kearney, Neb.
- Harken Sweets, Chicagoland, Ill.
- Sunday Night Foods, Des Moines, Iowa
- Anchovy, Lincoln, Neb.
- AskSAMIE, Kansas City, Mo.
- RC Party Accents, LLC, Lincoln, Neb.
- Evodia Fragrances, Omaha, Neb.
- Jadomté Mobile Nail Bar, Omaha, Neb.
- Superfood Body Shop, Omaha, Neb.
The event also featured an expo that offered resources for small businesses, learning opportunities through presentations and panel discussions, the chance to learn about local brands and more.
The Hy-Vee OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit is one of several initiatives led by the company that helps support minority- and women-owned businesses in the communities it serves.
