Hy-Vee has awarded $50,000 to minority and women-owned businesses based in the Midwest during a recent business summit at the Scott Conference Center, located on the Scott Campus of the University of Nebraska at Omaha in Omaha.
During the event's pitch competition, 15 companies from across the Midwest pitched to a panel of judges and more than 200 event attendees. Each company leader was able to demonstrate their product or explain their service for a chance to win a small business grant from Hy-Vee. A Hy-Vee committee selected the participating companies from more than 100 applications.
Hy-Vee recognized the following during an awards ceremony following the pitch competition:
Grand Prize Winner – $30,000: Humbl Roots, Jacquelyn Burkland, Omaha, Neb.
About: Humble Roots is a food manufacturing company focused on accommodating dietary restrictions.
1st Place – $5,000: A+ Berry, Dr. Xiaoqing Xie, Lincoln, Neb.
About: A+ Berry is a Big 10 food technology company based at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln that creates antioxidant health drinks. Their first product is AroJuice, a cold pasteurized and delicious juice made from a super fruit, the Aronia berry, grown in the Midwest.
Category: Food & Drinks
1st Place – $5,000: RESPI, Jessica Queen, Omaha, Neb.
About: RESPI develops a medical device to save lives during military operations, mass casualties and overcrowded emergency rooms. StatPatch is uniquely designed for tracking large groups of people simultaneously.
Category: Innovation & Technology
1st Place – $5,000: Mama's Garden Apothecary, Newhall, Iowa
About: At its simplest, Mama's Garden Apothecary is comfort. Whether it's a small batch of handcrafted skincare, aromatherapy, loose leaf tea, soups, spices or herbs, Mama's Garden specializes in bringing peace and comfort to people's everyday lives.
Category: Health, Wellness & Beauty
Planting People Growing Justice, LLC (St. Paul, Minn.) and Angel Buck Corporation (Bunker Hill, Ill.) also received smaller cash prizes for their business activities.
In addition to the above winners, the following also participated in the field 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 small business resources, learning opportunities through presentations and panel discussions, the chance to learn about local brands and other opportunities.
