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OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit: Hy-Vee Presents Small Business Grants at Pitch Competition

By: MBJ Staff
“Boosting Your Business Marketing” panel with Monique Farmer, Josefina Loza, Armando Salgado and Stephanie Clark.
“Boosting Your Business Marketing” panel with Monique Farmer, Josefina Loza, Armando Salgado and Stephanie Clark.

Photography by Roger Humphries

On January 31, Hy-Vee held its OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit at the Scott Conference Center as a means to provide more inclusivity among small businesses.

A total of $50,000 was awarded to minority- and women-owned businesses following a pitch competition. The company reported there were more than 100 applicants, with a panel selecting finalists to present. Fifteen Midwest companies presented to a panel of judges for an opportunity to receive a small business grant from Hy-Vee.

More than 200 attended the Hy-Vee OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit.
More than 200 attended the Hy-Vee OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit.

The top winners were:

Grand Prize, $30,000 – Humbl Roots, Jacquelyn Burkland of Omaha, Nebraska.

1st place, Food & Beverage Category, $5,000 – A+ Berry, Dr. Xiaoqing Xi of Lincoln, Nebraska.

1st place, Innovation & Technology Category, $5,000 – RESPI, Jessica Queen, from Omaha Nebraska.

1st place, Health, Wellness & Beauty Category, $5,000 – Mama’s Garden Apothecary, from Newhall, Iowa.

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Judges Award, $2,500 – Planting People Growing Justice, LLC of St. Paul, Minnesota and Angel Buck Corporation of Bunker Hill, Illinois.

Grant winners Jacquelyn Burklund of Humbl Roots, April Robbins of Angel Buck Corp., Jessica Queen of RESPI, Dr. Xiaoqing Xie of A+ Berry, LLC, Dr. Artika Tyner of Planting People Growing Justice and Carmen Brock of Mama’s Garden Apothecary.
Grant winners Jacquelyn Burklund of Humbl Roots, April Robbins of Angel Buck Corp., Jessica Queen of RESPI, Dr. Xiaoqing Xie of A+ Berry, LLC, Dr. Artika Tyner of Planting People Growing Justice and Carmen Brock of Mama’s Garden Apothecary.

Additional participants in the competition were:

  • Cup of Coa, Kearney, Nebraska
  • Harken Sweets, Chicago, Illinois
  • Sunday Night Foods, Des Moines, Iowa
  • Anchovy, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • AskSAMIE, Kansas City, Missouri
  • RC Party Accents, LLC, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Evodia Fragrances, Omaha, Nebraska
  • Jadomté Mobile Nail Bar, Omaha, Nebraska
  • Superfood Body Shop, Omaha, Nebraska

Profiles on the pitch competition winners will be featured in future issues of the Midlands Business Journal.