Top 10 Semi-Finalists Named in 2016 Food Innovation Challenge
June 14 2016 - 1:30PM
Business Wire
The Food Innovation Challenge today announced the ten
semi-finalists for the 2016 competition at a welcome reception at
Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. The semi-finalists were
also matched up with food industry mentors to help guide them
through the remainder of the competition.
“The selection pool of applicants we received for the
first-annual Food Innovation Challenge was very impressive,” said
Mark Matlock, senior vice president of food research at Archer
Daniels Midland Company (ADM), who is serving as one of the
mentors. “Our goal now is to help each contestant think critically
about all aspects of their food innovation – from the product
formulation, to the ingredients they have chosen, to their target
customer market and their entire business plan. We want to help
these entrepreneurs develop their ideas as much as possible in the
coming weeks to see which products have true potential in the
marketplace.”
The semi-finalists are:
- Fiery Alyce, Chicago
- Healthy Link Imports, St.
Louis
- Indian As Apple Pie,
Chicago
- Kathy’s Kitchen, Virginia,
Ill.
- Soozie's Doozies, LLC, Union,
Mo.
- Stuart Family Organics, Custer,
Mich.
- Sweet Freedom Gluten Free
Bakery, New Hampton, Iowa
- Think.Eat.Live.Foods, LLC,
Wildwood, Mo.
- The Wiser Divider™,
Marshalltown, Iowa
- Yumbitz LLC, Clinton Township,
Mich.
The finalists have eight weeks to further refine their products
and business plans with the help of mentors from contest sponsors
ADM and NFS as well as other industry groups and organizations. The
finalists will reconvene in Decatur on August 9 where they will
present their food concept and business plan to a panel of judges.
The winners will be announced on August 11.
“We’re excited for the opportunity to work with these fresh
faces in the industry,” said Jim Milano, Managing Partner, NFS.
“Our job is to make sure entrepreneurs have the resources they need
to be successful. If they have a good product, we are here to guide
them and help them take the leap into the marketplace.”
The First Place Grand Prize Winner of the 2016 Food Innovation
Challenge will receive $50,000 in seed funding from ADM and $50,000
in services from NFS to help get their food idea off the ground.
Additional prizes and services may be provided by other contest
sponsors including Aripack, County Market, Dale’s Southlake
Pharmacy, Jones & Thomas, Merieux NutriSciences, Millikin
University, PTL and Richland Community College. A full list of
contest sponsors is available at www.foodinnovationchallenge.com in
addition to more information about the finalists and their food
innovations. The Food Innovation Challenge is also on Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Pinterest.
About The Food Innovation Challenge:
The Food Innovation Challenge is a start-up competition for
aspiring Midwest cash entrepreneurs to showcase their new or early
stage food business and product ideas. The First Place Grand Prize
Winner will receive $50,000 from Archer Daniels Midland Company
(ADM) and $50,000 in services from National Foodworks Services
(NFS) to help get their food idea off the ground. For more
information and a full list of contest sponsors and partners, visit
www.foodinnovationchallenge.com.
About ADM:
For more than a century, the people of Archer Daniels Midland
Company (NYSE: ADM) have transformed crops into products that serve
the vital needs of a growing world. Today, we’re one of the world’s
largest agricultural processors and food ingredient providers, with
more than 32,300 employees serving customers in more than 160
countries. With a global value chain that includes 428 crop
procurement locations, 280 ingredient manufacturing facilities, 39
innovation centers and the world’s premier crop transportation
network, we connect the harvest to the home, making products for
food, animal feed, industrial and energy uses. Learn more at
www.adm.com.
About National Foodworks Services:
National Foodworks Services is an incubator commercial kitchen
project company. Resting in Illinois’ billion dollar gateway,
National Foodworks Services offers a full range of FDA approved
commercial food processing including baking, bottling, freezing and
packaging of consumer ready food products. National Foodworks
Services will further expand opportunities for small or new food
concepts looking to bring products to the consumer arena. For more,
visit www.nationalfoodworks.com.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160614006249/en/
The Food Innovation ChallengeMedia Contact:Jackie
AndersonPhone Number: 217-424-5413media@foodinnovationchallenge.com
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