“Food businesses compete at Boot Camp Pitch Competition,” Fox 17 West Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.  —  Six local food businesses competed Friday in downtown Grand Rapids for $10,000 in prize money from the Michigan Good Food Fund.

The event was the Grand Rapids Business Boot Camp Pitch Competition, held at the Grand Rapids Downtown Market banquet hall, 435 Ionia Avenue SW. Organizers say it’s designed to “fuel the success of food entrepreneuers who are increasing healthy food access and growing local economies.”

An event spokesman,Joe DiBenedetto, tells FOX 17 that the Malamiah Juice Bar was the overall winner of the $7,500 Judges’ Choice Award. And the Audience Choice Award for $2,500 went to Royal Jelly Foods.

According to a news release, the competing food companies pitched their businesses to a live audience and a panel of judges, including Dr. Joyce Suber of Michigan Women Forward, Dante Villarreal of Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Eric Foster of Rende Progress Capital, and Mark Watson of Boston Impact Initiative.

First posted on Fox 17 West Michigan 14 September, 2018.