When
The pitch event is open to the public, selected participants and community are able to attend. Please contact smallbusinessinfo@battlecreekmi.gov with any questions.
Food Prize, hosted by the Sprout BC, Battle Creek Food Reimagined, Kellogg Arena, City of Battle Creek Small Business Development Office and other regional partner groups*, are seeking food and beverage businesses looking for support to start or scale operations.
Businesses interested in participating should complete an application between April 1 - August 1, 2024. Please note that applicants will be required to submit a video as a part of the application process. Applicants are encouraged to use the Vimeo platform (or another similar platform) to record videos, and then provide the video link in the application.
Videos should include:
1) Name(s) of applicants
2) Name of business
3) Business Elevator Pitch (including showing products if available)
4) What prize money would be used for
We’re looking for a 3-5 minute video that captures the essence of your food/beverage venture. Introduce yourself and your team, highlight the name of your business, and deliver an elevator pitch that showcases the details of your concept. Don’t forget to share with us how you would utilize the prize money to elevate your culinary vision. Stuck trying to come up with a concept for your video? Google some pitch competition examples as inspiration.
Successful applicants will be selected to complete in two tracks: Food & Beverage Business/Food Service, and Food Manufacturing/Production (Packaged Foods and Food Technology included). Six awards will be presented, three in each category.
Selected finalists will be invited to a pitch competition in Battle Creek on Saturday, October 5th, with awardees receiving 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place awards worth $10,000, $7,000 and $3,000, respectively. Prizes will be cash and may also include technical services. These services may include but are not limited to:
- Consulting Services and Strategic Planning
- Marketing & Branding
- Production/Processing Space
- Technical Assistance
- Buyer Connections
Selected participants will not receive all support services listed above; finalized packages will be customized to meet awardees' unique needs. Support Service Package costs will be covered up front by hosting partners; awardees will not be provided cash to use for those services
Eligibility
Participating businesses must meet the following criteria:
- Be located in Allegan, Barry, Eaton, Jackson, Hillsdale, Calhoun, Branch, St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, Van Buren, Cass or Berrien counties.
- Have under $750,000 in annual revenue
- Have 10 employees or less (part-time employees can be measured as full-time equivalents)
- Operate a food business under the Michigan Cottage Food Law or Michigan Food Law (if the business is already operating)
Businesses who applied and/or participated in the 2023 Food Prize event are still welcome to apply for the 2024 event.
Timeline
- April 1 - August 1, 2024: Small Business Application open
- Week of September 1, 2024: Finalists announced with an invitation to participate in the pitch competition
- October 5th, 2024, 3:00pm-6:00pm: IN-PERSON Pitch Competition; awardees announced at event culmination
Rules
Please refer to the Process & Selection Terms & Conditions, or request a copy of this document by emailing smallbusinessinfo@battlecreekmi.gov.
*Regional partner group includes: Pure Michigan Business Connect at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Battle Creek Community Foundation, Battle Creek Unlimited, Binda Foundation
SUBMIT A SMALL BUSINESS APPLICATION HERE
Contact smallbusinessinfo@battlecreekmi.gov with any questions.
For additional Food Prize BC information, visit https://foodprizebc.com/