Help a Local Food and Drink Business Win $10,000
Hope & Main is hosting the Sam Adams Brewing the American Dream small business pitch competition at the Twilight Party.
Hope & Main is hosting the Sam Adams Brewing the American Dream business pitch competition, during which one food or drink business has the chance to win $10,000. The original field of ten contestants was narrowed down to six, chosen by public votes, and they all presented their business pitches to judges at the Schoolyard Market on Wed., Sept. 13 at Hope & Main in Warren. The two winners, Ramon Hinds from Orisirisi Spice of Life and Amber Jackson from Black Leaf, will go on to compete for the $10,000 cash prize at the Hope & Main Twilight Party on Sat., Sept. 23, where party-goers will cast a vote for their favorite business.
The Sam Adams “Brewing the American Dream” pitch competition supports entrepreneurs across the U.S. with access to capital, networks and business coaching. “It is a little bit like ‘Shark Tank’ meets ‘Chopped’ in Rhode Island. It is such a great opportunity for exposure for our food-preneurs,” says Hope & Main founder Lisa Raiola. “The event brings high visibility to Rhode Island’s vibrant, growing and diverse food economy powered by small businesses.”
The six food and drink businesses that made it to the semifinals also included Savannah Campbell from Caribe & Co.; Guetty Antiste of Empanada Assassin; Pin Minyvong from Pin’s Kitchen; and Mariana Silva-Buck from Little Maven Lemonade. They all gave outstanding presentations, and each food and drink product is so unique. As editor-in-chief of Rhode Island Monthly, I was honored to serve as a judge with chef Sanjiv Dhar and brewer Jennifer Glanville from Sam Adams Brewery. Glanville is the head brewer for Sam Adams Brewery in Boston where she has worked for twenty-two years breaking barriers for women in a male-dominated industry, and Dhar owns four Indian restaurants, including Kabob & Curry, Rasoi, Chaska and Rasa, as well as Indian Accent Catering.
The judges had a really hard decision to make on which two businesses would make it to the next round, but we chose Orisirisi and Black Leaf based on their sales pitches and plan for using the $10,000 prize.
Stay tuned for Sat. Sept. 23 from 5-9 p.m. at the Hope & Main Twilight Party, where the two finalists will compete to earn the public’s vote. Party-goers can graze under the stars sampling hand-crafted small bites and beverages from more than thirty Hope & Main food businesses. Level up your local food game when you savor the merroir of Rhody oysters at the epic raw bar or sip a sumptuous summer libation from RI Cruisin’ Cocktails. Guests will also enjoy live music, family-friendly games and activities, plus a lineup of coveted raffle prizes from our loyal maker community. Proceeds benefit Hope & Main’s innovative incubation program that assists food-preneurs of all means to launch, pivot and thrive. Adult tickets are $60 each and kids between ages four and twelve are $15.
