Dallas Startup Week, September 10-14 in Frisco, is a FREE event that brings together entrepreneurs and change-makers for a week-long experience, described as the largest entrepreneurial event in North Texas, to exchange ideas, collaborate, and grow alongside the 10th largest startup ecosystem in the US. Register here and see speaker pages and event calendars for this week of exciting events!
Our friends at Kaurina’s Kulfi are in the news! They were featured on the fun “Where’s Brittany” segment on our local CBS 11 station. Watch the full feature here. Kulfi is an Indian frozen dessert with a rich history. Many of us had a chance to taste these delicious treats at the recent GoTexan Expo. If you haven’t tried them yet, you can find them at most local Costco stores!
Congratulations to DFW CPG member Lynn W. Scarborough, Founder and CEO of Cheeza Pleeza, for being selected for two upcoming accelerator tracks (DEC Network and the Santander Food and Beverage Accelerator), as well as for winning 4 Texas State Fair ribbons (and counting!). Excellent news, and no surprise that these delicious dips are winning awards!
Interested in the Hispanic market? Be sure to attend Cocina Sabrosa Expo, the only national trade show for the Hispanic grocery and restaurant industry, Sept 27-28 at the Irving Convention Center. DFW CPG members get in free! Click here to register. Booth space is also still available. Find out more here. Thanks to Lynn Wilford of Cheeza Pleeza for working out the details!
Looking for Brand Exposure?
We’re on the look-out for a few highly-motivated Brand Founder/CEOs who are in need of free publicity. Are you interested in sharing your company’s journey? How you got to where you are and where you’re headed? If so, answer these 5 EASY QUESTIONS and spend a few moments talking to our very own in-house PR Guru Charles Nicolas and he’ll work his magic to create a high-impact Brand Profile of your dynamically-growing company.
The Naturally Network is accepting applications for 16 Fellow spots in its second national cohort of the M/O (Minority-Owned) Fellowship. Businesses must be 51% minority owned, have revenue of at least $10,000 in the previous 12 months, and be less than five years old. The 12 week program includes networking and educational opportunities as well as a presence at Expo West.
KeHE Distributors LLC, a North American distributor of fresh, natural and organic, and specialty products, has become the new primary distributor for Affiliated Foods Inc. (AFI). Through the partnership, AFI will have access to KeHE’s national distribution network and high-level technology. Read more here.
DFW CPG hosted another fantastic event on September 6th at Four Corners Brewing Co – with the founders of The Guilty Grape, Nichelle Nichols and Nicole Nichols, and Plantswitch President & COO, Michael J. O’Keefe, as well as Moderator, Kat Weaver. Shout out and thanks to our Events committee chairs, Derek Ramos and Kat Weaver, and volunteers who made it all possible! The brand founders and community supporters in attendance received a host of tips and watch-outs when considering, preparing for and applying for grants and other alternative sources of funding. We all learned so much and can’t wait to welcome you all back for another event in the future. Shown left to right: Kat Weaver, Michael J. O’Keefe, Nichelle and Nicole Nichols, DFW CPG Executive Chair, Jenica Oliver, and DFW CPG Co-Founder, Richard Riccardi. A drawing was held for a JBL speaker, donated by Kane Russell Coleman Logan PC.
Our deepest appreciation also to Caroline Reeve, Owner and Creative Design Lead, and Genevieve Nguyen, Brand Strategist and Copywriter, with Altura Design for last week’s informative Huddle as they shared their unique perspective on how to ensure a brand’s strategy, packaging and assets are purposeful and hard working from store to pantry shelf. If you missed it, please download their toolkit video that Caroline and Genevieve have generously shared with us. They also wanted to reiterate their offer to chat and help identify areas of opportunity or brand growth for any DFW CPG brand!
Expo East is Nigh!As one of the top CPG trade shows in the country, Natural Products Expo Eastgathers brands, retailers and industry members to reconnect and discover what’s next in natural & organic products. The show will be in Philadelphia September 20-23. Register now. Can’t make it in person? Most activities are also available online.
Congratulations to the 8 brands selected for SKU’s Fall Track. Included are BIPOC brands Blossom Essentials, Neeshi, Phreshly, and the The Humble Seed, and PETCARE brands Dream Pet Food, 5 Element Food Therapy, Pet Lab and Pupsentials. Read more here.
Boss Vision ConferenceCalling all driven, purposeful women in business who yearn to make a meaningful impact while building a thriving living – Boss Vision Conference is your gateway to unleashing your potential, transforming lives, and achieving what you define as success. Register here. For all sponsor/vendor inquiries go to @Wendy Rodriguez or apply here !
Land Grant Available
Thinking of buying some commercial real estate? You may qualify for a Down Payment Grant for up to $25,000 from Bank of America. Dedicated to women and minority-owned businesses, this non-repayable grant is in cooperation with the SBA, Small Business Administration, for owner-occupied commercial real estate loans for business locations within select areas including Dallas. Click here to learn more. Thanks to Derin Raji of Green Sahara Chips for sharing this opportunity.
Thinking of buying some commercial real estate? You may qualify for a Down Payment Grant for up to $25,000 from Bank of America. Dedicated to women and minority-owned businesses, this non-repayable grant is in cooperation with the SBA, Small Business Administration, for owner-occupied commercial real estate loans for business locations within select areas including Dallas. Click here to learn more. Thanks to Derin Raji of Green Sahara Chips for sharing this opportunity.
NYC Pitch & Learning Event
The Consensus Great Brands Show will be held Sept 13 in New York City. This program has become a preeminent gathering for high-impact, high-potential consumer brands, the financial institutions that fuel their growth, and the industry leaders who accelerate it all. Register here.
If you are a founder or brand interested in presenting, please contact Michael O’Hara at mohara@consensusadvisors.com.
Grants for Women
Amber Grants began in 1998 to honor the memory of a young entrepreneurial woman, Amber Wigdahl, who died in 1981 at the age of 19. The purpose of the Amber Grant is to help other women achieve the dreams that Amber could not in her short time with us. The group has compiled a list of 16 grants that are available, mostly for women-owned businesses. Click here to learn more.
Amber Grants began in 1998 to honor the memory of a young entrepreneurial woman, Amber Wigdahl, who died in 1981 at the age of 19. The purpose of the Amber Grant is to help other women achieve the dreams that Amber could not in her short time with us. The group has compiled a list of 16 grants that are available, mostly for women-owned businesses. Click here to learn more.
Get Fundid
Connecting Small Business Owners to Funding & Growth Resources. Click here for more information.