The Social Enterprise Greenhouse has announced the 16 members of its newest Food Accelerator cohort.
The 12-week program began on Jan. 10 and is considered the signature venture development program. It boasts a blended learning model and an industry-customized curriculum for participants, with access to resources, networks, coaching and other tools for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. The program concludes with a pitch event on April 4, and graduated participants will be granted "priority access to later stage business services as well as the SEG Loan Fund that provides below market interest rate loans to high potential social enterprises," a release on the move states.
It adds that the goal of the Food Accelerator is to "help create more successful, sustainable ‘do well do good’ food businesses in Rhode Island, leading to a more just and resilient local food system." The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training's Real Jobs RI initiative, the Blount Fine Foods Fund and The MAV Foundation all helped financially support the program.
"We are thrilled to work closely with the 2019 Food Accelerator participants to ensure the success of their ventures," SEG CEO Kelly Ramirez told Rhode Island Inno. "This group covers a range of impact from sustainable agriculture, to workforce development and also food access. Each has the potential to create meaningful impact on our economy, local food systems and the wellbeing of our communities."
We list the cohort participants below, with startup descriptions provided by the SEG.
- Location: North Attleboro
- About: "... [A] restaurant that offers shawarma pita wraps, salads and rice bowls fresh-to-order and their mission is to create franchise opportunities for economically or socially disadvantaged individuals."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Pierre Ghazal
- Location: Providence
- About: "A private dessert studio ... with a mission to create a more eco-friendly food space. All our desserts are made with the highest quality vegan ingredients, while our sustainable business practices minimize our impact on the environment."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Becky Morris
- Location: Chepachet, Rhode Island
- About: "Deep Roots Farm is creating a healthier and more connected world through pasture-based farming, bringing the best tasting and most nutritious food possible to local communities."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Katie Steere
Dukho Farms, Ltd.
- Location: N/A
- About: "Dukho Farms, Ltd.is committed to producing affordable, high-quality and organic staple food crops, specifically to consumers at the economic ladder in Liberia."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Komlan Aloysh
EatWell Meal Kits‘
- Location: N/A
- About: "EatWell Meal Kits‘ mission is to make healthy eating more available to low-income, urban families. EatWell healthy meal kits are sold at rush hour pop-up kiosks in low-income Boston metro neighborhoods."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Molly Burke
- Location: N/A
- About: "Fit Bites Bakery offers an alternative to traditional high-fat, high-sugar and high-calorie desserts. Their desserts perfectly integrate good-for-you ingredients without affecting taste."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Elpida Filandrianos
- Location: N/A
- About: "foodSCAPE is on a mission to maximize the value of food in schools and minimize environmental degradation through education, food recovery and highest value diversion of food waste."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Diane Calvin
- Location: N/A
- About: "goTeff is the world’s first impact trade Teff company. For every bag of Teff you buy, we re-invest profits into Ethiopian farmers to scale up production capacity."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Saron Mechale
- Location: Providence
- About: "Incred-A-Bowl is a Providence-based food truck that offers delicious food with bowled flavors. Our mission is to provide delicious healthier food options in a QSR (quick service restaurant) style restaurant."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Russell Spellman
Latino Beer and Wine Festival
- Location: Providence
- About: "The Latino Beer and Wine Festival connects disjointed communities through the exchange of cultures over drinks."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Heidi Garcia
- Location: Providence
- About: "Mindful Maia’s Juice & Tea is a California influenced fresh juice shop on wheels that promotes better sleep, skin and appetite by adding fresh juices to one’s diet."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Karen Mejias
Moor Food
- Location: Seekonk, Massachusetts
- About: "Moor Food is a bio-intensive organic vegetable, herb and flower farm ... that provides high quality and culturally relevant healthy food to the Greater Providence and Rhode Island region, with a particular focus in reducing food insecurity for communities of color and immigrant communities."
- Participating Entrepreneur: David Kuma
- Location: Portsmouth, Rhode Island
- About: "Cloverbud Ranch raises top quality grass-fed beef on lush coastal pasture to the highest humane, environmental and culinary standards."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Pat “Martin” Beck
NovaPlate
- Location: N/A
- About: "NovaPlate provides the average working American living a fast-paced, technical lifestyle with delicious, healthy and creatively prepped food."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Welbi Genao
- Location: Charlestown, Rhode Island
- About: "Sweet Pea Farm’s mission is to cultivate sustainably-grown vegetables and cut flowers on three acres ... for the Rhode Island community, while providing a living wage for its employees."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Kathan Tepee
The Oyster Wench’s Block Island Shellfish Farm
- Location: Block Island
- About: "The Oyster Wench’s Block Island Shellfish Farm provides shellfish and seaweed through sustainable aquaculture on Block Island."
- Participating Entrepreneur: Catherine Puckett
