Help to the Shelf

Richmond’s food and beverage scene is alive and well in the River City.  In 2019 three local organizations partnered to bring an exciting pitch competition to RVA aimed at helping businesses launch a product and gain recognition with a larger audience.   Our goal was to bring excitement and awareness to the many amazing food and beverage products produced locally.  Please read on to meet the winners and learn more about the event!  We hope to hold this contest every 2 years, so stay tuned.

**First Place Winner** – Sequoia Ross with Favour Cookie Co.

Favour Cookie Company creates craft vegan cookie dough that can satisfy any cookie monster. Cookie doughs are made using organic when possible ingredients, pure cane sugar, rich molasses, Sauer’s spices, King Arthur flour, organic palm shortening, dark chocolate chunks and Sauer’s pure vanilla extract. Dough is sold frozen in 1 oz portions, 16 oz bags! Chocolate Chunk is our traditional chocolate chip cookie and Ginger Peppers are a delicious balance of heat and sweet. “From freezer to oven, warm gooey cookie lovin’…who can resist a warm, fresh baked cookie?!

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*Second Place Winner* – Keith Gurgick with Chaotic Good Tempeh

Tempeh is a fermented bean product traditionally produced in Indonesia. A bean substrate is mixed with herbs, spices, vinegar, and rhizopourous oligosporous spores; it is then fermented from 24-72 hours at a temperature of 88 degrees. As it ferments, the mushroom culture grows in between and around the beans forming it into a solid cake that can be used on sandwiches, in stir-fry, chillis, soups, pasta sauces and just about anything you want a solid protein.

Sponsored by:

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Details:

• Round One
  • 15 local products will be chosen to sample at Real Local RVA’s October meeting on Monday, October 7th from 10:30-12 p.m. at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
  • Producers will “table” at the event in a farmer’s market style sampling opportunity to guests of the meeting and event judges
  • Competition will be narrowed down to 5 finalists that same day
• Round Two
  • Five finalists will “Pitch” to the judges at a second event on Tuesday, October 15th at 6:00 p.m.
  • Pitches will last no longer than 5 minutes each
  • Winners will be announced that evening

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Product MUST be:

• Less than 2 years old on date of application submission (from date on businesses license)
• Produced within 100 miles of the University of Richmond
• Certified legal by VDACS by September 27, 2019
• Able to attend BOTH events associated with the competition

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Prizes:

• 1st place:
  • $1000 from Virginia Foodshed Capital (formerly Slow Money CVA)
  • 1 Booth at the March 2020 Virginia Food & Beverage Expo ($300 value)
  • 1 Month FREE membership to Hatch Kitchen (With a 6 mo. commitment – $750 value)
  • 1 Strategy Session with the Apple Cart ($425 value)
  • 1 Year Membership Real Local RVA ($180 value)
  • 1 Branding package with Creative Marketing Group ($2000 value)
  • 1 Half Day photo shoot (4 hours) with Levesque Photography ($650 value)
  • An opportunity to consult with University of Richmond Dining Services on larger scale wholesale processes

• 2nd place:
  • $250 from VDACS
  • 1 Booth at the March 2020 Virginia Food & Beverage Expo ($300 value)
  • 1 month satellite membership to Hatch Kitchen ($200 Value)
  • 1 Strategy Session with the Apple Cart ($425 value)
  • 1 Year Membership Real Local RVA ($180 value)

Thank you for your interest – the application window has closed.  Please email [email protected] with any questions!

**All applications due by September 11, 2019.**