Local food vendors showcased their creations in a competition to win multiple prizes at the A.E. England building Friday night.
The showcase gave business owners a chance to give attendees a taste of their recipes and to celebrate the progress of each business, specifically their sustainability practices.
It was organized by the Prepped program, an ASU-led initiative designed to train and guide early-stage small businesses owned by women or minorities.
A panel of judges awarded Sana Sana, a food truck and catering service that cooks up vegan Native American cuisine, a grand prize of $5,000 and Churro GoNUTZ, a veteran-owned business that sells fresh churro donuts, took home $2,000 for winning the People’s Choice Award.
“The best thing about the program is that we get to network with vendors and help each other,” said Christina Zelaya, owner of Churro GoNUTZ.
The network is a web of food producers and businesses in the Phoenix area or those that have participated in the Prepped program since its first year in 2016. The program is designed for businesses that are already in revenue and want to gain tools to expand their reach and maximize their potential.
“The program made me very aware of my use of resources and how much waste I create,” said Ellen Mari, owner of Ohemaa Afro Fusion Cuisine. “Not just when it comes to my business, but also my personal life.”
This year’s cohort strongly represented the vegan community – majority of the businesses offered vegan options and two were completely vegan.
Jozh D. Watson, owner of the vegan bakery Indulge Irresponsibly, said he immediately began selling more of his product and receiving more attention on his social media after joining the program.
Watson found the most value, however, in the strong network and the mentorship program.
“My mentor Stephanie Vasquez, owner of Fair Trade Cafe, is all about helping the community and actually gave me my first break selling my product,” Watson said.
The Prepped program is headed by ASU’s Entrepreneurship + Innovation organization and the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation. This was the first year that ASU’s School of Sustainability participated in the program, and the new partnership has already paid off – most vendors used compostable plates and utensils to serve their food at Friday’s event.
Ji Mi Choi, associate Vice President of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and co-leader of Prepped, said it feels good that the program is now a part of ASU’s huge efforts in sustainability.
“Sustainability is another way we show our values, and that we care for each other and the planet,” Choi said.
In addition to one-on-one mentoring and a network consisting of food entrepreneurs, participants also receive financial support for various licenses and certifications as well as weekly lessons taught by ASU faculty and experts in the food industry.
The program runs twice a year, once in the fall and the spring.
Contact the reporter at jklein11@asu.edu.
