Hy-Vee Inc. will host an Opportunity Supplier Impact Summit Sept. 18-19 at its corporate headquarters in West Des Moines, Iowa, expanding the event’s format to provide more small businesses and entrepreneurs with resources and an opportunity to pitch their products to the grocer’s category managers.
The competition is open to all small businesses across the country that are in the early stages of building their operations. They must offer retail products in one of the following categories: grocery, beauty, dairy, deli, frozen, general merchandise, health and wellness and produce. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. PDT on July 14.
Over the course of the two-day event, the summit will offer insights about doing business with Hy-Vee, along with industry-specific educational sessions and opportunities for networking with key leaders across various sectors, including procurement and retail store management.
“At Hy-Vee, our focus is on supporting the communities that support our stores, which means elevating the businesses and entrepreneurs who call those communities home,” said Tina Potthoff, SVP of communications.
“We are elevating our commitment to entrepreneurs by offering capital, coaching and connections so these brands can grow and succeed.”
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Attendees will gain insight into Hy-Vee’s supplier operations and receive strategic guidance for growth, as well as access tools for successful scaling that may include short-term cash infusions and long-term revenue through on-the-spot contract purchases.
From all applications, three businesses will be chosen to participate in the live pitch competition, which includes a $30,000 prize pool.
Businesses selected for the summit will meet one-on-one with retail and supply chain leaders to pitch their products and explore opportunities for potential partnerships with on-the-spot item approval and increased visibility within the Hy-Vee market.
Select suppliers will be able to participate in a supplier expo demonstrating products with key Hy-Vee decision-makers. A resource roundtable also will be made available to all attendees that includes discussions with Hy-Vee leaders on topics from distribution and food safety to finance, merchandising and marketing.
To see a selection of products from past summit attendees that are now on Hy-Vee shelves, visit https://www.hy-vee.com/discover/spotlights/support-local-at-hy-vee.