Hy-Vee is opening its doors to small businesses and entrepreneurs this September, with applications now being accepted for the grocer’s Opportunity Supplier Impact Summit.
The two-day event is scheduled for Sept. 9-10 at the Ron Pearson Center at Hy-Vee’s corporate headquarters in West Des Moines. Eighty small businesses will be selected from all applicants to attend in person.
The summit gives small businesses a chance to pitch products directly to Hy-Vee category managers, with the possibility of on-the-spot contract purchases and item approvals. Attendees will also have access to educational sessions, networking with Hy-Vee leaders in procurement and retail store management, and a resource roundtable covering topics from distribution and food safety to finance, merchandising and marketing.
To be eligible, businesses must offer retail products in one of the following categories: grocery, produce, deli, general merchandise, frozen, dairy, beauty, or health and wellness. Applications are available at rangeme.com/opportunitysupplierimpact and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PDT on July 13.
A live pitch competition on the first day of the summit is open to early-stage businesses from across the country. Three businesses will be selected to compete for a share of a $30,000 prize pool.
Select suppliers will also be invited to participate in an expo where they can demo products for key Hy-Vee decision-makers.
