PepsiCo announced the launch of its Greenhouse Accelerator Program: Juntos Crecemos (Together We Grow) Edition. This year marks the eighth year of the Greenhouse Accelerator program and the first-ever Hispanic edition, which focuses on driving the growth of emerging Hispanic-owned food and beverage businesses through collaboration and innovation.
Emerging Hispanic-owned food and beverage businesses making or selling consumer goods or providing food and beverage services nationwide can apply to the Greenhouse Accelerator: Juntos Crecemos Edition program, stated Pepsico in a press release.
PepsiCo will select ten high-potential brands, products, and/or food service concepts from the pool of applicants to join the Greenhouse Accelerator program in June.
The ten innovators will receive $20,000 in grant funding and participate in a six-month business program to accelerate their growth through personalized mentorship. PepsiCo mentors will collaborate with the selected start-ups to solve a range of business challenges, including brand development, scaling technology, business model development, product optimization, and go-to-market strategy.
The companies will execute an initiative to demonstrate collaboration and tangible results. In August, they will share their initiative progress and present updates in a virtual event to the evaluation committee. In November, an expert selection committee will award the highest potential business an additional $100,000 to continue its expansion and an opportunity to continue working with PepsiCo and Juntos Crecemos to further their growth.
“In line with PepsiCo’s Racial Equality Journey goals to support and uplift diverse suppliers, this year we chose to focus on Hispanic-owned entrepreneurs,” said Esperanza Teasdale, Vice President & General Manager, Hispanic Business Unit, PepsiCo Beverages North America.
“We are extremely excited and proud to offer diverse companies an opportunity to grow their businesses with our support, especially emerging food and beverage brands. Through our mentorship program and grants, we hope to see these businesses grow and further expand within the food and beverage industry,” added Teasdale.
Together with PepsiCo Juntos Crecemos, a multifaceted platform that is part of PepsiCo’s $50 million Racial Equality Journey commitment aimed to provide short and long-term support to Hispanic-owned food and beverage small businesses over five years, PepsiCo looks to get closer to and support the emerging Hispanic food and beverage industry.
“PepsiCo is continually looking for ways to expand access to small businesses and entrepreneurs, particularly within communities of color,” said Antonio Escalona, Senior Vice President & General Manager Hispanic Business Unit, PepsiCo Foods North America.
“Knowing that Juntos Crecemos looks to help Hispanic entrepreneurs further grow their businesses, we saw an opportunity to collaborate with the Greenhouse Accelerator program to uncover emerging Hispanic-owned food and beverage brands, innovations, and services and help them realize their business goals while supporting the Hispanic community,” Escalona added.
The Greenhouse Accelerator program launched in Europe in 2017 and expanded to North America in 2018. Over the years, the program has evolved to support the innovators and entrepreneurs that appeal to consumer needs, including sustainability and nutrition solutions. To learn more about the PepsiCo Greenhouse Accelerator: Juntos Crecemos Edition and how to apply, visit: https://greenhouseaccelerator.com/juntos-crecemos/