Plant-based foods chef planning for expansion

“The wins are building for Alicia Watson, chef and owner of Little Rock-based culinary wellness company Vito and Vera.

She said her most recent win on Food Network TV show “Big Restaurant Bet” won’t change her plans to invest winnings to expand her plant-based prepared meals business across the state, including Northwest Arkansas.

Watson won $5,000 in a pitch competition after completing business development program Cureate Courses in Northwest Arkansas. The free, eight-week program for food and beverage entrepreneurs is hosted by business consultant Cureate and FORGE Inc., a revolving community loan fund that’s based in Huntsville. Watson was one of eight women business owners who completed the program this spring.

“While it took a lot of time, I experienced such growth as a person and as a business owner to be able to articulate my dreams in a way that makes sense,” she said.

The program ended with the pitch competition hosted at The Jones Center in Springdale. Asked why she won, Watson said because of proof of concept in Little Rock, that she’s saturated the market there with meals-to-go and her plans to partner with the University of Arkansas to develop a frozen-food line. That would allow the company to offer frozen plant-based meals statewide.”

Read more here: https://talkbusiness.net/2022/06/plant-based-foods-chef-planning-for-expansion/