Join Mountain BizWorks for Mountain Raise, its annual “barn raising” for the WNC local economy. This year’s event is Thursday, November 5, from 6–9 p.m. at Highland Brewing Event Center. Guests will hear from five local businesses looking for support to grow, and, for the first time, all presenters are food and beverage entrepreneurs. FedUp Foods and Buchi Kombucha co-founder Zane Adams will open the evening.
“Food and beverage businesses are a big part of what makes Western North Carolina distinctive,” said Matt Raker, Executive Director of Mountain BizWorks. “Mountain Raise puts these founders in a room with people who can help, and it shows us what’s possible when we rally around local entrepreneurs.”
Each presenter will have five minutes to share where their business is headed, what stands between them and their next stage of growth, and exactly what they need from the room to get there. Mountain BizWorks’ small business programs have supported each of them through lending, learning, or coaching.
“Entrepreneurs don’t grow in a straight line, and our support shouldn’t either,” said Gwynne Rukenbrod Smith, Business Growth Specialist at Mountain BizWorks. “Every one of this year’s presenters is at a different point in their journey, but they’re all asking the same question: What’s the next move that will help my business grow?”
This year’s presenters* include:
Devil’s Foot brews farm-to-can craft sodas and zero-proof cocktails in Asheville, all in the spirit of “brewing goodness to make more goodness in the world.” Founder and CEO Ben Colvin and a group of friends started the company brewing in a backyard, growing it into a business built on community, and sustainability.
Habibi Village brings a taste of Lebanese hospitality through fresh, handmade saj flatbreads, carrying the values of friendship, family, and community wherever people gather. Founder Maan Khzam, who grew up in Kfarhim and Beirut, developed his gluten-free recipe while living in an intentional community in Appalachia.
Little Guatemala is a coffee roastery and community gathering place in Morganton. Founders Erica and Christian Ramazzini import coffee from Guatemala, roast it locally, and bring people together through coffee, food, soccer, and events that celebrate Guatemalan culture and hospitality.
Matcha Nude is a woman-owned organic matcha and hojicha brand based in Asheville. Founder Samm Coffin sources its matcha from Kagoshima, Japan, with no added sugar. Matcha Nude serves more than 200 wholesale partners nationwide, most of them independent coffee shops also owned by women.
Spice Witch makes small-batch chili crisp, chili oil, and spice-infused honeys in Arden, so home cooks can make magic in the kitchen. Founder Sabrina Hill, the daughter of a magician, built the brand on real ingredients: an avocado oil base, real honey, and spices you can see in the jar.
Zane Adams, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of FedUp Foods, the parent company of Buchi Kombucha, will give opening remarks and co-host the evening’s program alongside Gwynne Rukenbrod Smith. As an Asheville food business leader, Adams is a fitting voice for a night about helping local food and beverage businesses take their next step.
Attendees will have plenty of time to connect with presenters, network with a room full of people invested in WNC’s future, and taste some of what makes the region’s food and drink scene extraordinary.
Early-bird tickets are $25 through Wednesday, October 14, and $30 after. Space is limited, and tickets sell quickly. Come hungry for big ideas.
Thanks to Mountain Raise presenting sponsors First Horizon Foundation, Redefine Alliance, and Roberts Impact Investing Fund: Appalachian Growth Fund. Thanks also to supporting sponsors Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts, First National Bank, Integrative Family Medicine of Asheville, Intrinsic Construction, McGuire Wood & Bissette Law Firm, Mountain BizWorks’ Market Advisors, Optimist Ventures, and Venture Asheville.
*None of these companies should be assumed to be raising capital unless they otherwise say so during their presentations.
