PLANO, Texas, Nov. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Something is
still missing from the highest ranks of food-related businesses
across the U.S. — women. At a time when only 21 percent of all
chefs and executive chefs are female,1 Stacy's Snacks
launched the Stacy's Rise Project with the goal of advancing women
in the culinary industry.
In honor of Women's Entrepreneurship Day November 19, Stacy's celebrated the inaugural
class of Stacy's Rise Project scholarship recipients with a
professional development day hosted at the renowned International
Culinary Center (ICC) in New York
City. The day provided these female entrepreneurs business
advice, tools and support to continue to break through some of the
toughest barriers to women in any field.
"Stacy's is committed to empowering the next generation of
female culinary leaders to pursue their dreams, and is thrilled to
celebrate the first class of Stacy's Scholarship for Female
Culinary Leaders recipients," said Stuart
Beck, senior director of marketing, Stacy's Snacks. "Each of
these women has developed impressive business plans that we are
proud to be able to support – and ultimately be a part of advancing
the number of women entrepreneurs in the U.S."
The Stacy's Rise Project was born out of Stacy's roots as a
brand founded by female entrepreneur Stacy
Madison, who started by baking pita bread into fresh chips
each day to give her customers waiting in line at her Boston food cart. Customers loved the simple
but delicious chips so much that they encouraged her to start her
own brand and today they are America's favorite pita chip. Launched
earlier this year, the Stacy's Rise Project helps female culinary
entrepreneur hopefuls pursue their business endeavors through
scholarship, mentorship and thought leadership. In September,
Stacy's awarded $40,000 in
scholarships and stipends to four women entering the Culinary
Entrepreneurship Program at ICC. Recipients participated in
the six-week entrepreneurship program that demystifies the start-up
process and guides them through the steps of business planning in
an immersive, mentorship-driven environment.
Future culinary luminaries: the inaugural scholarship
class
This year's scholarship recipients include promising
and inspiring female entrepreneurs whose business plans may differ,
but share a common passion for food and hospitality.
- Raven Rivera was born and
raised on Long Island in
Bay Shore, N.Y. Although equipped
with a Master of Arts in television, Raven had a dream to one day
be a restaurateur. Stacy's Rise Project and ICC's Culinary
Entrepreneurship Program have helped her follow her dream. She is
embracing her family's roots and is opening a Puerto Rican
restaurant that families, friends and the surrounding community can
enjoy.
- Kiki Canuto is a trilingual world traveler
from Massachusetts who would like
to create connections and cultivate fulfillment through the food
she serves. She is the owner of The Getaway Plate, which provides
families with in-home meal prep in the Greater Boston area. Kiki's zest for
life is contagious and she is passionate
about simplifying the lives of families who are very busy, but
also value enjoying a meal together at the end of the
day. With the tools she gained from ICC's Culinary
Entrepreneurship Program, she hopes to soon expand her services to
Southern California.
- Eunice Giarta is a Californian-turned-New Yorker.
Having previously studied engineering and working in software, she
found her passion in a different type of challenge—not in an
office, but in a kitchen where she pursued further education in
pastry arts. She enjoys the methodical, precise and special art of
baking and loves sharing the fruits of her labor with others.
Eunice plans to leverage the business plan and mentorship advice
she received through the Stacy's Rise Project and ICC's Culinary
Entrepreneurship Program to open a dessert bar in Chicago where she can share her cultural
background and love of pastry by merging Asian-inspired flavors and
French-pastry techniques.
- Jane Deegan hails from
Manhattan, New York. Baking also
holds a special place in her heart, as the art has helped Janie
find her light, beauty and inspiration after struggling with
homelessness and addiction growing up. Janie aspires to open a
bakery and café that serves light food and specializes in delicious
baked goods that are a creative, modern twist on American classics.
A dream that would be far more difficult to achieve without the
financial support of the Stacy's Rise Project and the advanced
culinary business education from ICC. Her most notable product thus
far is her Pie Crust Cookie, which has already gained attention
from top food industry experts. She currently operates an online
business named Janie Bakes.
Stacy's and ICC will continue the work of the Stacy's Rise
Project next year, awarding $60,000
in scholarships and stipends to future female entrepreneurs. Visit
stacyssnacks.com/riseproject to learn more about Stacy's Rise
Project, scholarship opportunities, and the brand's commitment to
supporting women.
About Stacy's Snacks
Stacy's Snacks is one of the many
brands that make up Frito-Lay North America, the
$15 billion convenient foods
division of PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered
in Purchase, NY. Learn more about
Frito-Lay at the corporate website, http://www.fritolay.com/,
the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/fritolay.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by
consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and
territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63
billion in net revenue in 2015, driven by a complementary
food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade,
Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio
includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including
22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in
estimated annual retail sales.
At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our goal
to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating
sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance
with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages
from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize
our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs;
providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees
globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local
communities where we operate. For more information,
visit www.pepsico.com.
Follow PepsiCo:
• Twitter
• Facebook
• PepsiCo Blogs
• PepsiCo Press Releases
• PepsiCo Multimedia
• PepsiCo Videos
1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.
Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17
Edition, Chefs and Head Cooks, Retrieved July 05, 2017 from
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/chefs-and-head-cooks.htm,
https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.htm
Contact:
Kimberly Scott
Stacy's Snacks
972-334-5098 office
Kimberly.scott@pepsico.com
View original content with
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stacys-snacks-celebrates-newest-female-entrepreneurs-to-join-highest-ranks-of-the-culinary-industry-300557638.html
SOURCE Stacy's Snacks