-
A sweet homecoming for Nebraska food scientist-turned-candymaker
After years as a food scientist for candy companies Hershey’s and Ferrara, Nebraska-native Tessa Porter returned home to start the state’s only candy supplier: Sprinkk. Now, Porter works with clients to develop formulas for candies and find accessible places to manufacture.
-
BREWD software makes business decisions less filling for breweries
As of 2015, there are more than 4,200 breweries in the United States, up from about 1,400 10 years ago. That’s a lot of new businesses in a highly competitive field, and just because someone is good at brewing beer doesn’t mean they have experience overseeing other aspects of a business. Des Moines startup BREWD…
-
![FliteBrite brings big data to the craft beer industry [Updated]](https://siliconprairienews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/FliteBrite_featured_2.jpg)
FliteBrite brings big data to the craft beer industry [Updated]
It’s a good time to be a beer fan. In 2015 there were 4,144 breweries in the United States, more than before Prohibition. Ordering flights of beer are increasingly popular as bars specializing in craft beers are constantly adding taps to showcase as many beers as possible. Instead of one pint, beer drinkers can order smaller…
-
KinoSol plans to launch Kickstarter to bring its revolutionary dehydrator to Western markets
Ames startup KinoSol is planning to launch a Kickstarter later this month to fund production of solar-powered dehydrators aimed at Western markets. KinoSol was founded in 2014 by Clayton Mooney, Elise Kendall, Mikayla Sullivan and Ella Gehrke when the quartet was attending Iowa State University. They came up with KinoSol while participating in the Thought…
-
Bugeater Foods awarded $100,000 USDA research grant
Lincoln-based Bugeater Foods has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the USDA for further research into insect-based foods. The grant is a Phase 1 SBIR grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a department of the USDA. According to a press release from Bugeater, only 15% of companies that apply receive a SBIR…
-
Bulu goes on hiring spree to expand Bulu Marketplace
Bulu, Inc. is in the midst of a hiring spree as it develops its data analysis platform Bulu Insights into the Bulu Marketplace platform. In the last three weeks Bulu has hired on 7 new employees, reaching a team total (including Bulu Box, Bulu Marketplace, and the warehouse team) of 23. The hires include Matt…
-
This simple device from KinoSol could feed millions
Based in Ames, Iowa, the KinoSol team is prototyping a revolution in food production that could save tons of wasted food each year. The co-founders of KinoSol are wrapping up field tests on the latest prototype of their lightweight, solar-powered dehydrator designed to increase the shelf life of produce and reducing post-harvest losses worldwide. Powered by the…
-
Bugeater Foods sprints to Demo Day
Bugeater Foods, in the NMotion accelerator program in Lincoln, Nebraska, came into existence less than 9 months ago, with the idea of cricket- (yes, the insect) based health supplement products, and they have been sprinting ever since. You can already find their product on the shelves of the local HyVee and in the latest Bulu Box…
-
eCreamery’s “swimming with orders” since “Shark Tank” appearance
“Although we didn’t get a deal with the sharks, it really taught us that a win can sometimes be disguised as a loss,” eCreamery co-founder Becky App said Friday on “Shark Tank,” the ABC business pitch show she and her co-founder first appeared on last September. The online custom ice cream and gelato shop was…
-
Traffic and sales soar, investors call on eCreamery post-Shark Tank
eCreamery founders Becky App and Abby Jordan didn’t walk away from their appearance on ABC’s “Shark Tank” (above) with the $250,000 investment they sought from the show’s panel of celebrity investor judges. But even though the Sharks didn’t bite on eCreamery, plenty of others have since the show aired on Friday. In a phone interview…