Mission Foodpreneur Fest Benefits Food Pantry

By:

Mission Foodpreneur Fest Benefits Food Pantry

The City of Mission plans to honor its food and restaurant entrepreneurs at its first Foodpreneur.
The City of Mission plans to honor its food and restaurant entrepreneurs at its first Foodpreneur.

The City of Mission is celebrating its entrepreneurs in the food industry with its first-ever Foodpreneur Fest on Oct. 24. It plans to use the event as a fundraiser for the city’s food pantry.

The city is partnering with the Mission Economic Development Council and the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce in hosting the event on Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. at the Mission Events Center. Attendees at the event will enjoy samples from both restaurants and food vendors. A cooking competition also takes place with a prize of $1,000 for the winner.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Mission Food Pantry, which provides essential supplies for more than 100 families weekly.

“The city (of Mission) was founded on food entrepreneurship,” Cristina Garza, the director of social impact for the Mission EDC, in referring to the Mission’s historical ties to the citrus industry. “We have over 30 businesses registered to participate and we hope those who purchase tickets will be pleased with the array of foods to sample.”

Jitterz Coffee is one of Mission’s successful food entrepreneurs.
Jitterz Coffee is one of Mission’s successful food entrepreneurs.

Honoring local food entrepreneurs

The festival will honor a local food entrepreneur yearly. This year’s honoree is Pilar Gonzalez of Dip It by Pilar, who has received regional and national recognition for her business. She is also a finalist in the Stacy’s Rise Project which honors female-founded businesses in the United States. The Mission EDC’s Ruby Red Ventures helped Gonzalez get her start with seed money and business management mentorship.

“One entrepreneur’s success benefits us all,” Garza said of Gonzalez’s Dip It by Pilar. “Mission will continue to support and amplify the journey of our entrepreneurs, including Pilar.”

Garza said using Foodpreneur to boost the local pantry is an important element of the event.

“Many people in our community still struggle to put food on the table,” she said. “With more funding, we can extend the pantry’s reach and amplify their mission.”

Tickets are $20 for Foodpreneur and available via Eventbrite.

Comments