Local businesses Sweat Pea and Craft Cannery win prizes at Grow NY competition

ALBANY, N.Y. – Governor Kathy Hochul announced that ProAgni of Lavington, Australia, has been named the $1 million grand prize winner of the Grow-NY business competition. Its a food and agriculture startup challenge focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage, and agriculture innovation in Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier.

Now in its fourth year, the program attracted startups and entrepreneurial talent from around the world to compete in its business development accelerator and two-day pitch competition at the Grow-NY Summit.  

In all, 390 startups applied from 52 countries. In the U.S., 25 states were represented, including 92 entries from New York. 38% of applicants included a female founder and a record 75% included a founder from an underrepresented minority group. The 20 finalists received dedicated mentorship from hand-selected regional business advisors leading up to the competition. Those selected as winners will immediately get to work executing their business plans in New York state.

Other Local Winners included: 

$500,000 Winner: – Craft Cannery, (Bergen, NY) – Craft Cannery takes recipes from your kitchen to the shelves of grocery stores, restaurants, farmers markets and beyond, specializing in the contract manufacturing of sauces, dressings, marinades, and more. 

$250,000 Winner: Sweet Pea Plant-Based Kitchen, (Rochester, NY) – Sweet Pea is a plant-powered kitchen creating paths to wellness, combining the benefits of its plant-centric food meal service and nutrition coaching, to help people to sustain a healthy life.