Ceres Wins Startup St. Bernard!
ST. BERNARD PARISH, LA – Ceres Plant Protein Cereal, a plant-based cereal designed with sustainability in mind, was selected as the winner of the 8th annual Startup St. Bernard pitch competition presented by the Meraux Foundation and St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation on Thursday. The startup took home the grand prize of over $100K in cash and in-kind services.
"This is one of the most impressive groups of businesses we've ever had compete in Startup St. Bernard, and I'd like to congratulate Ceres Plant Protein Cereal for taking home the grand prize," said Rita Gue, president of the Meraux Foundation. "Startup St. Bernard is all about showcasing our parish as a wonderful place in which to do business, and all three of these companies are shining examples of the innovative and creative businesses that will thrive here."
In front of a panel of 5 judges, all three finalists pitched their business plans with the hopes of taking home the grand prize. The two other finalists were Top Right Corner, a digital media company utilizing AR technology in the workforce, and Crescent City Ninja Academy, a family training facility for Ninja sports.
"Startup St. Bernard has proven year after year to be a major tool to help drive the entrepreneurial ecosystem here in St. Bernard. Over the course of the program’s 8-year tenure, we have witnessed several winners and finalists go on to undertake amazing business ventures, and we are thrilled to see the potential of Ceres Plant Protein Cereal grow within this fruitful parish," said Meaghan McCormack, Chief Executive Officer of St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation.
Startup St. Bernard was open to any business under five years old that agreed to locate its base of operations in St. Bernard Parish and participate in its entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Ceres Plant Protein Cereal was founded to provide a filling breakfast cereal for people who subscribe to plan-based lifestyles. The cereal boasts 20g of plant protein with 0g of sugar using naturally grown ingredients free of herbicides and chemicals. The co-founders of Ceres plan to enter stores in late 2023/early 2024 and are striving to grow the market through social media campaigns. St. Bernard Parish could be one of the first two parishes to experience their Sustainabowl Initiative. With a focus on expanding awareness and access to more sustainable, nutrient-rich plant-based foods they will seek partnerships to make the cereal available to the population.
The finalists were selected by an independent scoring committee from Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program. The grand prize winner was selected by an independent panel of judges, including Andrea Chen, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation; Allen Square, Founder and CEO of Square Button Group; Kevin Wilkins, Founder of trepwise; Kris Khalil, Executive Director and BioFund Managing Director of New Orleans BioInnovation Center and Emily Egan, Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Tulane University. The event was emceed by multiple Emmy-winning host, writer, producer, and reporter Tom Gregory.
Startup St. Bernard is made possible with the generous support of sponsors who contribute cash and in-kind services to help the winners take their business to the next level. This year's sponsors include the Meraux Foundation, Associated Terminals, Bernard Franks – A Corporation of Certified Accountants, Biz New Orleans, the Frederick J. Sigur Investment Company, Greg Cantrell, Inc., the Greater New Orleans Foundation, Glass Half Full, Mr. Floyd Gue, Mrs. Rita Gue, Joey Nieto, Financial Advisor | Edward Jones, Leadership St. Bernard, the Nunez Community College Foundation, OUTFRONT Media, Park Investments, Inc., Ragusa Consulting, Sheriff Jimmy Pohlmann, Sherman Strategies, Shine Productions, Sidney Torres Law Firm, Southern Insurance Agency, the St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce, the St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation, the St. Bernard Parish Assessor, St. Bernard Parish Government, the St. Bernard Office of Tourism & Film, the St. Bernard Port, Harbor, and Terminal District, The Ranch Film Studios, and Valero Meraux Refinery.
Watch the full 2022 competition here.
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About the St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation
St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation (SBEDF) is the official economic development organization and public-private partnership of St. Bernard Parish formed to create and retain jobs, build prosperity, and improve quality of life. To learn more about SBEDF and how the organization works to foster business attraction, retention and expansion, neighborhood revitalization, small business assistance, and talent and workforce development in St. Bernard Parish, sbedf.org.
About the Arlene and Joseph Meraux Charitable Foundation
The Meraux Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was established by Arlene Meraux to benefit the community of St. Bernard Parish by leveraging its landholdings. Today, the Foundation’s board of directors is presided over by Arlene’s niece, Rita Gue, and consists of members Floyd Gue, Bill Haines, Chris Haines, and Sidney Torres, III. Guided by Arlene’s vision, the Board is implementing an innovative strategy to create lasting change and build a better St. Bernard. The Meraux Foundation is a founding sponsor and organizer of Startup St. Bernard. More at merauxfoundation.org.
