True Stories of how they got into HEB and Whole Foods

Meet two local beverage companies owners and hear how they got their products into the very competitive beverage aisles at HEB and Whole Foods, plus meet a food broker who will tell us the secrets to a successful retail relationship, and how you can do it too!

Join us for a panel discussion with the founders and CEO's of Pure Rain Water (http://purerainusa.com/) and Beatbox Beverages (http://www.beatboxbeverages.com/) (wines) and QuinnEssential Natural Food Broker (http://quinnessentialsales.com/), to discuss how to take your food or beverage products to major retailers.

We will discuss:

• the ramp-up and application process,

• labeling and packaging requirements,

• costs and fees, and

• how to successfully maintain and grow your retail distribution.

We are fortunate to have a distinguish panel of Austin entrepreneurs with us this month. Come by and meet them.

Our panelist are:

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Laura Quinn, QuinnEssential Sales

A Houston native, Laura got to Austin in 2005 and started a new career in sales with White Mountain Foods. After about a year, she form her own independent food brokerage business focused on natural and organic foods and beverages. Today her boasts an impressive client list including: Third Coast Coffee Roasters, Sweetish Hill Cookies, Nada Moo, and many other natural foods and beverage that she has successful placed in Wholefoods, Sprouts, Central Market, Natural Grocers and other fine retailers in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas.

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Justin Fenchel, CEO - Beatbox Beverages LLC

After graduating from college with an economics degree, Justin worked in financial services for companies like Countrywide Financial and Bel Air Investment Advisors. Soon afterwards, his entrepreneurial spirit took over and he co-founded a start-up called Flying Penguin and published two iPhone applications before deciding to attend business school at the McCombs School of Business where he received his MBA in 2013. Justin then founded BeatBox Beverages, a hip wine beverage conveniently packaged in a box - a very popular party refreshment among millennials.

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Laura Pressley, Ph.D., CEO Pure Rain Water

A longtime Austin resident, Laura is an entrepreneur, a scholar and a local civic leader. Laura has an impressive resume of accomplishments including a Ph.D. in Chemistry from UT, four (4) US patents, co-author of over 20 technical papers and an impressive high-tech career with positions at Motorola, AMD, Spansion and Freescale. Today, she dedicates her time and passions to the success of her beverage company, Pure Rain, Purified Rain Water, which is sold in Whole Foods, Central Market, Peoples Pharmacy and other retailers.

Please join us for an interesting conversation with this impressive panel of local entrepreneurs.

If you know someone interested in launching a food or beverage product, please invite them to this free meeting and unique business education forum.

See you there -

Francoise Luca, Business Finance Solutions (http://bfs-usa.com/)