Viola’s Heritage has received the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Conference Heart’s 2026 WIN Pitch Good – Retail Prepared competitors, incomes shelf area for its cornbread combine contained in the Conference Heart’s Dutch’s Nook comfort retailer.

The annual competitors, hosted via the Conference Heart’s Small and Rising Enterprise Program, drew greater than 40 submissions from native companies this yr. Finalists pitched their merchandise to a panel of judges in a format modeled after tv funding competitions, with evaluations primarily based on branding, market potential and retail readiness.

Along with Viola’s Heritage, finalists included Cajun Nation Boy Seasoning, Drink Mockly, Lyrics & Notes Tea, NOLA Lapel Pins and Olive + Alder Co.

Because the winner, Viola’s Heritage will start promoting its shelf-ready cornbread combine at Dutch’s Nook, the Conference Heart’s on-site comfort retailer, which serves almost 800,000 guests yearly.

LaToya Martin, the Conference Heart’s Small and Rising Enterprise program supervisor, mentioned the competitors serves as each a showcase and a studying alternative for entrepreneurs collaborating within the WIN Sequence.

“The WIN Pitch Good – Retail Prepared competitors supplied a helpful platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their companies whereas receiving constructive suggestions from our completed panel of judges,” Martin mentioned. “We’re proud to spotlight Viola’s Heritage merchandise at Dutch’s Nook.”

Carla Briggs, proprietor of Viola’s Heritage Breads, credited the Conference Heart’s enterprise improvement programming with serving to increase her firm’s visibility and progress alternatives.

“Attending the WIN and SEB Program occasions on the Conference Heart has made a big distinction in my enterprise, from free workshops, networking {and professional} insights,” Briggs mentioned. “The SEB Program has helped elevate my visibility, merchandise and has opened doorways for extra alternatives for achievement.”

The competitors concludes the primary part of the Conference Heart’s WIN Sequence, a free program designed to assist small and rising companies construct foundational enterprise abilities and join with progress alternatives.

The second part, titled “Meet the Primes,” is scheduled to run from July via November and can concentrate on getting ready development and repair distributors to compete for procurement alternatives. Deliberate workshops will cowl estimating and bidding, responding to requests for proposals, and presenting companies to prime contractors and stakeholders.

Conference Heart President and CEO Jim Cook dinner mentioned supporting small companies stays a key a part of the group’s mission.

“Creating alternatives for our Small and Rising Companies to succeed is likely one of the most rewarding elements of our work right here on the Conference Heart,” Cook dinner mentioned. “By way of our SEB Applications and WIN occasions, we’re proud to proceed to put money into the expansion of our small companies and supply alternatives. When small companies thrive, our complete group sees the distinction.”

In response to the Conference Heart, it has awarded greater than $54 million in contracts to small and rising companies and deprived enterprise enterprises since 2019. The group mentioned it additionally helps native firms via initiatives together with its WIN Sequence and the SEBconnect web site and cell app.