Over the weekend, 30+ makers in Oregon’s food and beverage scene gathered in Portland’s Central Eastside for a celebration of community and conviction in their products.
Foodies perused the local wares outside The Redd on Salmon Street, sampling shiitake from Pan’s Mushroom Jerky, non-alcoholic cocktails from For Bitter For Worse, the delightfully versatile Bobbie’s Boat Sauce, and more.
The main event happened inside the venue, where Oregon Angel Food (also known as Oregon AF) kicked things off by honoring recipients of the Emerge Initiative Awards — congratulations to Hibisbloom and Skaut Coffee Roasters.
Then, founders of four growing companies — Saëna Baking, Mickleberry Gardens, GoNanas, and One Stripe Chai — gave their pitches to a panel of three investors “Shark Tank” style; the vegan, gluten-free banana bread mix ultimately earned the big check worth $300,000.
