Shark Tank Mexico, Sony Channel and Nestle join forces to launch Nestlé Professional Entrepreneur, a special initiative focused on entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in the food sector that wish to take their business to the next level.
Entrepreneurs will be able to participate in a contest where a prize of 500,000 pesos will be given that they will be able to invest in the growth of their business.
“We, as Nestlé Professional, are in the out-of-home, B2B channel, and for us the development of all these businesses that are being developed for consumption outside the home is very important. As all these operations go forward, a virtuous circle with more entrepreneurship will be generated. Our responsibility is to help these small businesses that unfortunately have a very short life expectancy,” Virginia Martínez, senior business manager of Nestlé Professional Mexico, said in an interview.
Why does Nestlé Professional Entrepreneur seek to promote food SMEs?
According to the INEGI in Mexico, of the 4.1 million MSMEs that exist, 97% are microenterprises with an average life expectancy of 8.4 years. Furthermore, it is important to highlight that only 10.6% received financing that supported their sustainable growth.
One of the main factors affecting the development of businesses in this category is the lack of capital to grow their operations. In 2021 alone, 24.5% of microbusinesses have requested a loan, the main reasons being to invest in fixed capital or technology (49.5%), pay debts (43.1%), expand the business (40.9%), face losses (19.9%). %) and other reasons (2%), according to the National Business Financing Survey (ENAFIN).
According to the Nestlé spokesperson, starting these small food businesses outside the home is relatively simple because they are operations where the barrier to entry is not so great since they can be done from the kitchen of your home.
“The problem is getting to the next level,” Martínez said. For the expert, the main obstacles they face are:
- Financial: “Because now you no longer fit in your kitchen or you need a bigger refrigerator; “You need a place now.”
- Operation: “Normally you start with both hands, but you face a barrier when you want to hire trustworthy, trained people who have the same vision of service as you.”
- Promotion: “Nowadays, the way we make ourselves known has changed a lot thanks to social networks and training is needed to exploit digital platforms.”
Thanks to this initiative, a space is opened for startups to publicize their business and access resources that will give them a competitive advantage and global knowledge about consumer preferences to market successfully.
How to participate Shark Tank Mexico
Shark Tank Mexico It seeks to promote the growth of companies, hand in hand with the investment of experienced sharks, and is undoubtedly a bet that forms, educates and strengthens the entrepreneurial spirit. Nestlé is one of the sponsors of the eighth season of Shark Tank Mexicowhich is premiering episodes every Friday at 10:30pm on Sony Channel.
“Shark Tank Mexico It is a platform that we have known for several years because it has been working in different types of industries. What it does is that there is investment in small businesses and startups so that they grow, Martínez explained. “What we are doing is that on that same platform that the program already has, we are going to focus on food operations that require growth, which is what concerns us as Nestlé Professional.”
Steps to participate in the contest
“It is a great and very important opportunity to take your business to another level. With 500 thousand pesos they could open a new branch, have more fixed assets, hire more staff to overcome the growth barrier.”
The spokesperson for Nestlé Porfessional México asserted that the work does not end with the award, since the initiative will be providing training, talks and contacts all year round in alliance with institutions such as CANIRAC and Tecnologico de Monterrey.
Those businesses that are willing to participate for those 500 thousand pesos must follow the following steps:
- Sign up http://www.sharktankmxconcursoprofessional.com/
- Fill out the fields correctly with your data and answer the form
- Share a video explaining your business model and how you will use the money for your growth.
The six most innovative and creative proposals will go to the grand final where a jury of representatives from Nestlé Professional Entrepreneur and Sony Channel will choose who will win the prize.
“Yesterday I was reviewing the videos that have already begun to be uploaded with the pitches of the entrepreneurs for the contest, and it excites me like you have no idea to see the passion and dedication that food businesses in Mexico have and it is a very important differentiator ”.
Virgina Martínez highlighted that these food SMEs have a great passion to get ahead, despite everything that has happened to them. She also highlights the care they put into the ingredients they use and their processes to have an artisanal, natural and good quality differentiator.
March Violante Martha Elena Violante (March Violante) is editor-in-chief and co-founder of Emprendedor.com and has more than 10 years of career in digital journalism. She has interviewed figures such as Randi Zuckerberg, Daniele Lamarre, Zoe Saldana, among others. She has worked in media such as Entrepreneur in Spanish and English, Alto Nivel, Cine PREMIERE, México Desconocido, among others. “We are entrepreneur.com”