NYUL + PepsiCo

Foodservice Business Accelerator

 

You've got the food. Let's build the business.

A great recipe can get people to the table.
A great business can keep them coming back.

The New York Urban League Small Business Solutions Center, with support from PepsiCo, is looking for 20 emerging foodservice entrepreneurs ready to take what they're cooking up and build something stronger around it.

Restaurants. Caterers. Food trucks. Packaged foods. Beverages.

Whether you're getting ready to launch or already serving customers, this accelerator is designed to help you sharpen your strategy, strengthen your operations, understand your numbers, and prepare for growth.

And yes, there's something extra on the menu.

The program culminates in a live Demo Day featuring a pitch, a tasting, and a professional judging panel. Two participating businesses will be selected to receive direct grant assistance.

This Is More Than a Seat at the Table.

Over 15 weeks, you'll dig into the parts of the food business that aren't nearly as Instagrammable as the food, but matter just as much.

Strategy. Pricing. Costing. Cash flow. Compliance. Supply chain. Inventory. Marketing. Procurement. Capital.

You'll combine weekly cohort sessions with individualized counseling and leave with real tools built around your business.

Because good food may be the secret ingredient, but it takes good business to scale it.

Who Should Apply?

This may be your table if you operate a:

Restaurant • Catering Business • Food Truck • Packaged Food Brand • Beverage Brand

Applicants must be emerging or existing foodservice businesses that have been operating for three years or less, looking to launch or scale, and able to commit to weekly classes and 1:1 counseling from September through December 2026.

Then I'd make the application sections themselves part of the experience:

FIRST COURSE: Tell Us What You're Cooking Up
The basics: business name, type, start date, stage, sales channels, revenue, employees, and compliance.

LET'S GET INTO THE MEAT OF IT
Vegetarians, stay with us.

What are you selling, and who's buying?
Tell us about your food, beverage, menu, or concept and the customer you built it for.

What makes people come back for seconds?
What makes your business different from others in your category?

What's giving you indigestion (LOL); what are your pain points?
Okay, maybe that is one pun too many.

WHAT'S YOUR RECIPE FOR GROWTH?

If you could accomplish one major business goal between now and December, what would it be?

What would change for your business if you accomplished it?

NOW, LET'S TALK DOUGH.

You've got the ingredients above. Now think about how they come together.

Now, knead those answers together and make your case.

Application Deadline - Thursday, August 27, 2026