Panel judges Suzanne Trusdale and Arlene Dickinson, with event host Amber Mac listening to TELUS Pitch winner Divyansh Ohja presenting on stage. Photo credit: Nick Menzies Photography. 

Earlier this summer, TELUS Pitch, a competition for Canadian small businesses awarded it’s 2019 prize to Foodfund Inc., an Ontario-based food distribution company. Foodfund helps connect imperfect (but perfectly edible) produce from local farms to consumers.

The subscription-based grocery platform was awarded $100,000 in grand prize funds after a presenting a pitch to a panel of judges including Kevin Au-Yeung, Jennifer Safruk, Garrick Tiplady, Suzanne Trusdale and Arlene Dickinson.

The awarded cash prize is to be used by Foodfund to further build the business. Specifically, the team at Foodfund will look at the additional income to expand its operations, diversify its produce offering and build food literacy curriculum.

“This is the stepping stone we need to take our business into new markets and amplify the impact we’ve already made,” Foodfund founder, Divyansh Ojha, said in a statement.

Foodfund was announced as winner from five finalists at a live event in Toronto. Over 6400 applications were submitted for this year’s TELUS Pitch, representing all Canadian provinces and territories—with a majority of applicants from Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. Most applicants has small, new businesses with 50 percent operating for less than two years and more than 80 percent with 5 employees or less.

“TELUS is proud to support Canada’s impressive entrepreneurs who are not only developing innovative solutions to practical problems, but making a difference in the day-to-day lives of many Canadians,” said Roi Ross, VP Small Business Mobility Solutions, TELUS. “With their leadership, we can be sure to see the Canadian small business landscape continue to grow and thrive.”