Profiles
Tohi ventures down a Midwest ‘rabbit hole’ to discover a rare berry good enough to drink
Tohi Ventures is on a quest to save the planet — one rare-berry infused beverage at a time. “I was literally doing Google research on unique ingredients, specialty crops … these one-ingredient wonders,” explained Shari Coulter Ford, CEO and co-founder of Tohi Ventures — maker of Tohi, an antioxidant-rich beverage available in four, all-natural flavors. …
State Your Line: Ritz Brothers’ podcast straddles KC, border between fun and dumb
Holed up at home, recovering from a broken ankle, Kevin Ritz started to toy with the idea of launching a KC-centric podcast — despite living in a city rich with audio storytellers, he noted. “I did a lot of research as far as seeing if there was a podcast [about Kansas City] out there already…
High demand, low profits: Happy Food Co pulls meal kits from stores, pivots to catering
Love wasn’t enough to sustain the original model of Happy Food Co., but the meal kit company’s ability to pivot opens new doors, said Kiersten Firquain. “For a startup in Kansas City … it is difficult,” Firquain, head chef and co-founder of Happy Food Co., said of geographical challenges that contributed to its restructuring, a…
Outcrafting Carhartt: KC denim guru opened the door to a hidden maker speakeasy, affordable US-made workwear
The high-stakes world of makers — especially those hoping to develop a national brand built on quality craftsmanship — can require connections beyond what someone finds in a simple Google search, said Ryan Martin. “You kind of have to know somebody,” the Kansas City denim guru behind the KC Jacks workwear line and the couture…
How many fans packed parade route for Chiefs? Crowd counting a touchdown for KC’s EB Systems
While a sea of red greeted Chiefs players Feb. 5 outside Union Station, many fans skipped the official victory rally honoring the world champion football team — opting instead to fight for their right to party nearby, according to crowd data from an emerging Kansas City startup. “Harsh weather and a drunk driving incident on…
