Funds to be used to place product in major grocery chain

Siren Shrub Company, LLC, was recently awarded a $25,000 grant through its partnership with the International Bank of Amherst to launch an eight-week trial of its product with a major Wisconsin grocery chain. [Editor’s note: The chain has local outlets, but declined to release its name for this article.]

The grant was one of 172 deserving businesses awarded a total of $4.3 million in critical funding through FHLBank Chicago’s Community First Accelerate Grants for Small Business program. Small businesses are facing challenges with growing or enhancing their operations due to surging borrowing costs in a high interest rate environment. In response to this need, FHLBank Chicago awarded Accelerate Grants for a second year to support a variety of purposes, including purchase or improvement of property, equipment, workforce development, and technology.

FHLBank Chicago Community Investment Officer Katie Naftzger said, “Small businesses in our members’ communities provide valuable products and services that contribute to local economies. Accelerate Grants provide an opportunity for our members to strengthen their partnerships with local small businesses, thereby supporting economic growth and job opportunities and strengthening the fabric of the rural, urban, and small-town communities served by our members.”

Siren Shrub co-founder Layne Cozzolino said, “We are thrilled by the opportunity to place our shrub product lines in 25 stores via on-floor displays this summer. Once successful, we will receive designated space on the shelves and the chance to expand into more stores. This is an incredible opportunity to use invaluable floor space to increase awareness about our products.”

Siren Shrub’s other co-founder, Mindy McCord, said that Siren Shrub is a vinegar-based mixer with many versatile uses in both drinks and cooking. “Much like kombucha, when it entered the market, there is education needed,” she added. “We believe that folks joining or following the mindful drinking movement are ready to see products that can flex between alcoholic and non-alcoholic, like ours, in the mainstream. We’re ready and excited to capture the attention of shoppers.”

International Bank Vice President Lonnie Przybylski helped Cozzolino and McCord obtain the grant.