Winner at Pitch Slam dressed for success

BOULDER — The Dressed Up Salad Dressing company won Naturally Boulder’s Entrepreneurial Pitch Slam, walking away with $45,000 in business services and industry bragging rights.

Co-founder Jamie Corder said the company has trademark rights to the “Dressed Up” name, and plans to expand into sauces and condiments. The salad dressings are the No. 1-selling dressing in the refrigerated section at the Cherry Creek Whole Foods store, Corder told judges during the finals round of the pitch slam contest.

The company’s headquarters is in Boulder, and its products are manufactured in Vail.

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The “pitch slam” is billed as three minutes that can change the life of a young company. More than 20 companies pitched their products to a panel of local judges in this year’s afternoon event, held at Rembrandt Yard, 1301 Spruce St., Boulder.

Three finalists were chosen to pitch at an evening awards banquet for Naturally Boulder held at the Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St.

Other pitch slam finalists included Lovely Lady Products LLC, a skin-care company in Fort Collins, founded by Cheryl Crispi; and Zest Brands LLC almond desserts in Boulder, co-founded by Ken Hess.

Oh, Yes You Candy, a carob treat company in Boulder founded by Jodi Feinhor-Dennis, received an honorable mention from the judges in the finalist round.

Naturally Boulder started in 2005. The local industry trade group nurtures new natural-foods companies and promotes Boulder as a hub of natural products. The local natural- and organic-products industry generates $2.5 billion in economic impact on the state of Colorado, according to a recent study done by the University of Colorado-Boulder’s Leeds School of Business.

After the pitch slam finals, key players in Boulder’s natural-foods industry handed out awards to top local companies during the awards banquet. The trade group held a special remembrance for Lance Gentry, president of Boulder-based Justin’s Nut Butter LLC, who died of a brain tumor in June. Naturally Boulder’s Breakthrough Innovation Award was renamed the Lance Gentry Innovation Award in honor of Gentry. In addition, the trade group presented a $2,000 check to Gentry’s wife, Nancy Gentry, for a scholarship fund for the Gentry children, Zachary, 10, and Amelie, 8.

Lafayette-based Door to Door Organics Inc. received the Company of the Year award.

Boulder Soup Works received the Best Young Business award.

Denver-based Teatulia received the Focus on the Future Sustainability award.

Joan Boykin, former executive director of The Organic Center, received the Local Hero award.

Boulder-based Cheribundi Inc. received the Lance Gentry Innovation Award.

Paul Repetto, co-founder of Broomfield-based Horizon Organic Dairy and a partner at Greenmont Capital Partners in Boulder, received the Lifetime Achievement award.