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THURSDAY, OCT. 27, 2016 | IN THIS ISSUE
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 Repour launches in person and on Kickstarter
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Repour inventor Tom Lutz, shown in his booth at yesterday's Innovation EXPO.
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The Cedar Rapids entrepreneur behind an innovative new wine saver is hoping that early buzz around his product translates into support online.
Inventor Tom Lutz and his wife, Michelle, introduced their Repour smart stopper and an accompanying crowdfunding campaign during yesterday's
Innovation EXPO in downtown Cedar Rapids. He is hoping to raise $15,000 through
Kickstarter, which will help his company to produce the product on a larger and more cost-effective scale.
The Repour smart stopper absorbs oxygen from the air above wine for as long as the bottle is in use, for however many times it is opened and closed, and for as many days as the bottle needs to be preserved. The system differs from others on the market through its relative simplicity - consumers simply remove a foil seal on the bottom of the stopper, and then place it in the bottle place of the original cork - and its means of action, Mr. Lutz explained.
"There's never been a system on the market that absorbs oxygen," he said, describing the action of competing wine preserving systems as closer to "oxygen displacement."
Mr. Lutz, who has a background in product development and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry, said his company set a "modest goal" for its Kickstarter campaign in order to gauge interest in the product. Early projections have the company targeting a per-unit price of about $1.25, Mr. Lutz said; if the campaign goes well, they will invest in more automation to lower the price.
The product will eventually be offered in a one-, four- and 10-pack, with the possibility of a 72-pack for hospitality customers. It has already been used at local wine shops and wineries, including the First Avenue Wine House in Cedar Rapids and Cedar Ridge Vineyards in Swisher.
Repour was developed with help from
local fabricator BeraTek Industries, which will also manufacture the plastic parts used on the final product, Mr. Lutz said. The company, founded in 2015, is expecting to have product ready for shipment in the first quarter of 2017.
"It's great to have such a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem here in the Corridor," he said in a statement. "Everyone has been so helpful and that has been so instrumental in helping me get this far this fast."
Look for more Innovation EXPO coverage in Monday's print edition of the Corridor Business Journal.
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Inventor unveils electric car recharging system at expo
Yesterday's Innovation EXPO was also launch day for Global Clean Transportation Technologies' ME2 electric vehicle mileage extender product, and founder James Dierickx was excited.
The inventor from Lowden brought an electric Ford Focus equipped with the kit that includes sealed lead batteries, an inverter and a plug-in charging system. The vehicle's owner can use the ME2 to recharge the main battery when he or she reaches their destination, essentially doubling its driving range.
For about $2,000, "it can double the range, so if you want to commute from Clinton to Cedar Rapids, you can," Mr. Dierickx said.
Mr. Dierickx said he only decided to introduce the product about two months ago, and has received a lot of help from NewBoCo in Cedar Rapids in figuring out what steps to take. He's already planning to launch another product that will use braking power to charge batteries and extend driving range.
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BLEU looks east for next stage of expansion
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Alizabeth Jetter, co-founder of BLEU, introduces her product to Innovation EXPO attendees.
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A homegrown vodka brand is poised to take its first step out of state, according to the company's co-founder.
Alizabeth Jetter of BLEU told the CBJ during the Innovation EXPO that the Cedar Rapids-based brand is set to launch in Illinois and the Chicago area in the coming months after a year of gaining distribution in Iowa.
The company's infused vodka liqueurs are now available at select retailers and restaurants in the state's largest metro areas, including Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Des Moines, Iowa City and Waterloo.
Ms. Jetter said that the federal permitting process for the brand's distillery took all of 2015. Benz Beverage Depot in January 2016 became the first to start stocking the company's two products: the wild blueberry-infused BLEU Original, and the citrus-infused BLEU Pel. The company has to date sold more than 1,200 bottles of its product.
Ms. Jetter said the company's offerings are "made like an ultra-premium" liqueur, but priced in much friendlier range - typically between $23-$27.
"We want to give people the ultra-premium experience without setting them back," Ms. Jetter said.
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Big Grove executive chef receives national accolades
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Benjamin Smart. CREDIT: Big Grove
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Benjamin Smart, executive chef at Big Grove Brewery in Solon, has been named one of
30 Chefs to Watch in 2016 by the national culinary magazine, Plate.
The chefs on the magazine's annual list are selected from kitchens across the country, putting the small town just north of Iowa City on a culinary map alongside Brooklyn, Seattle, Charleston and San Francisco.
Mr. Smart first appeared on the radar of Plate editors after a presentation at a Culinary Institute of America Conference a year ago. In June, Editor Chandra Ram attended a special dinner at the restaurant and brewery, and the next day featured one of Mr. Smart's dishes as the magazine's "Dish of the Day."
"These are the chefs who are gaining attention in their hometowns for the food they prepare, and for the thought they put into what they cook, how they source their ingredients, and how they pull it all together," Plate Editor Chandra Ram wrote of this year's honorees. "Their restaurants are the ones other chefs hit up on a night off, where you can tell that there's something special going on."
Mr. Smart expressed appreciation for being mentioned among other great chefs in the country, and described the deep-rooted passion for food that propels his work at the restaurant.
"At the end of the day, I just love food," he said in a statement. "I'm always drawn to the kitchen. On a Sunday, I still cook at home, while I enjoy a glass of wine or bourbon. It's very cathartic for me."
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BerganKDV has announced the acquisition of Agribusiness Resources CPA LLC, an Eldora-based accounting firm specializing in retail agriculture.
The move will increase BerganKDV's agribusiness offerings, according to the firm. It currently offers agricultural businesses advisory, assurance, accounting and tax services. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
"This investment is in line with our vision for the future -- to solve complex problems for the industries that are important to the communities we serve," CEO Chris Honkomp stated in a press release. "Many of our staff, myself included, grew up on a farm. We understand the importance of this industry for Iowa, Minnesota and surrounding states."
The agribusiness team at BerganKDV is involved in local, regional and national agriculture associations. The firm works for multiple location farmer cooperatives, privately-owned agriculture retailers, agriculture manufacturers and food processors and large farming operations throughout the Midwest.
BerganKDV has seven other locations in Iowa and Minnesota, including in Cedar Rapids and Coralville.
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Consulting: Consumer research - buy or DIY?
In this week's consulting spotlight, CBJ columnist and MindFire Communications President Lynn Manternach offers advice on deciding how to source your customer research:
We're all trying to figure out how to align what we're selling with what consumers want to buy. Sometimes that's easy and obvious. Most of the time, it's not.
Consumer research can provide a powerful strategic foundation for success. Having a clear understanding of who your customers are, why they choose to do business with you and what they really want from your product or service allows you to focus your resources in ways that ultimately impact the bottom line.
The question isn't really whether you should conduct consumer research - it's a matter of how. Should you do it yourself in-house or outsource to the professionals? Most organizations need a combination of do-it-yourself (DIY) and outsourced professional research. It's important to understand which type to use when.
There are two points that everyone can agree upon when it comes to DIY research: The costs are low and use is rising. The fact that DIY research does not require a budget for external costs is a big reason for the newfound popularity of in-house research efforts.
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From around the web:
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Online lenders are standardizing how they show the
cost of a small business loan in response to regulatory scrutiny, the Wall Street Journal reports.
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And here's a list of the nation's
top 13 microlenders for entrepreneurs seeking funding, according to the Palm Beach Post.
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Forward the FREE, weekly CBJ on Small Business newsletter to your friends and colleagues, and share the feeling of being informed! Use our fast, one-minute subscription to the CBJ's newsletters
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Corridor Stocks
| NAME |
SYM |
PRICE |
CHG |
%CHG |
| AEGON |
AEG |
4.41 |
0.04 |
0.92% |
| Alliant Energy |
LNT |
37.02 |
-0.17 |
-0.45% |
| Deere & Company |
DE |
87.00 |
-0.04 |
-0.05% |
| Dow Jones |
^DJI |
18,169.68 |
-29.65 |
-0.16% |
| General Mills |
GIS |
60.72 |
-0.12 |
-0.20% |
| GoDaddy Inc. |
GDDY |
36.39 |
0.07 |
0.19% |
| Great Western Bank |
GWB |
32.85 |
-0.21 |
-0.64% |
| Heartland Express |
HTLD |
18.61 |
0.29 |
1.58% |
| ITC Holdings |
ITC |
45.50 |
-0.48 |
-1.04% |
| KemPharm |
KMPH |
3.95 |
0.15 |
3.95% |
| Marsh & McLennan |
MMC |
63.18 |
-0.04 |
-0.06% |
| MidWestOne |
MOFG |
30.50 |
0.08 |
0.26% |
| Pearson |
PSO |
9.03 |
-0.06 |
-0.66% |
| Pepsico |
PEP |
106.63 |
-0.44 |
-0.41% |
| Principal Financial |
PFG |
53.56 |
0.55 |
1.04% |
| QCR Holdings |
QCRH |
31.95 |
0.05 |
0.16% |
| Rockwell Collins |
COL |
82.15 |
0.75 |
0.92% |
| S&P 500 |
^GSPC |
2,133.04 |
-6.39 |
-0.30% |
| Tanger Factory |
SKT |
34.23 |
-0.78 |
-2.24% |
| Procter & Gamble |
PG |
86.58 |
-0.82 |
-0.94% |
| United Fire Group |
UFCS |
39.70 |
-0.48 |
-1.19% |
| U.S. Bank |
USB |
44.70 |
0.47 |
1.06% |
| Wells Fargo |
WFC |
46.41 |
0.26 |
0.56% |
| West Bank |
WTBA |
19.40 |
0.15 |
0.78% |
| Whirlpool |
WHR |
147.69 |
-1.83 |
-1.22% |
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Short-Term Event Planner
Oct. 27
Business PM - WineStyles at the Iowa River Landing,
by the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, 4:30-6:30 p.m., WineStyles Tasting Station, 920 E. Second Ave., Coralville. Join fellow chamber members at the monthly Business PM for networking, appetizers, hors d'oeuvres and more. Free for chamber members. For more information, call (319) 337-9637.
Oct. 31
Coralville Roundtable - Wig & Pen Pizza Pub,
by the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, noon-1 p.m., Wig & Pen Pizza Pub, 1220 Highway 6 West, Iowa City. Roundtables are social lunches over the noon hour. All are invited to network, keep up to date with chamber and community events and frequent a member restaurant or business. Free. For more information, call the chamber at (319) 337-9637.
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Headlines from CBS2/FOX 28
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28
An openly gay candidate running for a spot on the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors is calling vandalism to his house a hate crime. Candidate Christopher Schwartz says anti-gay messages were spray painted onto his home and campaign signs on his lawn. "Lev 20:13" was also spray painted on his door, a bible passage that reads "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." Mr. Schwartz says the vandalism occurred amid a heated social media argument involving Cedar Valley Patriots, a local group that criticized Mr. Schwartz for organizing an annual gay-rights event in Waterloo. Judd Saul, the leader of that group said it isn't responsible. So far, no arrests have been made.
Just 12 days from Election Day, a new poll shows a dead heat between major political party candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. A Quinnipiac poll released today has Secretary Clinton and Mr. Trump each with 44 percent support, with Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson gaining 4 percent support. Green Party candidate Jill Stein got 1 percent support. Mr. Trump held a slight lead in the last Quinnipiac poll when all candidates were taken into account, and maintains a 47 to 46 percent lead when polled head to head against Ms. Clinton. The two major candidates also split support among likely independent voters, each gathering 40 percent backing. Both candidates are getting 88 percent support of their respective party. Iowa men back Mr. Trump 51 to 35 percent, while women back Ms. Clinton 52 to 37 percent.
T
hese news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28
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CBS2 Chief Meteorologist Terry Swails'
Weather First Forecast
We'll have clearing skies throughout the day after a cloudy start to our Thursday. Temps will warm a bit but will remain below normal, with mid to lower 50s expected. A few clouds remain in the forecast this evening with mid to upper 40s overnight and areas of patchy fog developing into the morning hours Friday. Tomorrow's forecast will bring plenty of sunshine and it will be warm. Temperatures will be climbing into the low to mid 70s with a gusty southern wind at 10-20 mph gusting to 30 mph. Beautiful weather is in store for Friday night's football playoffs as temps cool to the upper 50s by game time with a calming wind.
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