Business Idea featured in Salt Lake Tribune

http://www.sltrib.com/Salt%20Lake%20Tribune%20Home%20Page/ci_10736236

Elizabeth Dehart wants her children to be able to buy vending machine snacks - just not the kind that are loaded up with fat and sugar. Put off by the poor nutritional value of school lunches being served in the Jordan School District, the West Jordan mother of two decided last summer to take action and make a healthier cache of snacks available to youngsters. Her idea: to replace schools' vending machines with some of her own, stocked with healthy, organic foods. Instead of spending their pocket change on greasy potato chips, high sodium pretzels and gooey candy bars, students would have the option of buying natural cookies, granola bars, cold teas and fruit juices. "If I can get the machines into places, my goal is to not allow anything that has artificial colors or preservatives, trans fats or high fructose corn syrup," she said. Dehart's school-teacher mother raised her on straight-from-the garden fresh produce and health food store groceries - "she was kind of before her time in terms of the organic food movement." Her own 5-year-old daughter was born with eczema, an allergic condition that affects the skin. Only after Dehart changed her daughter's diet, taking out anything other than whole, natural foods, did her health improve. For Dehart, it was sufficient evidence that junk food was having
an impact on her children's lives. "There has also been links to hyperactivity [in children] with certain food additives and dyes," she said.

So in July, Dehart got her small business plan rolling on Ideablob.com. A place where aspiring entrepreneurs can pitch their ideas in a contest format, the Web site encourages online visitors to vote for the best new concepts. Dehart's plan won, earning her $10,000 - enough to buy three vending machines. But getting the equipment and making arrangements with Colorado-based United Natural Foods for the snacks was just the first step. Dehart said she's having difficulty getting the vending machines into schools, even as part of a pilot program, since most already have multiyear contacts with large corporations. And some of those corporations donate a portion of their proceeds back to the schools. "It is proving to be difficult. What I need are moms and the PTA [Parent Teacher Association] that are interested in convincing the schools that this would be a good idea," she said.

WITH MY WRONG CONTACT INFO. UGH