Accelerating Appalachia’s class of 2015

“[All of the selected companies] provide a unique nature-aligned product with capacity to scale regionally, nationally or globally,” says Accelerating Appalachia founder Sara Day Evans, “and they adhere to the triple bottom line of a business that equally balances doing good for people, place and prosperity.”

Here are the mission statements of each company in the class of 2015. Businesses are Asheville-based unless otherwise noted.

Ecological Services Markets is building new markets to achieve land-based sustainability in food, farming and forests.

Green River Picklers strives to produce the highest quality pickled vegetables using the simplest and most sustainable means. Locally sourced, consciously produced, and hand packed in small batches, Green River Picklers pays tribute to our southern heritage by continuing family traditions and preserving local food, while continuously fostering growth in our community.

GrowJourney (Greenville, S.C.) is a seeds-of-the-month club specializing in certified organic heirloom seeds. The company’s mission is to ignite a grassroots passion for growing and sharing traditionally bred, heirloom, organic foods, while encouraging the use of gardening & farming practices that improve long-term soil fertility, environmental health and human wellness.

Harvest Moon Grille (Lincolnton, N.C.) is committed to sharing the freshest seasonal ingredients from our own farm as well as that from those of other small-scale sustainable farms nearby. Sourcing nearly all ingredients – not just a few – from within 100 miles of our doors ensures that the food is at its peak of flavor and nutrition, and nourishes our local economy as well as our patrons.

Joseph Adams has created a toy, and game, that aims to inspire divergent thinking, positive play, cooperative learning, and innovation in commerce. Adams will reveal more details about his venture once the intellectual property is protected.

ORB Technologies (Lexington, Ky.) is developing ultra-low energy building technologies. The company will reveal more details when the intellectual property is protected.

River Island Apothecary is a product line of all-botanical perfume and skin care designed and produced in thoughtful batches by Katie Vie.

Smiling Hara Tempeh is the only company offering soy-free tempeh on the market today. Smiling Hara’s goal is to educate the general public to the benefits of unpasteurized tempeh and bring it into the national spotlight … which will contribute to the health and nutrition of customers as well as the state of the local economy.  Vote for Smiling Hara in FedEx’s small business grant contest online at avl.mx/xmasjan.