CHICAGO – For the first time in 13 years, the MillerCoors Urban Entrepreneur Series (MUES) is giving consumers the chance to vote for their favorite urban entrepreneur. The new Consumer’s Choice Award is a unique addition to the national business plan competition that has awarded nearly two million dollars in grants since the program’s inception in 1999. This new component will allow finalists the opportunity to engage their social networks, for a chance to win a business development grant of $10,000.
“At MillerCoors, we embrace the changing nature of business and social networking,” said Larry Waters, senior director of community commerce and partnerships at MillerCoors. “The new Consumer’s Choice Award will serve as a way for entrepreneurs to exercise their social media marketing savvy, and provides an avenue for consumers to participate in the MUES program by voting for their favorite entrepreneur.”
In addition to the Consumer’s Choice award, MillerCoors will continue to support entrepreneurship by awarding up to $150,000 in business grants to five promising entrepreneurs. The MUES program was designed to help urban entrepreneurs grow their business and offers a set of unique resources for business owners to craft successful business plans and gain insights from experts. This year, MUES is bringing resources directly to the consumer, via a new online and mobile platform, allowing entrepreneurs to access videos and other business resources while on the go.
This year’s top winner will be awarded a $50,000 business grant. Up to four other top finalists will each receive $25,000 grants, and one consumer-voted entrepreneur from the selected finalists will be awarded a $10,000 business development grant. Qualified competitors also have the opportunity to potentially become a MillerCoors supplier. The MUES competition is open to participants who are age 21 and older. All entries must be submitted to www.MillerCoorsMUES.com by Friday, October 26, 2012, at 12:00 p.m. (CST).
The MUES program continues to grow its list of diverse partners, with the addition of the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP). Some of the long-standing MUES supporters include the Atlanta Business League, the Chicago Urban League, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Dallas, the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and additional local chambers and chapters of the Urban League.
For more information and helpful business resources, as well as the official rules and requirements of the MUES Business Plan Competition, visit www.MillerCoorsMUES.com .
About MillerCoors:
Built on a foundation of great beer brands and nearly 300 years of brewing heritage, MillerCoors continues the commitment of its founders to brew the highest quality beers. MillerCoors is the second-largest beer company in the United States, capturing nearly 30 percent of beer sales in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Led by two of the best-selling beers in the industry, MillerCoors has a broad portfolio of brands across every major industry segment. The portfolio is led by the company’s premium light brands: Coors Light, Miller Lite and Miller64. Coors Light, the World’s Most Refreshing Beer, offers consumers refreshment as cold as the Rockies. Miller Lite established the American light beer category in 1975, offering beer drinkers a light beer that tastes like beer should. Miller64 is 64 calories of crisp, light taste that complements a balanced lifestyle. MillerCoors brews premium beers Coors Banquet and Miller Genuine Draft, and economy brands Miller High Life and Keystone Light. Tenth and Blake Beer Company, MillerCoors craft and import division, imports Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell and Grolsch and features craft brews from the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, Blue Moon Brewing Company and the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company. MillerCoors operates eight major breweries in the U.S., as well as the Leinenkugel’s craft brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wisc. and two microbreweries, the Tenth Street Brewery in Milwaukee and the Blue Moon Brewing Company at Coors Field in Denver. MillerCoors vision is to create the best beer company in America through great people changing the way America enjoys beer. MillerCoors builds its brands the right way through brewing quality, responsible marketing and sustainable environmental and community impact. MillerCoors is a joint venture of SABMiller plc and Molson Coors Brewing Company. Learn more at MillerCoors.com, at facebook.com/MillerCoors or on Twitter through @MillerCoors.