SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah woman was awarded $6,000 in grants Wednesday to help her expand her gourmet cheese business.
Corinne Zinn, a Belgium native, received a $5,000 grant at the Women's Entrepreneurial Conference, a one-day conference presented by the Women's Business Center of Utah and the Utah Women's Networking Group.
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"I’m really honored. And it is so rewarding because it’s a lot of work. It’s a lot of work. And, when you start a company and create the cheese, make the cheese, the recipes and realize that people love what you’re doing, that is very rewarding," Zinn told FOX 13.
Zinn is the owner of Park City Creamery in Heber City. She competed with 24 other women to vie for and ultimately win the top prize.
Each contestant had to put together a three-minute pitch to describe what they would do with the grant money. All 25 finalists received grants of at least $300.
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For several years, Zinn sold her cheese at Deer Valley Resort. When the resort was sold, she didn't want her customers to go without, so she opened Park City Creamery.
"When people taste it, they’re hooked. They love it and it’s really a reflection of Utah," Zinn told FOX 13.
Zinn said the prize money will help her secure new vendors like Whole Foods Market.
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Her cheese will also be on sale on May 19 at a farmers market in Park City.
In addition to the $5,000 Wendy J. English Grant For Growth, Zinn was awarded a $1,000 People's Choice grant.