OLGA'S KITCHEN DISTRIBUTES $20,000 TO WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS THROUGH OLGA LOIZON MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

Olga Loizon's entrepreneurial legacy lives on with restaurant distributing grants to Sticky Spoons Jam and U-Plant Landscape Designs

LIVONIA, Mich., May 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Olga's Kitchen, an iconic Michigan brand owned and operated by Livonia-based TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants (TSFR), announced today it is distributing two business grants to female, Michigan-based entrepreneurs through the Olga Loizon Memorial Foundation. Sticky Spoons Jam, LLC. and U-Plant Landscape Designs, LLC. have each been awarded $10,000 grants to continue to build their business.

"We're elated to honor the legacy of our founder by providing two women entrepreneurs with grants to take their Michigan-based businesses to the next level," said Loredana Gianino, president of the Olga Loizon Memorial Foundation. "Perseverance and innovation were central to Olga's spirit and her success as she left an impact on this community. The grant awardees embody the same qualities as women entrepreneurs who are trailblazing in their own fields. We look forward to seeing how these grants will fuel the growth and success of these businesses."

A pioneer for women in business, Olga Loizon overcame countless obstacles - including being refused a loan from her bank simply because she was a woman - to create one of metro Detroit's most iconic restaurant concepts. TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants and Olga's Kitchen founded the Olga Loizon Memorial Foundation in her honor to provide annual grants to aspiring women entrepreneurs who exemplify the same passion, ambition and vision.

Grant winners are as follows:

Sticky Spoons Jam, LLC.
Founded by Former Third-Class Petty Officer Engineman (Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist) in the United States Navy, Aiyenede Akhigbe, Sticky Spoons Jam specializes in the production of jams, jellies and syrup using locally-sourced produce and packaging from Michigan farms and small businesses. Creating more than 100 unique flavors such as Lunar Eclipse, Summer Solstice, Winter Jelly, and Blueberry Lavender, Sticky Spoons sells products at local Michigan and Indiana markets. Aiye founded the business in 2016 to feed her children preservative-free foods and has been dubbed "The Crazy Jam Lady".

In 2023, Sticky Spoons will open its licensed kitchen and storefront as well as an e-commerce website. The business also aims to continue to identify and enter into profitable partnerships with shops in Michigan and beyond, including creating an exclusive lineup at Meijer's Bridge Street Market.

U-Plant Landscape Designs, LLC.
Founded by Sandy Jonick in 2019, U-Plant Landscape Designs assists homeowners eager to create beautiful landscapes with the necessary elements to complete the project themselves. By providing digital landscape designs, a detailed plant list and labeled images, U-Plant Landscape Designs helps turn do-it-yourself homeowner's dreams into a blueprint reality. Sandy has designed more than 300 landscapes for West Michigan homeowners in the past three years.

The grant money from the Olga Loizon Memorial Foundation will go towards fully funding U-Plant Landscape Designs' marketing program and capital needs. This will lead to expanding the business into other markets, beautifying communities and making them an influential part of the environment.

Women entrepreneurs can apply for grants through the Olga Loizon Memorial Foundation at https://www.olgas.com/foundation/. For those interested in donating to the Olga Loizon Memorial Foundation, please visit https://www.olgas.com/donate.

To learn more about Olga's Kitchen visit www.olgas.com and for more information about TSFR please visit www.teamschostak.com.

About Olga's Kitchen

Founded in 1970 by Olga Loizon, Olga's Kitchen is known for its signature, grilled-to-order secret recipe Olga Bread. Serving over 20,000 pieces of its Olga Bread every day, Olga's Kitchen does not serve sandwiches, but rather Olgas. This commitment to quality across its 29 Olga's Kitchen, Olga's Fresh Grille and Olga's Express restaurant formats have solidified its reputation as the leader in the casual family dining restaurant industry, with a focus on delivering a positively unique and consistent culinary experience. From its Olga Bread to The Original Olga® and Olga's Snackers®, Olga's Kitchen has an unmatched standard for delighting its loyal guests with menu items infused with bold flavors, made-to-order from high-quality ingredients sourced locally whenever possible. For more information, visit www.olgas.com.

About TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants

Livonia, Mich.-based TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants is a family-owned restaurant group with an expansive portfolio of casual dining, quick service and family dining restaurants throughout the state of Michigan. With a commitment to quality operations, TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants is an industry leader in attracting, developing and retaining the most talented workforce that proudly delights its guests and sets an unmatched standard of excellence. For the past three decades, TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants has expanded its restaurant catalog to include 63 Applebee's (including the world's only co-branded Applebee's/IHOP, inside Detroit's Millender center), 21 Olga's Kitchen restaurants, 4 Olga's Fresh Grilles, 4 Olga's Expresses, 12 MOD Pizza restaurants, and 8 Del Taco restaurants. Additionally, in May 2019 TSFR increased its portfolio to include 56 Wendy's locations across Michigan. For more information, visit www.teamschostak.com.

SOURCE Olga’s Kitchen