A local business and an area business are taking top honors in the Kansas Small Business Development Center’s annual awards ceremony next month.
The Sweet Granada, a staple of downtown Emporia for 16 years now, is the Existing Business of the Year — following the Emerging Business of the Year honor back in 2007. It has moved its production space twice and its retail space once to meet ever-increasing demand. The Sweet Granada used the Small Business Development Center at Emporia State University for help with production and overhead costs, profit margins and re-engineering equipment for faster, more efficient production.
EMP Shield of Burlington is the Emerging Business of the Year for the region served by Emporia State. The business started three years ago to design and make the world’s first surge protector devices to protect structures and electronics from high-altitude electromagnetic pulses like high-end solar flares. Last year, EMP Shield added over 20 full-time employees, leased a building in Burlington with plans to add a second building and upgraded its manufacturing facilities.
The annual award ceremony is March 5 in Topeka.
