Washington, DC (June 4, 2026) – The Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) proudly unveils the Takeoff 8 contestants, this year’s standouts who have advanced from Rounds 1 and 2 to the Round 3/Final Competition of the 2026 AMAC Runway to Success Supplier Pitch Competition. These contestants will compete live at the 41st Annual AMAC Airport Business Conference at National Harbor, MD.
The Takeoff 8 contestants will exhibit their products in the Experience Hall and compete among VIP judges comprised of a distinguished panel of airport concessions and travel retail executives on Friday, June 12, 2026. After the Takeoff 8 contestants are scored, the Final Approach 4 contestants will compete again among the VIP judges live on the AMAC Hub Stage in the Experience Hall on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 2:45 pm.
Takeoff 8 Contestants
Representing Atlanta, GA
Che’ Rene Macarons
- Ché René Macarons sells French Macarons with a Southern twist while providing jobs to veterans, second-chance individuals, and neurodivergent adults seeking independence.
Creole-ish
- Creole-ish is a Creole-inspired specialty food brand offering bold Creole-style barbecue sauce and handcrafted pralines.
Popcorn Remix
- A gourmet popcorn offering flavors like Strawberry Shortcake, Caramel, Cookies n’ Cream, and more.
Representing Chicago, IL
Love Cork Screw
- Love Cork Screw offers award-winning rosé, red and white wine.
MsPsGFree
- MsPsGFree is a granola company offering gluten-free options like Berry Nutty, Harvest Blend, and Chocolate Hazelnut Pecan.
SickFit
- SickFit creates premium, durable compression socks combining health and performance for confidence in every step.
Veggie Vice
- Veggie Vice offers crispy, seasoned veggie chips as an alternative to chips without seed oils.
Representing St. Louis, MI
DEMIblue Natural Nails
- DEMIblue Natural Nails is a clean, vegan nail polish that’s cruelty- and toxin-free.
The Takeoff 8 contestants will present their concepts before a distinguished panel of airport concessions and travel retail executives, who will evaluate each business based on innovation, scalability, market readiness and overall presentation. The VIP judging panel includes Jordi Martin-Consuegra of Avolta, George Mboya of SSP America, Richard Schneider of Areas USA, Yasmin Sheriff of WHSmith North America and Meghan Woods of Paradies Lagardère. After scoring is complete, the Takeoff 8 will be narrowed down to the Final Approach 4 Winners. In addition to receiving national recognition, mentorship from industry leaders and opportunities to further engage with airport authorities and major contractors nationwide, the Final 4 have the potential to secure contracts with airport primes.
Round 1 competitions were held in Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago and Atlanta. Hosted by AMAC Chapters in Detroit, Chicago and Atlanta, with anchor support from the major hub airports in each respective market, the competitions brought together over 50 participants representing emerging entrepreneurs and innovative business concepts from across the country. The regional competitions served as the first phase of the national challenge, giving contestants an opportunity to present their concepts before advancing in the competitive selection process.
Following the completion of Round 1, 16 contestants (the top 4 from each Round 1 competition) advanced to Round 2, which was held virtually and featured more intense competition and evaluation. During the virtual round, contestants further refined and presented their business concepts to a panel of industry leaders and subject-matter experts. At the conclusion of Round 2, the contestants were narrowed down to the Takeoff 8, who are moving forward to Round 3/Final.
Nearly 240 business owners applied to compete in this year’s Runway to Success Supplier Pitch Program. AMAC extends congratulations to all the contestants for their inspiring contributions to the future of airport commerce, innovation and community impact.
About AMAC Runway to Success
AMAC Runway to Success is a “Shark Tank-style”- style, multi-round, progressive supplier pitch competition to spotlight suppliers of goods and services with the potential to support and enhance the airport concessions industry. For more information, visit amac-org.com/rts.
About the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC)
Since 1984, the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) has been the only national, non-profit trade association dedicated to advancing the full participation of minorities and women in employment and contracting opportunities throughout the aviation and aerospace industries. AMAC works consistently with Congress, the federal government, aviation trade associations and strategic partners as a resource for information, education and guidance on business and employment matters. AMAC’s membership includes 1,900 airports, primes and small businesses, including DBEs/ACDBEs deeply engaged in airport operations and economic growth nationwide. For more information, visit amac-org.com.
Media Contact:
Ramon Lo, Director of Membership & Industry Engagement, AMAC
rlo@amac-org.com