Three Revolutions Helps The Hot Tamale Co. Rise from the Ashes
(3BL Media) Middlebury, VT - August 22, 2012 - Three Revolutions, a Vermont-‐based crowdfunding platform for food related ventures, is helping The Hot Tamale Co. literally rise from ashes after a fire destroyed the Mexican restaurant. The authentic fare based in Johnson, Vermont relied on a combination of local Vermont goods and carefully sourced ingredients from Mexico to serve their to-go location and over 220 farmer’s markets across the northern part of the state each season.
Before the fire on August 3, The Hot Tamale Co. mother/daughter team had approached Three Revolutions about using its newly launched crowdfunding platform to expand throughout Vermont. “We are a community supported and sustained organization that needs to find a new, larger home for our business that will allow people to engage in the experience that is Mexico in Vermont,” partner and daughter Moana Dixon stated. But when the fire ripped through the restaurant, and home above it that housed 2 employees as well as the owners destroying 100% all of its assets and personal property, The Hot Tamale Co. team urgently changed its funding request. They are now seeking $7,500 of the $75,000 needed to replace the restaurant equipment that was not insured. Their hope is simply to raise enough money for a deposit on a new space so that they can begin to cook and raise the business from the ashes. “This will be our only means of survival; to not let this fire consume us and everything we have worked so hard to build. We are starting from the bottom all over again,” Kaheleilani added. “The Hot Tamale Company uses fresh locally grown products, to make delicious Mexican food. It has been very popular,” notes Lehman. “They approached Three Revolutions about expanding throughout Vermont. When disaster struck, we worked with them to quickly adjusted their campaign to focus on rebuilding the restaurant.”
Hot Tamale Co. taps into a rising interest to combine local and ethnic food. When Keheleilani moved to Vermont from southern California, she missed authentic Mexican food. A trained chef, she began making her own in her kitchen and selling them at farmer’s markets which locals could not get enough of. In 2011, Kaheleilani established a to-‐ go location on Route 100C in Johnson, when her daughter, an LA based brand builder signed on full time to partner in guiding the rapid growth of the company and developing product line. The popular restaurant was little more than two years old when a flash fire ignited two propane tanks last week totaling the building and it’s contents while Dixon was cooking alone. “Nothing is more devastating than waking up one morning and knowing that you have destroyed someone’s entire life, business and means of survival in a matter of moments. Although we have lost our home and our business, the spirit of who we are still stands. We will find a way to recover and move on, God Willing.” Dixon said.
Three Revolutions offers food and farm enterprises an opportunity to raise funds from appreciative consumers who are eager to support and connect with their favorite businesses and “put their money where their mouth is.” Project supporters contribute to funding campaigns for as little as $10 and in return receive a reward from the business they backed.
Three Revolutions, founded by Kevin Lehman and Chris Lindgren, was launched in July. Its mission is to connect food through community. Rebuilding The Hot Tamale Co. in the aftermath of a fire is one of several food ventures featured on the Three Revolutions crowdfunding platform. Join the food revolution and “put your money where your mouth is.” ThreeRevolutions.com.
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Contact:
Kevin Lehman, Co-Founder, info@threerevolutions.com, @kevinlehman
