GAITHERSBURG, MD—Marriott International is seeking a food and beverage entrepreneur to open a bar inside of a 20-ft. x 8-ft. shipping container at the Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center Hotel here through Canvas, a global incubator designed to bring food and beverage concepts to life at the brand’s hotels.
The winning idea will get an infusion of resources, including up to $30,000 in seed money, expert guidance and a purpose-built facility in suburban Washington, DC, according to the company. Business plans can be submitted at www.canvas-startup.com through noon on June 9.
Together with a panel of local mixologists, business experts and hotel operators, Marriott will determine which entrepreneur brings the most creativity, sustainability and business acumen to the table. After an initial span of operations, the concept will be evaluated for success based on popularity and return on investment. As the program expands, Marriott hopes to attract, motivate and retain more talent—and create a robust food and beverage idea pipeline—while supporting smart, savvy entrepreneurs on the local level, according to the company.
“Containers are the new hot thing, and we got our first! Our newest outpost of Canvas, Marriott International’s global food and drink incubation lab, will go lakeside to Gaithersburg and we can’t wait,” said Wolfgang Lindlbauer, global leader, food & beverage.