News@Ivey · Communications

Ivey opens its doors to London community

Sep 18, 2023

Dennis’ Horseradish co-owner Mark Whitmore, MBA '91, talking to Open House guests

As part of its continued centennial anniversary celebrations, Ivey invited the London public to its Community Open House on Saturday, September 16, welcoming over 300 guests to the Richard Ivey Building.

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Check out the Facebook album for more photos from the Open House

Ivey’s Community Open House was a collaboration with London Heritage Council’s Doors Open event, one of the longest-running annual celebrations of the city’s culture and history. As part of the event’s theme, London’s Heritage Through Cuisine, Ivey invited the London community to meet Ivey alumni entrepreneurs from across Southwestern Ontario who shared their experiences in the food and beverage industries and sampled and sold their diverse, delicious products.

Several attendees voiced their excitement about the chance to tour the Ivey building and meet with alumni, whether they were Doors Open regulars, potential future students, or long-time Londoners curious about the School.

“The event today was amazing,” said Zentein Nutrition founder Will Wang, HBA ’21. “We were able to converse with the local community and students, and we distributed all of our samples. We even received almost 100 five-star Google reviews, so it was a great opportunity for us.”

Baby Rhino Coffee Inc. co-founders Lara Tabbara and Aidan Van Beek, both HBA ’23, also expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to connect with the community. “Ivey’s been an incredible resource to help entrepreneurs like us,” said Van Beek. Tabbara added, “The School has provided us with a great network of people to meet and learn from and has introduced us to experiences that wouldn’t be possible without them.”

A huge thank you to our participating entrepreneurs:

Baby Rhino Coffee Inc., founded by Lara Tabbara and Aidan Van Beek, both HBA '23, makes easy-to-use, great-tasting cold brew coffee pouches;
CRANK Lite Bev Corp, founded by Jack Jelinek and Michael Woolfson, both HBA '20, is a light, low-cal, low-carb, ‘CRANK-able’ lager, perfect for students or beer enthusiasts looking for a crisp and refreshing pint. CRANK is brewed at Railway City Brewing in St. Thomas, Ontario.
Darling Mimosa, founded by Patrick Donnelly, MBA '20, and partners, is an authentic sparkling mimosa made with real juice and Ontario wine from Niagara.
Dennis’ Horseradish, a 60-year-old Norfolk brand co-owned by Mark Healy, MBA '05, Mark Vandenbosch, HBA '84, and Mark Whitmore, MBA '91, prides itself in producing the hottest and best horseradish in Canada;
Sidetrack, co-founded in 2019 by Richie Bloomfield, HBA ’14, MBA ’20, and Manosij (Mano) Majumdar, MBA ’16, brings café classics and quirky creations in espresso, filter coffee, tea, cocoa, and baked treats to Wortley Village in London, Ontario;
ZENERGY, a revitalizing cold-compressed chewing gum with caffeine and B vitamins. The Do More Company (parent company to ZENERGY) was founded by Rohan Kumar, HBA ’18, and specializes in functional foods designed to address common health concerns in North America; and,
Zentein Nutrition, founded by Will Wang, HBA ’21, creates delicious protein bars and other healthy foods for active, demanding lifestyles. The Zentein bar is made from high-quality ingredients and delivers 25 grams of protein per bar while tasting like a dessert.