Blip Roasters opened a second location this year and continues to find success with a niche in coffee and a motorcycle culture.

Los Angeles restaurateur Mark Manguera wanted to come to Kansas City with an unbiased opinion, so he didn’t do any research before visiting for the first time. He knew only two basic things about the local scene: the Kansas City Chiefs and barbecue. “It’s been a bunch of surprises in a very positive way to explore the city’s culinary landscape, from LC’s (Bar-B-Q), where the entire room was filled with smoke — that adds character — all the way to the amazing rooftop (bar) at the…

For the first time, MedZone is being carried in Walmart stores. CEO Joe Freeman shares what it's done for the company and what's next.

An Illinois company is purchasing the Kansas City and St. Louis operations of one its competitors, Minnesota-based Morey's Seafood International LLC, a seafood products provider and distributor. The deal closes Monday, and financial details were not disclosed.  For Fortune International LLC, the acquisition brings additional processing and distribution facilities, allowing it to "increase their service level and footprint in the current market," according to a Thursday release. The Illinois company…

PepsiCo Inc. (Nasdaq: PEP) is shuttering its Kansas City production facility at 6050 Manchester Trafficway, which will affect 57 employees. The layoffs will occur over a 14-day period starting May 17, according to a filing with the state. In an emailed statement to the Kansas City Business Journal, a PepsiCo spokesperson said that despite the planned closing, the company expects to "continue serving our customers and consumers in the area seamlessly. We remain committed to supporting all of our…

Kansas City-based Firebrand Ventures has added a new partner to the mix. The venture capital fund announced that Ryan Merket joined the executive team and will be based in Austin, where Firebrand is launching a presence.  Merket is an angel investor, and his deep technical and security roots give him a unique perspective for evaluating prospective companies and furthering those in the portfolio, Firebrand Managing Director John Fein said in a release.  Merket has worked at companies such as…