*By Madison Alworth* Neel Premkumar, CEO of energy-shot company FORTO, thinks he can hit a billion dollars in sales in five years. And he hopes a recent deal with Walmart can help get him there. "It's a huge deal. Walmart took us into the coffee aisle, which is the first time a small-rated, coffee shot made it into the big boys' \[club\]," Premkumar told Cheddar on Friday. FORTO, whose two-ounce shots contain as much caffeine as one or two cups of coffee, expanded its reach to 3,700 Walmart stores just last month. The growth is part of what Premkumar called a "new wave of coffee." "We've more than doubled every single year. We are probably the fastest-growing beverage brand in the U.S. at this point." For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/forto-coffee-shots-for-energy).

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Small grocers and convenience stores feel an impact as customers go without SNAP benefits
Some small grocery stores and neighborhood convenience stores are eager for the U.S. government shutdown to end and for their customers to start receiving federal food aid again. Late last month, the Trump administration froze funding for the SNAP benefits that about 42 million Americans use to buy groceries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says about 74% of the assistance was spent last year at superstores like Walmart and supermarkets like Kroger. Around 14% went to smaller stores that are more accessible to SNAP beneficiaries. A former director of the United Nations World Food Program says SNAP is not only a social safety net for families but a local economic engine that supports neighborhood businesses.
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