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Local Voices

Unity Bank SBA Program Funds Expansion For DeCanto's Best of Hillsborough

CLINTON, N.J. (February 27, 2014) – Unity Bank has provided a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan to fund the expansion of DeCanto’s Best of Hillsborough, a business started by High Bridge resident Anthony DeCanto, Jr. with the goal of bringing its veggie burgers nationwide.

The $120,000 SBA 7(a) loan was provided to help DeCanto, 30, respond to the growing demand for his veggie burgers, which are already sold in 27 Whole Foods stores in the tri-state area as well as many other health and specialty food stores. DeCanto grew up in Branchburg, graduated from St. Joseph’s High School in Metuchen and attended Middlesex County Community College before pursuing his dream. He is expecting sales to triple in the not too distant future and is pursuing sales relationships with other major supermarket chains in the area.

“I needed a loan to help support our manufacturing needs,” said DeCanto. “We reached out to many banks, but Unity Bank pursued me the most. We received great personalized service and I’m very pleased with the way they responded to our needs.”

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Unity Bank participates in the 7(a) Loan Program, SBA’s primary program to help start-up and existing small businesses obtain financing when they might not be eligible for business loans through normal lending channels. The bank also participates in the SBA 504 Loan program, an economic development program that offers small businesses long-term, fixed-rate financing used to acquire fixed assets for expansion or modernization.

“DeCanto’s Best has a strong business model, not to mention a great tasting, healthy product, so they were an ideal candidate for the program,” said Debbie Godt, Unity Bank Vice President/SBA Business Development Executive. “We’re committed to helping people start-up and expand new businesses. Anthony has a great vision for the company and strong entrepreneurial skills so we are thankful for the opportunity to help him take DeCanto’s Best to the next level.”

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DeCanto said he always had an interest in a healthy lifestyle in large part because of his father, Anthony DeCanto, Sr., a retired chiropractor who has been a great supporter of the business venture.

DeCanto started the business after owning a health food store in Somerset, where the most popular item was the veggie burger. “Veggie burgers have sort of received a poor reputation over the years, but I realized that we could make a delicious low sodium burger without soy, gluten, dairy or added oil,” he said. “By adding unique ingredients like red cabbage and untreated, unrefined sea salt, the health benefits became secondary to the incredible taste. We closed the store and have focused on bringing DeCanto’s Best to the most people possible.”

For more information on DeCanto’s Best, please visit http://decantosbest.com/. For more information on Unity Bank’s SBA lending program, please visit www.unitybank.com/business_loanslines.asp.

About Unity Bancorp, Inc.

Unity Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: UNTY), the parent company of Unity Bank, its primary and wholly owned subsidiary, is a financial services organization headquartered in Clinton, N.J. Unity Bank provides financial services to retail, corporate and small business customers through its 15 bank branches in Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, Union and Warren Counties in New Jersey and Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Unity Bank provides traditional and community-oriented commercial banking services, including personal and business checking accounts and time deposits, money market accounts and regular savings accounts. For more information, please visit www.unitybank.com or call 800-618-BANK (800-618-2265).

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