The sale of Hi Country Snack Foods to a Bozeman couple took a step forward with a $400,000 state economic grant.

The loan from the Montana Department of Commerce’s Community Development Block Grant Economic Development Program aims to provide working capital to purchase inventory.

The prospective buyers of the jerky business are Travis and Molly Byerly of Bozeman. Travis was a founder of the Montana Fish Co., a Bozeman restaurant.

The grant goes directly to Lewis and Clark County, a spokesperson from the Montana Department of Commerce told the Tribune, which manages the terms of the loan agreement with the company through the Montana Business Assistance Connection.