Startup CPG

⚾⚾⚾... Swing for the fences, founders! At Startup CPG, we’re all about championing emerging brands, and we’re excited to support founders in partnership with NielsenIQ! That’s why we’re thrilled to share that Daymond John—renowned entrepreneur, investor, and Shark Tank icon—will be a judge for the 2025 NIQ Founders Pitch Slam! This is your chance to impress Daymond and take your emerging CPG brand to the next level! Applications are open NOW through March 29th, with over $700K in prizes up for grabs—including a $50,000 cash grand slam! Don’t miss out—apply now and knock it out of the park! https://lnkd.in/dZnYXQek . . . #NIQFoundersPitchSlam #NIQ #EmergingBrands #StartupCPG

Our NIQ Series continues, and this time we’re talking about the functional beverage category! NielsenIQ experts are here to break down the data trends that emerging brands need to know. 📈 Ready to step up your data game? Startup CPG has an exclusive offer with NIQ to give you 3 Byzzer™ data reports for free! Check the link in the comments. . . . #niq #cpg #industrydata #welovedata #functionalbeverage

It's Tuesday, which means it’s time for new episodes of the StartupCPG podcast! 🎧 Founder Feature: Susan Buckwalter Hartman of Recoup Beverage Grace Kennedy sits down with Susan Hartman, co-founder of Recoup Beverages, to discuss the journey of building a gut-healthy hydration brand. Susan shares how she met her co-founder, Siwat, and how his personal health journey inspired the creation of Recoup. 🎧 Bootstrap Heroes: Bumpin Blends, Lentiful and drink wholesome Daniel Scharff speaks with three visionary founders who have built and scaled their businesses without external funding. Joining the discussion are Lisa Eberly Mastela, MPH, RD of Bumpin Blends, Ben Bacon of Lentiful, and Jack Schrupp & Tessa Schrupp of Drink Wholesome—leaders who have mastered lean operations, strategic growth, and creative problem-solving. 🎙️ Tune in now! Listen to the Startup CPG Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! . . . #cpg #emergingbrands #podcast #healthbrands #AI

The countdown to Grocery Run SF sponsored by Specialty Food Association is on!!! Get ready for our best Grocery Run yet, SAN FRANCISCO! 🚨 We’ve teamed up with Good Stuff Distributor, Inc. to bring you our first-ever distribution-style Grocery Run event in SF! WHY YOU CAN’T MISS THIS: ➡️ Meet top Bay Area retail buyers face-to-face ➡️ 30 exclusive sampling booths for selected brands ➡️ Direct access to category managers from prestigious retailers 🛒 FEATURED RETAILERS INCLUDE 🛒 Berkeley Bowl Produce Inc. • Piazza’s Fine Foods • Good Eggs • Loop Neighborhood Markets • Gus's Community Market • Rainbow Grocery Cooperative, Inc. • Woodland’s Market • Grocery Outlet • Le Marché Cezanne • Piedmont Grocery • Sunbasket • Safeway Albertsons • Market Hall Foods 🎟 Grab your tickets via the link in the comments! . . . #cpg #sanfrancisco #emergingbrand #foodandbeverage

Still reminiscing about Expo West 😋💭 Swipe to relive some highlights from the Startup CPG section! Which brand stood out to you the most? . . . #cpg #emergingbrand #expowest #tradeshow #brands

From the Alley Rally to Expo West 2026! Huge congrats to William K., founder of Krack’d Snacks, our Backpack Brand Winner! 🎉 Krack'd Snacks won the popular vote at our epic Alley Rally party, earning a FREE BOOTH at Expo West next year. They’re redefining indulgence with keto-friendly, low-sugar, and vegan treats made with premium, non-GMO ingredients like single-origin Ecuadorian cacao. No weird additives, no sugar crashes—just pure, delicious snacking. Join us in celebrating Krack’d Snacks, and we’ll see you at Expo West 2026! . . . #cpg #emergingbrand #backpackbrand #expowest

Our next Charlotte Meetup is coming soon! 🎉✨ The Startup CPG North Carolina community will reunite at Free Range Brewing in NoDa on April 9th! This is a great chance to network with other CPG founders, industry experts, investors, and retail buyers - including special guests: 🤩 Dustin Kennedy, Whole Foods Market 🤩 Jaden McTaggart, Earth Fare 👉 We still have space for brands to sample! Visit the eventbrite page to apply. We’re thrilled to keep growing this amazing community together. A big thank you to our awesome community leader, Kiki Huddleston, for organizing, and to Free Range Brewing for hosting us in their cool space. Get your tickets here: https://lnkd.in/dpgxYd6n . . . #cpg #meetup #emergingbrand #sampling #connecting

Here’s some of the latest news to hit the Startup CPG Newswire - a FREE press release service for CPG brands! Got brand news you want to share? Head to the "learn more" button on our company page to submit! 🛒 RETAIL + DISTRO WINS ↗️ Tiny Sprouts Foods unveiled Organic Superfood Boosters for Kids at Whole Foods Market ↗️ Secret Salad expanded distribution with Bozzuto’s ↗️ Pastazerts expanded chocolate ravioli retail presence ↗️ MOSS Sea Moss Beverage now in 2,000+ stores nationwide 🚀 PRODUCT LAUNCHES + DEBUTS ↗️ Hair care mogul Mahisha Dellinger launched Huzzy Smart Sips ↗️ Santana Snacks launches MOSA organic chip line inspired by classic Mexican street snacks ↗️ Mitts: the sponge that’s shaking up sinkside design officially launches ↗️ Maazah introduces new line of bold & flavorful lentil dips ❤️ FEEL GOOD NEWS ↗️ Kiid Coffee appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank ↗️ GoodLove Foods pitched on Shark Tank Season 16 . . . #cpg #emergingbrands #cpgnews #launch #retail #buyer #brand #sharktank

Part 2 is HERE! 🛒✨ Central Market has been one of the most requested retailer visits—and for good reason! We found so many brands, we had to turn it into a 2-part series. Check out these incredible brands we spotted on shelf: 🌱 Geem 🌶️ Cien Chiles 🫚 ginsa brands 🥣 18 Chestnuts Soups 🐶 Brutus Broth 🍿 EATABLE INC. 🇲🇽 Mayawell 🏹 Hook & Arrow.co ♠️ Spade 🇸🇻 Xinca Foods 🧁 King Street Baking Co 🍪 Renewal Mill 🪇 Todo Verde 😋 Kinship Milk Tea 🏛️ Olyra 🥥 Kokada 🍾 Free AF 🧋 Twrl Milk Tea 🍯 Mellody® foods 🐮 Bored Cow Where should we shop next? Drop your suggestions in the comments! ⬇️ . . . #groceryhaul #grocerystore #centralmarket #cpg #smallbrands

🤩 Getting on the shelf at Wegmans Food Markets, one of the nation's leading natural grocers, is a dream for many. The team at Cultivate is here to show you that this dream can become a reality—but it's just the beginning when it comes to managing and growing your business at Wegmans. Join us as we dive into tips and strategies to make an impact, surpass category targets, and expand your brand with Josh Cannon, Director of Sales. 👉 Save your spot: https://lnkd.in/dwt2SPsR . . . #cpg #emergingbrand #wegmans #retail