These are the 10 emerging brands pitching at the 2020 Expo West Pitch Slam
These standout brands are pitching their stories at Natural Products Expo West on March 3, 2020.
![Hakuna Brands Expo West Pitch Slam Hakuna Brands Expo West Pitch Slam](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt09e5e63517a16184/blt0abf383c43639478/64e8e2d712349592c38ec5dd/Pitch_20Slam_20West_202020.png?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
From pizza crust to dog treats and juices, LOOP Mission is on a mission to repurpose massive amounts of food that go to waste every single day by partnering with a major distributor to reuse the “outcasts of the food industry.” This brand stood out for its solid mission to reduce food waste while creating products that look cool and taste great, too.
Scout is redefining the sleepy canned seafood space with its 100% sustainably sourced Atlantic Canadian lobster, PEI mussels and Ontario Lake trout created by award-winning chef Charlotte Langley. Scout also gives back to ocean initiatives with every purchase. This brand stood out for its commitment to sustainable seafood, supply chain transparency and fresh products with rich flavor profiles.
Made with just six real food, organic ingredients or less, Sun & Swell bite-sized snacks are grab-and-go products you can feel good about eating over and over. This brand stood out for its commitment to organic, clean ingredients and compostable packaging and for breathing new life into the convenient snack space.
Riff Cold Brewed is a new spin on cold brew coffee; it upcycles coffee fruit, cascara, to create a refreshing, sparkling natural energy drink that's helping to reduce food waste, too. This brand stood out for its use of upcycled ingredients and innovation within the coffee category.
Low glycemic and nutrient-dense, Just Date Syrup's sweeteners are made only from organic dates and organic pomegranates, making it a healthier pantry staple for drizzling on toast, oats or savory dishes. This brand stood out for its impressive flavor, clean ingredient profile and commitment to organic.
Bread SRSLY creates gluten-free sourdough loaves and rolls free from the top eight allergens. Although it's technically gluten free, Bread SRSLY is fermented with a real sourdough culture, making it delicious and accessible for diet-restricted and gluten lovers alike. This brand stood out for its unmatched taste profile and texture, commitment to compostable packaging and innovation within the gluten-free bread category.
Made from cold-pressed sugarcane (water extracted from the sugarcane grass stalk) mixed with ayurvedic herbs, Bhoomi Cane Water is a low-glycemic alternative to drinks packed with processed sugars. Bhoomi's sugarcane is sourced from underserved, Louisiana-based minority farmers. This brand stood out for its innovation, inclusive sourcing and commitment to making the beverage case healthier.
SmartyPits is free from aluminum, phthalates, parabens and propylene glycol—everything you don't want in a deodorant. It was developed by the daughter of a breast cancer survivor, and with each deodorant stick sold, SmartyPits gives a portion of sales back to survivor support and breast cancer research. This brand stood out for its strong mission and health-conscious formula.
Down to Cook has created Adda Veggie Protein Mixes that, when combined with veggies such as mushrooms or broccoli, create flavorful plant-based protein patties or balls in minutes. The brand recognizes how much produce goes to waste, so it's created a healthy and convenient way to utilize forgotten fridge veggies. This brand stood out for its innovation, excellent taste and commitment to reducing food waste.
YAYAYA tea is made from North American Yaupon, a rediscovered caffeinated plant native to the continent, and flavored with only organic herbs and no cane or processed sugars. YAYAYA's yaupon is harvested by formerly incarcerated women or those who previously did sex work, supporting inclusive employment. This brand stood out for its support of local agriculture and unique taste profile.
YAYAYA tea is made from North American Yaupon, a rediscovered caffeinated plant native to the continent, and flavored with only organic herbs and no cane or processed sugars. YAYAYA's yaupon is harvested by formerly incarcerated women or those who previously did sex work, supporting inclusive employment. This brand stood out for its support of local agriculture and unique taste profile.
With over $40,000 in New Hope Network services up for grabs, the Natural Products Expo West Pitch Slam competition is the spot for standout emerging brands. This year, we received over 100 applications that were innovative, inspiring and rooted in integrity, but 10 brands really shone bright.
These 10 Natural Products Expo West 2020 Pitch Slam semifinalists are some of the best and brightest emerging brands in the industry.
The Pitch
Semifinals Competition March 3, 2020
5-6:30 p.m. Marriott, Grand Salon F
Sponsored by: 301 Inc.
Presented by: NCN, AVL Growth Partners, BrandHive, Creative Alignments, KGK Science, SPINS, Whipstitch Capital
3-minute pitch
3-minute Q&A
Finals Competition March 4, 2020
4:30-6:30 p.m. Marriott, Grand Salon F
Sponsored by: 301 Inc.
Presented by: NCN, AVL Growth Partners, BrandHive, Creative Alignments, KGK Science, SPINS, Whipstitch Capital
3-minute pitch
5-minute Q&A
Judges select one grand prize winner. Both competitions are open to all badgeholders.
The selection
The 10 Selection Committee members and Mentors below will be partnered up with the 10 brands over the next few weeks to help them perfect their Expo West pitch.
Expo West 2020 Pitch Slam Selection Committee and Mentors
Gillian Christie, Christie Communications
Martha Sandoval, Perkins Coie
Tera Johnson, Edible Alpha
Sarah Nathan, Strategic Advisor
Christie Lange, Big Path Capital
Katie Mleziva, Real Food Brands
Keith Kohler, K2 Financing
Alyssa Harding, Sustainable Food Trade Association
Perteet Spencer, SPINS
Brie Gelinas, Storytelling SF
These are the five industry leaders who will select the five semifinalists competing in Wednesday's Finals competition.
Expo West 2020 Pitch Slam Expert Panel - Semifinals
Katie Paul, KeHE
Dayton Miller, BFG Partners
Yoli Ouiya, Yoli's Green Living
Devaunshi Mahadevia, PepsiCo
Charles Chen, Zzeal Media
These are the five industry leaders who will select the Rising Star and Grand Prize winners in Wednesday's Finals competition.
Expo West 2020 Pitch Slam Expert Panel - Finals
Allison Ball, Retail Ready/Allison Ball Consulting
Eric Schnell, BeyondBrands
Andrea Donsky, Naturally Savvy Media
Dianna Tremblay, ICA Fund Good Jobs
Marisa Bertha, 7-Eleven
The 10
LOOP Mission
Scout
Sun & Swell Foods
YAYAYA
Riff Cold Brewed
Just Date Syrup
Bread SRSLY
Bhoomi Cane Water
SmartyPits Aluminum-Free Deodorant
Down to Cook
About the Author(s)
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