Naturally Network at Expo East 2023
At Expo East 2023, our community made its mark, from captivating the audience at Naturally Network’s National Pitch Slam in Partnership with New Hope Network to our After Party presented by SPINS. Our members, mentors, and partners shone brightly, taking stages, and making meaningful connections. Dive in to catch the highlights, view event snapshots, and discover how you can be a part of the burgeoning Naturally Network Community.
Naturally Network’s National Pitch Slam in Partnership with New Hope Network
On Wednesday, September 20th, regional Naturally Network Pitch Slam winners took the stage for a shot to win the Grand Prize, over $30K in New Hope Network services. The event was unforgettable, as we watched 8 emerging brands deliver highly crafted pitches about their business and future impact. Our regional winners and Pitch Slam candidates included:
Acremade
Founder: Jake Achterhoff
Naturally Minnesota
Date Better Snacks
Founder: Michelle Valdez-Wilton
Naturally Los Angeles
Every Body Eat
Founder: Trish Thomas
Naturally Chicago
Flourish
Founder: Lila Sullivan
Naturally Austin
Jasberry
Founder: Peetachai “Neil” Dejkraisak
Naturally New York
Peak State Coffee
Founder: Danny Walsh
Naturally Boulder
Root & Splendor
Founder: Kristin Fracassi
Naturally San Diego
¡Ya Oaxaca!
Founder: Azul Couzens
Naturally Bay Area
The judges for this year’s Pitch Slam had a diverse range of industry expertise: Alyssa Vescio serves as the Senior Vice President of Merchandising at Whole Foods Market; Cynthia Tice is the founder of Lily’s Sweets; Sherry Frey holds the position of Vice President of Total Wellness at NIQ; Megan Reuszer directs at PearlRock Partners; and Ben Fishman is a board member of Regenified.
Following deliberation by our distinguished judges, Jasberry emerged as the grand prize winner. The founder, Peetachai “Neil” Dejkraisak, showcased remarkable innovation and commitment to health through his product. Kristin Fracassi, Founder of Root and Splendor clinched the audience's choice award.
“The Pitch Slam was a wonderful experience because I got to meet and work with so many incredible mentors from leading organizations such as SPINS, NIQ, and BeyondBrands. The lessons I got were invaluable, and they will help us scale tremendously. It's not often a founder gets this much world-class coaching!”
- Peetachai "Neil" Dejkraisak, Founder, Jasberry, Pitch Slam Winner
“Winning Pitch Slam Audience Choice Award was fantastic for Root and Splendor! It validates our concept to redefine the laundry industry, shows an excitement and interest in what we are doing, and brings so much attention to our brand. The mentoring, coaching, and support from the Naturally Network really helped prepare us to pitch and present our brand in the best light.”
- Kristin Fracassi, Founder, Root and Splendor, Pitch Slam Audience Choice Award Winner
Pitch Slam After-Party, hosted by SPINS
If you know Naturally Network, you know that we like to party - ahem, network. This year’s Pitch Slam After-Party was no exception. Our community got together in grand fashion to celebrate all the Pitch Slam participants and this year's national winner at the Pitch Slam After-Party, presented by SPINS.
SaulPaul, Founder of Change Water and Grammy-nominated artist and producer, started the party right, getting everyone to move and dance. A huge thank you to him for sharing his music with our community!
We mingled, bonded, and tasted some delectable treats from Philadelphia's cutting-edge food vendors at Reading Terminal. Although we are biased, our networking parties are always our most favorite part of any Expo experience. and we are grateful so many of you joined us.
A huge thank you to SPINS, BeyondBrands, Brandrock, SRW, and Wellvest Capital for making the party possible.
Panel Discussion: Beyond the Checklist: DEI in Action
Naturally Network Executive Director, Katrina Tolentino, joined the panel discussion “Beyond the Checklist: DEI in Action” to discuss the declining corporate energy for DEI initiatives, and the urgency needed to renew commitment and support for BIPOC founders within the natural products community. Katrina shared her key takeaways:
100% of population growth is coming from multicultural groups. By 2060, every other person in the US will be a person of color.
The shift in preferences and culture is happening NOW. DEI isn’t just a social justice issue. How your business responds to this shift now is crucial to your future success
Retailers, distributors, and brokers are key facilitators of industry access for BIPOC founders. The status quo of how the industry operates, conservatism, bias in personal preferences and understanding - this is hurting diversity on the shelf and hindering our ability to meet the needs of the future
Big CPG is already responding to multicultural preferences to increase margins. Supporting BIPOC founders is an important strategy for the future of the industry. Global flavor brands and products are serving a consumer need that will only deepen and grow.
We have to rethink how we make decisions. We often make decisions quarter by quarter, year by year. How can we move into building profitability for the future? How can we individually cultivate and amplify this potential?
Interested in supporting diverse and racially underrepresented founders? Learn more about Naturally Network’s Minority-Owned Fellowship here.
Expo East
Naturally Network’s mission is to support emerging better-for-you brands, we do this by supporting the health and success of our chapters, creating and facilitating access to market for our members, and developing the future leaders of the industry through conscious business values and education. Our booth at Expo East created the opportunity for us to meet so many of you, spread the word about our community, and continue supporting your growth and success.
In addition to forming connections and building community, SPINS hosted Sell Story consultations at our booth and offered recommendations on how brands could stand out to retailers with data and insights. Benji Fitts, Director of Client Insights at SPINS, ran these sessions and shared this helpful info:
“My advice for brands is to start thinking about 2024 promotions. A recent McKinsey survey said that “73% of consumers said discounts for grocery items are more important to them now than a year ago…this figure underscores ongoing price sensitivity that reaches across income groups even as inflation is coming down.” Get that promo calendar dialed in, folks – it’s time to grab market share!”
We can’t end this recap without a huge thank you to New Hope Network. They allowed our team to attend and support member brands before, during, and after Expo East. We are grateful for their generosity and very excited for Newtopia Now in 2024!
What’s Next for Naturally Network?
Our biggest announcement at Expo East is that Naturally Network is launching a new chapter, Naturally New England! We are really excited to share more information about this soon. In the meantime, if you’d like to join their newsletter distribution list to stay up to date on their events and activities, visit Naturallyne.org
See you all at SupplySide West in October!
Learn more about becoming a partner.
Find a Naturally Network chapter near you and become a member.
