Startup CPG

Startup CPG We're here to elevate young CPG brands through opportunities to shine, access to decision makers, and vital resources.

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The right conversation at a Startup CPG event can open unexpected doors.I Eat My Greens is proof. What started as a frus...
05/29/2026

The right conversation at a Startup CPG event can open unexpected doors.

I Eat My Greens is proof. What started as a frustration with bland, over-processed grocery soups turned into a mission to make healthy food that actually tastes homemade and fits real life. 🥣✨

The team partnered with chefs and local farmers to create veggie-packed, clean-label soups with real ingredients, bold flavors, and nothing you can’t pronounce. Along the way, early packaging challenges led them to partner with rePurpose Global to reduce plastic waste and double down on sustainability.

Startup CPG helped open a key door at the Denver Grocery Run, where a real conversation with the Thrive Market team turned into a major opportunity.

Fast forward to today, and I Eat My Greens is now on Thrive Market, reaching 1.6M+ members looking for better-for-you, sustainable food.

Follow .mygreens for more on their journey!

Stay tuned — we’ll keep spotlighting incredible founders in our Startup CPG Wins series! 🙌

BetterForYouFood StartupStory

05/28/2026

At this year’s Shelfies tasting, the Startup CPG team spotted several standout trends across the thousands of products they sampled 👀✨ 🛒 From bold flavor combinations you wouldn’t expect, to unique packaging, functional ingredients, and cleaner labels, a number of recurring themes kept showing up again and again. 🔁 Watch until the end to hear each Shelfies judge’s take on the products they tested and the biggest trends they noticed throughout the event.

It’s AAPI Heritage Month, and we’re celebrating the AAPI founded brands in our community 💛From pantry staples to wellnes...
05/27/2026

It’s AAPI Heritage Month, and we’re celebrating the AAPI founded brands in our community 💛

From pantry staples to wellness favorites and everything in between, AAPI founders are shaping the future of CPG with innovation, culture, and bold storytelling.

Drop your favorite AAPI-founded CPG brands in the comments below or introduce your own brand 👇

We just hosted our first ever public-facing Grocery Run, and it was a hit! 🛒For this one, we partnered with Leevers Loca...
05/27/2026

We just hosted our first ever public-facing Grocery Run, and it was a hit! 🛒

For this one, we partnered with Leevers Locavore in Denver and ran the event during store hours, so the 31 sampling brands from the community got their products in front of buyers, community members, AND real shoppers.

Leevers Locavore was the perfect place to test a public-facing format. They’re known as a champion for emerging brands, and have created an incredible community-centric experience for their customers. Most of the sampling brands aren’t on shelves at Leevers yet, but we ran a vote among attendees for their favorite brands and we’ll be sharing the results with decision-makers at the store. So shopper enthusiasm could lead to community brands getting shelf space!

Thanks to the Leevers team for piloting this format with us, the brands who showed up, and every shopper who stopped by to taste, vote, and meet the founders building the next wave of CPG. Special shoutout to the sponsors, Burst Management and CIN7 for supporting this event!

Most founders think investors only care about numbers. They don’t. 👀In this investor spotlight, host Hannah Dittman sits...
05/26/2026

Most founders think investors only care about numbers. They don’t. 👀

In this investor spotlight, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Rogers Healy, Founder and CEO of Morrison Seger Venture Capital Partners, to unpack what actually makes investors say yes — and the subtle mistakes that instantly turn them off.

From branding that’s trying too hard, to the tiny diligence details founders overlook, to the mindset shift required when success finally starts showing up, this conversation cuts through the polished fundraising advice and gets real about how decisions actually get made.

One of the biggest takeaways? Investors aren’t just evaluating your business. They’re evaluating how you communicate, how you handle pressure, and whether they’d actually want to work with you for years.

If you’re raising capital, building a consumer brand, or preparing for investor conversations, this episode is packed with insight founders rarely hear out loud.

Full episode in bio.

Another Grocery Run is coming to NYC! 🛒🗽We’re partnering with Rainforest Distribution for an application-only Grocery R...
05/21/2026

Another Grocery Run is coming to NYC! 🛒🗽

We’re partnering with Rainforest Distribution for an application-only Grocery Run bringing together buyers and retailers from across the Northeast — all actively sourcing for the region.

If you’re looking to break into the Northeast or expand your footprint, this is exactly the room you want to be in.

What to expect:
- Major natural grocers, independent retailers & key regional players
- Buyers actively looking for new brands to bring to the Northeast market
- Application-only — curated and intentional

Our NYC Grocery Runs have been in high demand this year — space is very limited and we review on a rolling basis.

Comment “Rainforest“ to apply now! 👇🏻

New Grocery Run Alert: FreshDirect in NYC 🛒Join us for an evening of mingling and sampling with the FreshDirect team and...
05/21/2026

New Grocery Run Alert: FreshDirect in NYC 🛒

Join us for an evening of mingling and sampling with the FreshDirect team and the wider NYC CPG community. Midway through the event, we’ll host a short panel so brands can hear directly from FreshDirect on what they’re looking for, how to get on their radar, and the best ways to partner and grow on the platform.

It wouldn’t be a Grocery Run without VIPs and we’ll have plenty because FreshDirect’s entire team will be there!

Sampling at a Grocery Run is hands-down the best way to get in front of buyers, so if you’re at all curious or interested in FreshDirect!

Comment “FreshDirect“ to apply to sample.

📰 Newswire Roundup is here!It’s been a busy yet exciting time for our emerging brand community, and these latest press r...
05/21/2026

📰 Newswire Roundup is here!

It’s been a busy yet exciting time for our emerging brand community, and these latest press releases are seriously worth celebrating. From nationwide launches to award-winning moments, there’s no shortage of big wins happening in CPG right now. See below for a peek at some of the headlines:

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Got a milestone worth sharing? The Startup CPG Newswire is a FREE publishing service for emerging brands to get their news in front of the entire CPG community. Submit today at the link in bio.




APPLY NOW FOR THE STARTUP CPG SECTION @ EXPO WEST 2027!We’re excited to announce that the FIRST ROUND of applications is...
05/20/2026

APPLY NOW FOR THE STARTUP CPG SECTION @ EXPO WEST 2027!

We’re excited to announce that the FIRST ROUND of applications is now open for emerging brands to join the exclusive Startup CPG section at Natural Products Expo West 2027!

At this point it can’t be denied: the Startup CPG section is the place to be.

Some nearby brands even told us they picked their booths specifically to be close to our section. Great strategy if you ask us — but we can do you one better, because applications are open to get a booth IN our section at Expo West 2027. 👇

Application Process:

1. Fill out the application form.
2. If selected by our team, you’ll receive instructions to complete New Hope’s application (see our application form for more details).
3. New Hope’s approval is required for brands to participate (this can take up to 2 weeks).

Don’t miss this opportunity! We’ll be selecting brands promptly — if you’re not chosen in the first round, you’ll still have time to pursue other exhibition options. The first round of applications closes on June 12th.

Our section gets confirmed by August. Apply early to keep your options open.

Comment “Expo West 2027” to apply now!

Most founders don’t think about building a board until they need one. By then it’s usually too late. 👀In this episode, D...
05/19/2026

Most founders don’t think about building a board until they need one. By then it’s usually too late. 👀

In this episode, Daniel Scharff talks with Seth Goldman, Co-Founder of Honest Tea, about how founders should actually think about building a board from day one.

From knowing when you finally need a board, to finding members who fill real gaps, to avoiding investors who quietly want control, Seth breaks down the mistakes most founders make — and the systems that helped Honest Tea scale with world-class guidance long before they were a massive company.

If you’re raising capital, scaling a brand, or thinking about long-term company building, this episode is worth the watch.

Link in bio for the full episode.

05/15/2026

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS: WHOLE FOODS MARKET UK! 🚪✊

If you’re not familiar, Opportunity Knocks is our email initiative giving Startup CPG brands direct, exclusive access to submit to leading retailers, distributors, and key industry stakeholders. This time, brands are submitting for review with Whole Foods Market UK — helping them find the most exciting new and emerging brands.

This is a genuinely special opportunity. Getting in front of Whole Foods Market UK means potentially putting your brand in front of a completely new market, one that’s hungry for innovative products.

They will also be hosting a live fireside chat with the decision makers behind the submission campaign on May 18th! The submission window for Whole Foods Market UK closes May 28. Get all the details in our newsletter.

Head over to startupcpg.com/ok or comment “Opportunity Knocks” to get signed up for our newsletter and apply today.

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