The Naturally Chicago Pitch Slam and Financing & Innovation Forum
It will be held June 2 on Michigan Avenue at VenueSIX10.
The Pitch Slam prize package of business-building services has a value of nearly $200,000!
Tickets are now on sale for the natural products industry event of the year in Chicago. This is your best opportunity to meet established and emerging brands, investors, service providers, lenders, potential business partners and more.
The keynote speaker will be Seth Goldman, founder of Honest Tea.
The founders who are pitching will connect with dozens of investors, retail and foodservice buyers, and industry leaders who will attend.
Regional champions will face off for the prestigious Naturally Rising national title in a thrilling showdown judged by top industry leaders at Newtopia Now Trade Show in Denver, Colorado on August 20-22.
SCHEDULE
12:00 - 12:50 pm: Registration and Visit Innovation Showcase
1:00 - 1:05 pm: Welcome Amanda Puck, Master of Ceremonies
1:05 - 1:35 pm: Retailer Panel
1:35 - 2:00 pm: Foodservice Panel
2:00 - 2:45 pm: Break, Visit innovation showcase
2:45 - 3:55 pm: Pitch Slam
3:55 - 4:20 pm: Seth Goldman Keynote
4:20 - 4:30 pm: Pitch Slam Winners Announced
4:30 - 6:00 pm: Innovation Showcase and Fabulous Cocktails Reception
CONGRATS TO OUR 6 FINALISTS!
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ARYAA ORGANIC
Aryaa Organic makes delicious and nutritious foods, teas and spices, as well as beauty products, born from a desire to heal the chronic ailments, fatigue, and disconnection plaguing modern life.
Co-Founders Kamal Hans and Annie Ziegler based the company on the profound wisdom of ancient foods, healing rituals, and ancestral knowledge—powerful practices they felt compelled to share with the world.
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FUELED BY AF
Food products must have taste appeal to succeed in the consumer marketplace. Fueled by AF — the initials are those of founder Angelica Ford — easily meets that standard with its delicious protein bites and nut butters.
What makes Fueled by AF truly stand out is Angelica's social mission: The company emphasizes the hiring individuals with disabilities, an extension of Angelica's Adaptive Fitness company that provides health and fitness training for clients with disabilities.
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INSPIRO TEQUILA
Inspiro Tequila is a company led by women, with products that have a special appeal to women customers. Founder Mara Smith and her friends enjoyed the clean taste of tequila, but when she tried to find brands that did not have additives she wanted to avoid, she found none.
This led her to create Inspiro with its clean, smooth and sippable 100% Blue Weber Agave tequila, with a meticulous production process and sleek, sophisticated bottling.
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LOCAL STYLE POTATO CHIPS
We in Chicago are proud of our city's stature as an international fine dining capital. But our food culture is also deeply rooted in our local takes on popular, everyday items, such as Chicago-style hot dogs, deep-dish pizza, Italian beef, and spicy giardinara.
Laura Gardner experimented with deploying these flavors as potato chip seasonings — and Local Style Potato Chips was born. Aided by her own viral videos, media coverage, and colorful packaging, the company is on a streak as hot as that giardinara.
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NOOISH
Matzo ball soup has a deep, nostalgic resonance for many Jewish people, and is enjoyed by many eaters who aren't Jewish. You can certainly make it at home, but it's a bit of work, and mastering the making of matzo balls that are light and not leaden is something of an art.
To the rescue is founder Sarah Nathan, whose Nooish marries taste, convenience and soul with its instant matzo ball soup. It is often a gamble for a food company to launch with a single product, but the quality of Nooish's soup is drawing serious attention.
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TIERRA NEGRA
https://www.tierranegrasalsa.com/
As a third-generation restaurateur and entrepreneur, Ivan Gutierrez knows that a salsa has to stand out from the typically tomato-based products that crowd store shelves.
He has accomplished that with a salsa as dark as its name implies (tierra negra means black earth in Spanish). Made with dried chili peppers, olive oil, other natural ingredients, Tierra Negra salsa creates unexpected flavors rooted in Mexican tradition.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
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Seth Goldman
Co-Founder
JUST ICE TEA
Local Retail Panelists
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Katie Paul
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Joe Fulco
President
Fruitful Yield -
Jonathan Lawrence
VP Merchandising
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Margie Omastiak
Sr. Forager, Local & Emerging Brands
Whole Foods -
Travis Reams
Manager, Supplier Relationship Management
Meijer
Food Service Panelists
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Greg Keller
MODERATOR
Naturally Chicago
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Eve Albert
Retail Strategy
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Jeff Nash
Sr. Director of Operations
Crafty -
Dick Thomas
Co-Founder, Chief Customer Officer
Pitch Slam Judges
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Luba Safran
Venture Capital Lead
Mondelez -
Evan Hyman
VP Emerging Brands
Kerry -
Ruchi Gupta
CEO
Yobee Care -
Nichole Wilson
Co-Founder, President
Every Body Eat -
Jeffrey San Fillipo
Prizes valued up to $200,000 Await the Winners
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Prize Donor: 1o8 Agency
Brand Strategy package from this leading CPG agency, where creative meets commerce in driving omni-channel growth.
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Prize Donor: Amin Wasserman Gurnani
Total Prize Value: $2,500
The 1st place winner will receive FDA labeling/packaging compliance review followed by a call up to 30 minutes to discuss questions and risk assessment for the winner’s top-selling product.
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Prize Donor: Conlon Public Strategies
Total Prize Value: $10,000
Consulting package from a leading Chicago strategic advising and government relations firm.
1st and 2nd place winners will have the opportunity to choose one of the following two options: two executive coaching leadership sessions or an exploration of opportunities in the public sector, which is a $5,000 value.
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Prize Donor: CPGIO
Total Prize Value: $36,000
The industry's leading eCommerce fulfillment, marketing, growth strategy, and omnichannel account management services by CPGIO.
The 1st place finisher will receive services over 12 months valued at $24,000. The 2nd place finisher will receive services over six months valued at $12,000.
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Prize Donor: Fairfield Partners
Total Prize Value: $12,500
1st place winner will receive a New Hire Consulting Package from Fairfield Partners, a nationally recognized executive search firm specializing in the natural products industry.
You'll get time with two of our Partners to discuss real-world hiring topics, such as how to make your first key hires count, what’s happening in the talent market, and what competitive compensation looks like from Manager to VP and beyond.
When you’re ready to hire a senior leader, you’ll have a $10,000 credit for a retained search with us.
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Prize Donor: JPG
Total Prize Value: $10,800
1st and 2nd place winner will each receive a spot in a JPG Cohort track. The program is a B-School course for Founders, covering subjects including Fundraising, Marketing, Data, Sales, Regulatory, Legal, Supply Chain, and beyond.
Meets every two weeks for six months and is led by a former retailer and brand founder. Receive education + deep industry network + a group of peers to share with, learn from, and support each other.
The program cost is valued at $5,400 ($900/mo).
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Prize Donor: KeHE
Total Prize Value: $5,000
A brand assessment and strategy session with KeHE Distributors, the largest distributor of natural & organic, specialty and fresh products throughout North America.
The session will take place with KeHE’s Category Management leaders who will support the brand in developing their launch plan and distribution go-to-market strategy.
The 1st & 2nd place finishers will receive a brand assessment and strategy session valued at $2500.
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Prize Donor: New Hope Network
Total Prize Value: $4,500
The 1st place winner in the Naturally Rising competition will receive a 5x10 booth in the Thrive Neighborhood within the Naturally Network Pavilion at Newtopia Now 2025 - an incredible opportunity to showcase their brand on a national stage!
The event will take place August 20-22, 2025 in Denver, Colorado.
The winning company prize package includes:
4 exhibitor badges
Press release sponsorship to expand brand visibility
Participation in The Market showcase area for added exposure
Exclusive matchmaking opportunities with buyers and industry leaders
The New Hope sales team will work directly with the winning brand to finalize booth details and next steps.
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Prize Donor: NIQ
Total Prize Value $10,500
1st place winner will receive NIQ Trend Analysis, valued at $7,500. This customized analysis includes focused insights on your product trend.By leveraging our 1500+ wellness characteristics across important consumer values and lifestyle behaviors, you can ensure your retailer pitch meetings are focused on what makes your brand standout.
2nd Place winner will receive a 50% off discount on an NIQ Product Insights report (up to $10K). -
Prize Donor: Polsinelli
Total Prize Value: $6,000
Legal services from this premier full-service national law firm with expertise in representing Food, Beverage and Consumer Product brands and investors.
1st and 2nd place finishers will each be awarded $3,000 in services.
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Prize Donor: Presence Marketing
Total Prize Value: $15,000
The pioneering broker in the Natural Products industry, Presence — a co-founder of Naturally Chicago — has been helping brands get shelf space, prosper and grow for more than 30 years.
1st and 2nd Place winners will each receive Presence Market Ready (1 Month) 8 Sessions valued at $7,500.
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Prize Donor: SIKICH
Total Prize Value: $10,000
1st Place & 2nd Place both: Accounting experts will review your accounting and finance operations with you over a 1 ½ hour session and deliver an in-depth report outlining current operational pain points and recommendations on how to improve your processes.
-AND- (1st place only) Accounting or Financial Advisory Services valued at $5,000 from Sikich, a leading natural products accounting, finance and technology consulting firm.
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Prize Donor: SPINS
Total Prize Value: $
SPINS Data & Insights Package, tailored to winners
Category and channel views
Educational or 1:1 view support
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Prize Donor: SRW
Total Prize Value: $21,500
Social Media Content and strategy sessions from this leading Natural Products digital agency.
The 1st place finisher will receive a single-day shoot in Studio 660, the production studio at SRW Agency. The SRW production team will shoot the winner's product in multiple environments, with an output of up to 4 assets for use on social media and beyond. (Value, $20,000).
2nd place will go tete-a-tete for an hour with the co-founders of SRW to talk business strategy. Share your biggest problems, dreams and goals and learn from the lessons they cultivated while launching brands such as Simple Mills and Vital Proteins. This prize is valued at $1,500.
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Prize Donor: Whole Brain Consulting
Total Prize Value: $9,000
1st and 2nd Place will receive $4,500 of services from this natural products industry leader in food safety compliance, co-manufacturing strategies, operations, and logistics management.