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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11/03/2026

Less than 48 hours to apply!!! We’re DOUBLING the number of brands at each UNFI show from 10 to 20, AND we’re also running a Grocery Run with UNFI in Orlando. 🛒🏃🏻‍♀️

We have our next Grocery Run with UNFI the night before their Spring and Summer selling show opens in Orlando! Same deal - top-tier buyers from the entire country will be there, and hundreds will be at the Grocery Run. This is another HUGE opportunity, so don’t miss it!

UNFI selling shows are *legendary* for the quality of buyers and reps they bring, and they’re all hoping to be first to market on the next big thing! And while the selling show is reserved for brands already in UNFI, our Grocery Run will get you in front of these top-tier buyers *before* you get in. Make sure to apply ASAP for:

✨UNFI West Spring and Summer Show | January 26-28 | Long Beach, CA

✨Central/East Spring and Summer Show | February 9-11 | Orlando, FL

✨UNFI Grocery Run | February 9 | Orlando, FL

We’re expecting 300 buyers at our Grocery Run, and there isn’t any other way you can get in front of them! If you aren’t in UNFI yet, you should apply asap while you still can!

👉🏻Comment “UNFI“ to apply for our UNFI sections and Grocery Run by November 5th.

11/02/2026

Winter FancyFaire* 2027 is almost here, and we’re bringing the full lineup ❄️ 
Here’s what’s on deck:
🤝 1:1 meetings
🛒 Off the Floor Grocery Run (Jan 17)
💬 Founder Social (Jan 18)
❄️Our section of 38 brands on the show floor 
Sampling applications for the San Francisco Grocery Run are closing soon! With community members and VIP guests in town for the show, this is one you don’t want to miss, so apply ASAP.
Heads up: sampling at the Grocery Run is only open to CPG brands who do NOT have a booth or tabletop at Winter FancyFaire*. 
👀 We’re also launching 1:1 meetings on November 10th. The announcement will go out by email first, so make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter.

More details coming soon. For now, follow the checklist at the end of the video 😉 to make sure you’re set for every event. 
Comment “WFF” to apply/get tickets for events and join our newsletter! 

10/30/2026

Recapping our Grocery Run with Fresh Thyme Market in Chicago! 🛒🏃🏻‍♀️

We brought together 34 emerging brands for an afternoon of sampling, networking, and connecting with the Fresh Thyme team and the wider Midwestern CPG community.

We also had an exciting Pitch Slam featuring Cotto, Etelka, Fresh Fizz Sodas, PWR-UP, RoseBud Ice Cream, and Prime Roots, with Etelka taking home the overall win! 🏆

A huge thank you to the Fresh Thyme Market team, our sponsors ePac, NIQ, and Wherefour, and everyone who came out to make this event such a success.

10/30/2026

Five minutes. One conversation. A BIG check. 💸

Maddie from Anytime Spritz attended her first Startup CPG LA Founders & Funders Roadshow, where a quick investor speed date turned into coffee the next day, a partnership, and ultimately a big check!

Now, those investors are on the cap table and carrying their products across their hotel properties. Next up is growing with Whole Foods and going national!

Congrats to Anytime 🎉

If you’re an emerging CPG brand planning to fundraise in 2027, follow us to stay in the loop on all the Founders & Funders Roadshows we’re hosting!

10/29/2026

Hot brands of 2026: A can of Pringles...for dogs! 🐶

This product sparked so much curiosity at our UNFI Grocery Run in Las Vegas and had everyone wondering - why wouldn’t we love this format for pets too?

Pawlicious Functional Snacks-CHIPS FOR DOGS!! put pawliciouschips for Dogs into a tall chip canister, taking one of the most recognizable formats in snacking to the pet aisle. Everyone wanted to pick it up, look inside, and ask questions. There’s something so fun about popping the can open, and as someone who has a dog, made me wonder if I’d like this as a fun alternative to typical pouches.

And there’s some fun CPG history here. The Pringles can itself was a packaging innovation. Instead of tossing irregular chips into a bag where they could break, Pringles created unitorm, stackable crisps and a rigid canister designed around them. The packaging became part of the product experience.

One of Startup CPG founder, Daniel Scharff’s favorite kinds of CPG innovation is borrowing a format consumers already understand from one category and introducing it into another. Graza did it by bringing the squeeze bottle to premium olive oil. Sometimes you don’t need to teach consumers a new behavior. Take one they already know and love, and put it somewhere completely unexpected.

Inside this can, you’ll find crunchy, functional chips for balanced nutrition and everyday wellness with fewer than 10 recognizable ingredients that pet parents can eat themselves - Beef & Veggies, Chicken & Veggies, and Vegan Peanut Butter & Banana. And the canister isn’t just a fun design choice - PawGone Good recently received trade dress protection for its distinctive packaging.

Congrats Jerrica Fletcher and the PawGone Good team. 🐾

10/29/2026

Let’s check out what community brands we can find at Go Grocer in Chicago! 🛒

A boutique, small-format grocery chain, Go Grocer offers everything from fresh produce and local dairy to vegan, organic, and specialty finds. They also champion emerging and independent CPG brands, with a curated selection of local favorites and unique products. It’s the perfect spot to discover a new favorite product.

We’ll continue highlighting the stores that show up for emerging brands. Where should we visit next, and which product from this video are you trying first?! 👇🏻

10/28/2026

We’re announcing our first-ever Grocery Run with Sprouts on February 4 in Phoenix, AZ 🌵

Sprouts buyers have been coming to our events for years, and you’ve probably seen the massive lines of founders trying to get their attention. Now, they’re giving 70 brands their full, undivided focus in one room.

For many in the community, Sprouts is a “holy grail” retailer, and this Grocery Run will give you the chance to meet buyers and VIPs on their home turf.

Sprouts is open to both non-perishable and perishable products, including:

• Dry Grocery
• Beverage
• Dairy
• Frozen
• Vitamins
• Supplements
• HBA/HBC
• Refrigerated Perishables (UPC-ready), such as Deli, Dips/Hummus, Meat, Produce, and Bakery

👀 If you’re in one of the categories above, you should absolutely apply.

⚠️ Applications close November 10.

Comment “SPROUTS” to apply!

10/28/2026

BIG NEWS for CHUH Matcha! 🍵🎉

CHUH has officially been accepted into UNFI’s UpNext Program! From launching in July 2025 in a few local Maine stores to now being in 500+ doors, this is a HUGE milestone!

Through Startup CPG’s 1:1 meetings at the Summer Fancy Food Show, the CHUH team connected with Aaron May and Grace Lachona from UNFI. Getting the opportunity to share their brand and vision at these meetings made all the difference!

Congratulations to CHUH Matcha on this exciting win!

10/27/2026

Cap problems love to show up at the worst time: on the production line.

In our Startup CPG webinar,

Avoiding Cap Catastrophes, Dustin Vance from our partners at Silgan Closures shared what every founder should know before choosing a cap. Swipe for the takeaways. 👉

When you’re paying 3–5 cents per closure, that math adds up FAST. Silgan is genuinely looking out for emerging brands, and right now they’re giving away up to 500,000 free caps. 💛

Submitting takes less than 2 minutes. ⏱️ Comment “FREE CLOSURES” and we’ll send you the link!

10/27/2026

Let’s see which Startup CPG community brands we found at Berkeley Bowl before heading to our Grocery Run with them later in the day! 🛒🏃🏻‍♀️

Berkeley Bowl is an independent, family-owned grocery store in Berkeley, California, known for its incredible selection of organic produce, specialty foods, and bulk items. It’s also a huge champion of emerging brands, making it the perfect place to discover some of our community favorites! 🙌

Let us know in the comments below if you spot your product or see a brand you’ve been wanting to try! 👇🏻👀

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