Hosted in Collaboration with the Navigator Lighthouse Foundation.
Stay on the Cutting Edge
Discover the next big thing in grocery. The Emerging Brands Pitch Contest is where up-and-coming new brands meet the industry’s most influential decision-makers. The contest takes center stage, giving six dynamic emerging companies the opportunity to showcase their products to a powerhouse audience of California’s top retailers and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies. Each contestant will have five minutes to deliver their best pitch and impress a room full of industry decision-makers.
Program Highlights Include:
- “Golden Ticket” opportunities to be fast-tracked
onto retailer shelves - Industry veteran mentorship with major consumer brands, distributors, brokers and retail buyers
- On-site sampling opportunities
- Social media promotion opportunities
- Funding opportunities
Criteria To Apply
- Companies must be based in California, either with a headquarters address or product manufacturing within the state.
- Must be retail-ready and capable of promptly shipping products to California retailers upon acceptance into a retailer.
- Must purchase a registration to attend the Gather California in Rancho Mirage, September 21-23, 2025.
- Grocery annualized sales must be in the range of $250k-$3 million.
- Company must be under 5 years old.
- Must have a distribution supply chain network (such as UNFI, KEHE, C&S).
- Will not qualify if they have participated in CGA Emerging Brands Sessions in the past.
- Sales pitch must explain your go-to-market and promotional strategy.
