Finalists Announced For Pitch Slam 10
Six startup food brands in categories ranging from snacking to international were selected from a field of 12 to compete in Wednesday’s final round of NOSH’s Virtual Pitch Slam 10, presented by 301 Inc.
The five judge-selected finalists are Beyond the Equator, COCINA 54, Honey Child Artisan Pops, Singing Pastures and Down to Cook and the sixth, audience-voted finalist is Daily Crunch Snacks.
Those moving on to the final round were chosen from a cohort of 12 food brands including Grateful Snacking Co, Iya Foods, FUN Sesames, Kuali, Mariam’s Garlic Goodness and Chia Smash.
Contestants had two minutes to present their pitches to a panel of three judges. The semifinal judge panel featured 301 Inc. marketing manager Alexandra Hendricks, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and SnackJones founder Trevor Smith.
Many of the competing brands offered a better-for-you, authentic approach to international foods. Brand leaders from COCINA 54, FUN Sesames, Iya Foods, Kuali and Mariam’s Garlic Goodness each shared a personal story that drove them to create a product that evoked an emotional connection to their respective upbringings.
During the competition, the judges’ offered commentary on how these early-stage brands can improve, specifically touching on how they present the product to consumers through channels such as social media, general communications, branding, but most notably – packaging.
“What I appreciate is everyone was very intentional with their products,” said Hendricks. “Everything was made with a very focused effort on ingredients, macros, all of that. From a branding perspective: pick one to two things that you think will really drive purchase intent and put those on the front of pack. Everything else can be tertiary, on the back, maybe on the website, or in the brand story.”
The final round of Pitch Slam 10 will air on NOSH.com and NOSH’s social media platforms on Wednesday, June 30 from 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM ET, featuring extended five minute pitches from the finalists. A second group of industry gatekeepers will weigh in on the brands and overarching marketplace during a live Q&A session with the finalists.
The winner of this years Pitch Slam will receive a $10,000 advertising package and join past Pitch Slam winners including keto-friendly donut brand Elite Sweets, appetizer brand Savorly, Know Brainer keto marshmallows, Beckon lactose-free ice cream, Creation Nation protein bar mixes, Watermelon Road dried fruit jerky, Tribali grass-fed frozen meat patties and Bronx Hot Sauce.
