Finalists Announced For Pitch Slam 11
Six startup food brands crossing category lines from spiced sweets to standout savory snacks have advanced to the final round of NOSH Pitch Slam 11 following this morning’s semifinal round in the competition, presented by 301INC, the venture capital arm of General Mills.
The five brands selected by the judges to advance to tomorrow’s final are better-for-you cookie maker Mmmly, mushroom jerky snack munchrooms, internationally-inspired ice cream Marco Sweets & Spices, sprouted nut snacks Rich Nuts, and coconut spread Kokada. They’ll be joined by a sixth brand, the audience pick: Bob’s Naturals.
The six finalists were chosen from a field of 12 brands which also included functional hard candy Essential Candy, ice cream kit producer True Scoops, veggie-driven snack bar Undressed Snacks, breakfast bar maker Bob’s Naturals, collagen protein bar ELAVI and upcycled fruit and veggie candy maker, FAVES.
Rewatch the Semifinal Round:
Throughout the competition, the judges weighed in on taste, packaging and the overall “killer concepts” behind each brand in the competition. Each of the judges touched on the importance of calling out key attributes clearly on front-of-pack, but judge Johnny Tran, Senior Business Development Manager of 301INC, put extra emphasis on the importance of refining branding, noting that “packaging is the articulation of a brand’s soul.”
Other judges for the semifinal included AnaMaria Friede, Executive Leader of Breakfast, Baking and Meal Essentials for Whole Foods; Danielle LiVolsi, Co-founder and CEO of Nutzo; and NOSH reporter, Erin Cabrey.
Looking toward tomorrow’s final round, the judges expressed their excitement about hearing more from each brand on how they have performed in the market including key attributes such as pricing and how each has targeted a gap in the market and solved a problem with their product.
Tune in tomorrow to watch the final round of the Pitch Slam 11 competition where contestants will face off in two parts from 11:00-11:30 am PST and again at 1:30 to 2:00 pm PST with the winner being announced at 3:00 pm PST.
The winner of this years Pitch Slam will receive a $10,000 advertising package and join past Pitch Slam champions including empanada maker Cocina 54, 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.
