Naturally NorCal

The investment landscape is constantly changing. Tune in next Thursday May 1st to learn why NOW is an excellent time to invest in CPG: https://lnkd.in/dByyjBgT Join Naturally Chicago, Naturally NorCal, and Naturally New York for a dynamic discussion with: • Arthur Chow of S2G Investments • Paul Mariani of Mesirow • Jason Mercer of Cleveland Avenue • Mollye Lent Santulli of Springdale Ventures • Eric Schnell of BeyondBrands • Wayne Wu of VMG Partners Register now: https://lnkd.in/dByyjBgT #cpginvestments #venturecapital #fundraising

🚨Last call for Early Bird Tickets! Buy your Naturally Rising NorCal Ticket by midnight tonight, Tuesday April 22, to secure the best pricing for the event: https://lnkd.in/gYS4q_qb Don't miss our very first Naturally NorCal celebration! ⏵ Join 250 community members ⏵ Sample innovations from 15 local members ⏵ Cheer on 7 Entrepreneurs who will take the stage ⏵ See 1 Grand Prize winner take home a prize package worth $60K+ It's all happening Thursday, May 8. Get your ticket today: https://lnkd.in/gYS4q_qb #naturallyrising #natuarallyrisingnorcal #pitchslam #pitchevent #communitycelebration #norcal #foodandbeverage #foodinnovation

GET YOUR NATURALLY RISING TICKET. EARLY BIRD PRICING EXTENDED — Through Tuesday, 4/22! https://lnkd.in/gYS4q_qb Naturally Rising isn’t just a pitch event. It’s the first Naturally NorCal event ever — and it’s all about celebrating community, making meaningful connections, and getting a peek at what’s next in natural. If you’re in natural CPG, you need to be in the room. 🎟️ Grab your ticket now before prices go up! https://lnkd.in/gYS4q_qb Finalists: Brandie Miller Mochi Love Anica Wu Bonjerk Pooja Chopra Mudita Earth Guilherme Maia Silva MILKish by Força Foods Monica Bhatia EQUII Alexandra Bertholet Voyager Milk Randall Horn Finally Nut Free Spreads Judges: Alisa Carmichael VMG Partners Miriam Welch Albertsons Companies Rusty Schwartz KITCHENTOWN Susan Griffin-Black EO Products Ahmed Chehade Good Stuff Distributor, Inc. Event Sponsors: Bank of America BPM LLP Guayakí Yerba Mate Heffernan Insurance Brokers The Burbank Group at Morgan Stanley Reception Sponsors: Wine Spies Otherwise Brewing #norcal #community #naturallyrisingnorcal #naturallyrising #pitchcompetition #pitchslam #foodandbeverage #naturalproducts #entrepreneurship

🔥 Big things are happening in Northern California’s natural products scene — and Naturally NorCal is leading the charge. With a mission to support entrepreneurs at every stage — from bold startups to established brands — Naturally NorCal is creating space for innovation, connection, and growth across the CPG ecosystem. Here’s what’s coming up in 2025 (and why you should be paying attention):  🧠 Virtual education series on using AI to drive smarter, faster growth  🤝 Role-based Forums connecting professionals from the production floor to the C-suite  🎤  Naturally Rising NorCal pitch competition on May 8 in San Francisco (the energy’s going to be off the charts) This is more than a regional chapter — we’re a part of a much larger community-it’s a launchpad for what’s next in natural, organic, and mission-driven business in NorCal and across the nation. If you're in the space, this is your community. https://lnkd.in/gZWpw2Ff #NaturallyNorCal #NaturallyNetwork #CPGInnovation #NaturalProducts #NorCalCPG #FoodEntrepreneurs #AIinCPG #PitchSlam

There's just a few spots left to join the Naturally Network pavillion at Newtopia Now. Apply now!

One Week Away! On Thursday, April 17, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PT Hear from buyers of Albertsons Companies, Good Earth Natural Foods, and Whole Foods Market. https://lnkd.in/gcc934_b Curious about what's trending on store shelves — and how to get your brand noticed? Join us for a candid conversation with category buyers from some of California's most influential retailers. Jen Berliner, Head of Sales & Marketing at Patagonia Provisions, will lead the discussion with: • Andrew Jones, National Category Director at Albertsons Companies • Raena Wilson, Product & Merchandising Coordinator at Good Earth Natural Foods • Patrick Wyman, Local Forager at Whole Foods Market Bring your questions! You'll have the chance to ask them live and walk away with insights to fine-tune your retail strategy in 2025. Register now: https://lnkd.in/gcc934_b Hosted by Naturally NorCal, Naturally LA, and Naturally San Diego. #categorytrends #winatretail #retailtrends #NaturallyNorCal #NaturallyLA #naturallySanDiego #CPG #NaturalProducts #RetailStrategy #WholeFoods #Albertsons #GoodEarth #CPGFounders #FoodAndBeverage #GetOnShelf

Our AI in CPG series continues on May 21! 🚀 Join us for AI in CPG: Sales, Marketing, and the Customer Journey https://lnkd.in/gmMdvQiJ Ready to take your sales and marketing game to the next level with AI? Join us for the second session in our AI in CPG series — a workshop-style deep dive into how brands are using AI to connect, convert, and create lasting customer relationships. From predictive marketing to personalized engagement at scale, we’ll share real-world use cases you can actually use. ✅ AI-powered analytics ✅ Chatbots & automation tools ✅ Lead scoring ✅ Customer insight strategies 🎯 Walk away with actionable ideas to boost your brand and better serve your customers. 👉 Register now: https://lnkd.in/gmMdvQiJ #AIinCPG #NaturallyNorCal #AIforCPG #SalesAndMarketing #ConsumerEngagement #CPGInnovation #MarketingStrategy #AIWorkshop

Game-Changing Mentors, Show-Stopping Pitches — Meet the Mentors of Naturally Rising (And Get Your Ticket!) https://lnkd.in/gYS4q_qb What makes a great pitch even better? Expert guidance from those who’ve been there before. We’ve paired each of our Naturally Rising NorCal Finalists with a seasoned industry mentor — from brand builders and founders to CEOs and retail veterans — all volunteering their time to help these emerging brands bring their best to the stage. These aren’t just mentors — they’re movers and shakers who’ve helped shape the natural products industry. And they’re helping to shape the future by supporting the next generation of CPG trailblazers. Meet: • Sadie Scheffer, Founder & CEO of Bread SRSLY • Kathryn Flouton, Founder of Kathryn Flouton Consulting • Minh Tsai, Founder & CEO of Hodo • Thuy Nguyen, Category Manager at Thrive Market • Mario DiFalco, Founding Partner of Illuminate Growth Partners • Judy Yee (Chen) Yee, VP of Innovation at Mattson: Innovation for the Food & Beverage Industry • Ben Mand, CEO of Guayakí Yerba Mateí Our mentors will be coaching our finalists from Bonjerk, EQUII, MILKish by Força Foods, Mochi Love, Mudita Earth, Finally Nut Free Spreads, Voyager Milk. Expect sharper pitches, deeper stories, and bigger inspiration — all thanks to this incredible lineup of support. Get your Early-Bird Ticket to see the magic happen live on stage, Thursday, May 8, 2025 at Fort Mason, San Francisco. https://lnkd.in/gYS4q_qb #naturallyrisingnorcal #naturallyrising #pitchcompetition #pitchslam #foodandbeverage #naturalproducts #norcal #entrepreneurship

🤝 Calling All Naturally NorCal Marketing Members! 🤝 Join us as we kick off our 2025 Marketing Forum Series this Thursday, April 10th. Connect with marketing peers and share in-the-moment challenges, gain insights, and explore innovative strategies for growth. Our goal is to create a collaborative space for learning and networking within and beyond our bi-monthly meetings. Experience the benefits of being part of our vibrant and collaborative community. 🗓️ Date: This Thursday, April 10, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PT 🌐 Location: Online 🔗 Secure Your Spot https://lnkd.in/g-AiWvpg  Not a member yet? Discover the benefits of joining our community. https://lnkd.in/gpNZAVcz #NaturallyNorCal #NaturallNorCalMembership #MarketingForum #NaturalProducts #OrganicProducts #NorCalNaturalProducts #NaturalProductsMarketing

🚨 BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Are you curious about what it really takes to get your brand on a shelf in 2025? Join us Thursday, April 17, from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. for Category Trends with Leading Retail Buyers. https://lnkd.in/gcc934_b Join us for a candid, insider conversation with buyers from Whole Foods Market, Albertsons Companies, and Good Earth Natural Foods — hosted by Naturally NorCal, Naturally LA, and Naturally San Diego. Our panel will discuss: 🛒 What’s trending across natural & organic categories? 💡 How do buyers evaluate new products? 📣 What makes a brand stand out? 🤝 How can you build lasting, productive relationships with retail partners? Get the answers straight from the source — and bring your questions! 👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gcc934_b #NaturallyNorCal #NaturallyLA #naturallySanDiego #CPG #NaturalProducts #RetailStrategy #WholeFoods #Albertsons #GoodEarth #CPGFounders #FoodAndBeverage #GetOnShelf