Nov. 1 & 2, 2016
Los Angeles, CA
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Industry Leaders Announced as Judges for Project NOSH Pitch Slam

At this year’s Project NOSH L.A. conference on November 1 and 2, five better-for-you and natural food brands will compete in the first Project NOSH Pitch Slam. Presented by ADM, the segment will give brands the opportunity to present their business plans, get feedback from a panel of judges, and ultimately have the chance to take home a cash prize of $5,000 and bragging rights.

The window to enter the Pitch Slam is limited, with the application process closing this evening.

Today the curtain is pulled back on the panel of industry luminaries that competitors will have to impress to find themselves at the top of the pack. These judges represent a cross section of the food industry, and reflect a variety of the types of roles food businesses must face on a daily basis.

Josh Goldin, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Alliance Consumer Growth (ACG) will bring the point of view of the investor to the panel. ACG has invested in food brands including Way Better Snacks, Krave Jerky, Evol, Plum Organics and more. Goldin himself currently serves on the board of Cookie Chips and has previous served on the boards of Suja Juice, Babyganics and Shake Shack.

As a company that prides itself on offering consumers some of the most unique, authentic and tasty snacks, Starbucks constantly has to be looking out for what’s new on shelves and listening to what consumers want. Helping achieve that mission is Deb Hannah, Director, Retail Brand Partnerships for Starbucks. Hannah and her team run the snack category across North America and have the enviable task of finding new food brands for Starbucks nationwide. Before taking on this role, Hannah spent 12 years in traditional consumer packaged goods.

To help provide perspective on the unique aspects of contestant’s products will be Dena Strehlow. Over her 25-year career, Strehlow, a PhD, has helped some of the industry’s top brands develop innovative products that also achieve specific business and monetary goals. Now the Director for Customer Innovation & Strategy at ADM, Strehlow previously spent 20 years at General Mills, ultimately rising to the role of Global Platform Leader for Strategy and Innovation. At ADM, Strehlow serves as the internal head for the Food Innovation Challenge, a startup competition for Midwest food entrepreneurs and acts as the customer liaison to National Foodworks Services, a state of the art food incubator.

As someone who has been in the shoes of the entrepreneur, the investor, and the advisor – with several successful exits — Brendan Synnott knows what it takes to have a brand rise above its competitors. Synnott previously founded granola brand Bear Naked as well as co-founded frozen food brand Evol. As the current founder of investment group Revelry Brands and CEO of PACT Apparel, Synnott still is in the CPG game and knows how to develop relationships with hot retailers such as Target and Whole Foods Market and then execute against specific goals.

Do you think your brand has what it takes to impress the judges and walk away as the winner of the Project NOSH LA Pitch Slam? Apply online before the deadline closes.

Project NOSH L.A. will be held on Nov. 1 at the Marriott Marina del Rey and Nov. 2 at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles. The Nov. 1 event is a limited-seating Boot Camp for early stage brands.

Register Now for Project NOSH LA >>

Questions about the event or attendance can be arranged by contacting Jon Landis. Some sponsorship is still available and can be arranged by contacting John McKenna.

About Project NOSH: Project NOSH covers the world of entrepreneurial packaged food companies and services that are expanding rapidly due to interest in Natural, Organic, Sustainable and Healthy (NOSH) products and businesses. The growth of these kinds of products has created an ecosystem of entrepreneurs, consumers, suppliers, employees, distributors, retailers, investors, regulators, and service providers: The goal of Project NOSH is to become the leading source of informed, comprehensive coverage and context in regard to this growing community of businesses and the larger trends affecting it, both internally and externally. Project NOSH is a publication of BevNET.com, Inc.