Naturally Wisconsin

🎉Congratulations to our 2026 Naturally Rising Wisconsin winners and finalists!

These three Wisconsin businesses took home prizes at the Naturally Rising Wisconsin Pitch Competition at Fortune Favors!

Regional Winner: Teddy’s Tallow Chips
Emerging Impact Winner: Alaska Fresh Seafood
Audience Choice Winner: Tortilleria Zepeda

Check out the prizes below, and watch for our updates as Regional Winner Teddy's Tallow Chips goes on to represent Wisconsin at the Naturally Rising Pitch Slam during Newtopia Now in Denver this August!

THANK YOU to ALL of our amazing finalists for sharing their inspiring pitches. Please follow them to learn more about their products and their stories:

Mock and Co.
Beautiful Harvest
Luba Libations

Thank you to our judges Nubian Simmons, Jessica Benish, Sascha Dhanjal E., Katie Mleziva, and Vincent Rice, emcee Sam McDaniel, and everyone at Fortune Favors Nuts for hosting us. And thank you to the entire Naturally Wisconsin Advisory Council for serving on our selection committee and rallying your networks to support this event!

It was an evening of connection, support, laughter and camaraderie for the entrepreneurs of Wisconsin's natural sector. Thank you to all who attended and cheered our contestants on!






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Regional prize:
Free booth at Newtopia Now 2026 in Denver, CO
Compete at Naturally Network National Pitch Slam
Exhibit at 2026 Food Finance Forum & Expo at Wisconsin Grocers Association Innovation Expo
Brand Strategy Consulting from Real Food Brands
Feature interview on The Food Business Marketing Podcast
Amazon Profit Map by Waypoint

Emerging Impact prize:
Brand Strategy Consulting from Real Food Brands

Audience Choice prize:
Brand Strategy Consulting from Real Food Brands

🌿 Meet our 2026 Naturally Rising finalists
These six emerging CPG brands are taking the stage on May 14 at 3 PM CT at Fortune Favors, where they’ll pitch live, answer questions from our judges, and compete for the chance to advance to the national stage.

Come support these founders, discover what’s next in consumer goods, and connect with the Wisconsin CPG community.

🎟️ Space is limited. Registration required.
👉 RSVP now to join us: https://zurl.co/3Ng5L

🌿 Naturally Wisconsin presents: Naturally Rising 2026
Join us at Fortune Favors on May 14 at 3 PM CT for an exciting afternoon of fast-paced pitches from emerging CPG brands, plus live Q&A with expert judges. It’s your chance to discover what’s next in consumer goods and connect with founders, leaders, and the broader Wisconsin CPG community.

🎟️ Space is limited. Registration required.
👉 Register now to attend and be part of the energy shaping the future of CPG
https://zurl.co/Zywbf

🌿 Meet our 2026 Naturally Rising finalists
These six emerging CPG brands are taking the stage on May 14 at 3 PM CT at Fortune Favors, where they’ll pitch live, answer questions from our judges, and compete for the chance to advance to the national stage.

Come support these founders, discover what’s next in consumer goods, and connect with the Wisconsin CPG community.

🎟️ Space is limited. Registration required.
👉 RSVP now to join us: https://zurl.co/y1mPD

🚀 WISCONSIN CPG FOUNDERS — THIS IS YOUR MOMENT.

Applications are now open for Naturally Rising Wisconsin, the pitch competition that spotlights mission‑driven brands shaping the future of natural consumer goods across our state.
If you’re building innovative food, beverage, supplement, personal care, or wellness products grounded in sustainability and strong values—this is the stage built for you.

WHY THIS MATTERS

💰 More than $10K in prizes
🎪 Free booth at Newtopia Now 2026
🎤 Deliver your 3‑minute pitch in front of Wisconsin’s natural products community, retail buyers, and investors looking for the next breakout brand
🧠 Expert Mentorship Before You Pitch
🎖️Finalists work 1:1 with industry pros—including operators, retailers, and investors—to sharpen your pitch and strategy
🌟 Unmatched Visibility
💼 Business services from our sponsor community

WHO SHOULD APPLY
✓ Emerging CPG brands with $25K–$2M in revenue
✓ Available in at least one retail location
✓ Wisconsin‑based founders preparing to scale
✓ Mission‑driven, sustainability‑focused companies
🎟️ Open to Naturally Wisconsin members

YOUR MENTORS
You’ll be coached by experienced leaders from the Food Finance Institute ecosystem:
Jamie Valenti‑Jordan, Sarah Larson, Brad Rostowfske, Tera Johnson, Anna Thomas, and Andy Larson — experts in scaling food brands, investment readiness, product strategy, and market growth.

YOUR JUDGES
Judges will be selected from the Naturally Wisconsin Advisory Council, with the full panel announced soon.

⏰ Application Deadline: March 31, 2026
📆 Event: May 8, 2026, Online
This isn’t just a pitch competition —
It’s a launchpad for Wisconsin’s next generation of natural product innovators.
👉 Apply to Pitch: https://zurl.co/bbXwy
📍 Event Details & RSVP: https://zurl.co/A9RPS
Tag a Wisconsin founder who should throw their hat in the ring! ⬇️

When Sascha Dhanjal moved to Madison, she expected a smaller food community — what she found was something far more powerful: a deeply engaged, collaborative ecosystem where founders genuinely want to see each other win. 🤝

In our latest Member Highlight, Sascha shares why she joined the Naturally Wisconsin Advisory Council, what makes this state’s CPG community different, and her vision for stronger partnerships between Wisconsin agriculture and emerging brands.

Read her full story on the blog → https://zurl.co/I26yT

Heading to Expo West? Join us at the Midwest & Mountain Mingle in Anaheim —an energizing networking event co-hosted by Naturally Wisconsin, Naturally Minnesota, Naturally Chicago, and Naturally Colorado!

Anaheim Convention Center | Thursday, March 5, 4–6 PM

Take a break from the show floor for great conversations, great food, and even better connections.

Register Here: https://zurl.co/aVk7T

Relationships matter—especially in food and CPG. 🤝
Meet Sam McDaniel, CEO of Fortune Favors and Naturally Wisconsin Advisory Council member, and learn why community, connection, and building complete businesses are at the heart of his work. 🌰

👉 Read the full member profile: https://zurl.co/RmZbn

🤝 Building Wisconsin’s natural products future—one conversation at a time.

Summit Credit Union’s Vincent Rice is helping bridge the gap between lenders and entrepreneurs, making financing more approachable for food and farm businesses across the state.

Read more about his work and vision in our latest Member Highlight:
👉 https://zurl.co/Qmmzw

🍨 Member Highlight: Matt Keepman of Mullen's Dairy Bar! 🌿
Meet Matt — entrepreneur, legacy-builder, and co-owner of Mullen’s, a century-old ice cream shop reimagined with a modern twist on quality and simplicity. From dairy-free sorbet roots to a revitalized Wisconsin favorite, his journey is a testament to putting good stuff in — and getting great stuff out.

✨ Learn how Matt and the Mullen’s team are honoring tradition while scaling with purpose and heart.

📖 Read his story: https://zurl.co/w3gj5