DFW CPG at the State Fair
Our friends at GO TEXAN presented an incredible State Fair of Texas Preview night last week. Be sure to drop by the Go Texan Pavilion General Store while visiting the fair now through Oct 22 and see many DFW CPG members’ products for sale including Jerky Y’all, Mighty Beans (shown), White Rock Granola, and many others.
Brand Spotlight:Lewie: The Brand Making Smiles the Centerpiece of Beauty
Originally founded in 2017, Lewie took its first true form in January 2022 after the meticulous evolution of its Lip Balm & Floss combo. The brainchild of Dr. Amanda Lewis, a seasoned cosmetic dentist who has owned and managed practices since 2006, Lewie sells beauty products that spotlight the smile as a natural focal point for every beauty regimen. Read more here.
Members in the NewsDFW CPG member, Jeff Richards, was recently featured in Dallas Innovates for his company, Mooala, organic plant-based milk that uses only 3 simple ingredients to create a delicious product. According to the magazine, “Mooala, ranked No. 1,600 of the 2022 Inc. 5000 list of growing businesses, is sold in stores including Whole Foods, Kroger, Costco, Publix, Walmart, HEB, and Aldi.” Read more.
A Double Win!DFW CPG’s own Chi Nguyen, Founder of Purpose Tea shared that she won the TiE Dallas Pitch Competition. She notes, “Honestly, I considered it a win to be selected and to compete with other amazing Founders and their companies, but to win is a dream come true! Thank you!” And in further great news, Purpose Tea was also selected as a finalist for the upcoming Founders Pitch Week, one of 30 brands out of 200 that were selected to pitch to hundreds of potential investors later this month. Go, Chi!
TOMORROW: Crawl Across TexasThe Texas Venture Crawl is coming to Dallas! This unique event highlights the greater venture ecosystem of support for Texas startups. Join other entrepreneurs, VC’s and investors, and other businesses on the first stop of the “crawl” across Texas. Join in tomorrow, October 6th pm. Register for free here.
H-E-B Diversity Online EventWant to get your products into H-E-B or Central Market? The H-E-B Supplier Diversity Team proudly presents their 13th annual Opportunity Exchange and Expo, online on October 25, 2023, 9 am to 1 pm, featuring an awards ceremony and interaction with H-E-B leaders. Learn how to engage in a partnership with H-E-B. Register here.
Swim with the SharksGain insights on today’s consumer VC landscape and meet 5 Founders behind Shark Tank famous brands with Camino Partners,The Pizza Cupcake, Pricklee Cactus Water, Kahawa 1893 Coffee, and more. October 25th, 1 pm to 2:15 pm Central Time. Register for free here.
LIFT Suppliers’ Night 2023The Longhorn Section Of The Institute Of Food Technologists invites you to attend their annual Suppliers’ Night, October 12th at the Embassy Suites in Frisco. Spearheaded in part by DFW CPGAmbassador, Greg Hanks of Hank’s Brokerage, this event is a must-see. The exhibits cover many areas of the food and beverage industry, including packaging, equipment, lab and testing services, and all kinds of ingredients. Lots of fun and delicious food. Register here.
Selling into SchoolsInterested in learning how to offer your products or services to local school districts? Attend the DFW Minority Supplier Development Council & Dallas ISD Annual School District Buyer and Vendor Mixer on Wednesday, November 8, 2023from noon to 3:00, at Forester Athletic Complex in Dallas. Meet, greet and learn of upcoming business opportunities with the procurement personnel of local Independent School Districts in a face-to-face environment. Register here.
The Cocina Sabrosa Hispanic Food trade show last week at the Irving Convention Center was a smash hit! Several DFW CPG members were able to attend including Lynn Scarborough, Richard Riccardi and Andrea Ridout (shown) as well as Tim Prager (not shown). Would you have interest in being part of a shared booth next year? Let us know!
Grants for WomenLadies Who Launch has just published a list of upcoming small business grant opportunities that can help set your small business up for success. Most are for women and BIBOC companies but some are more broad in scope. Check out their grants database!
Grant OpportunityHello Alice, in collaboration with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and supported by Etsy and Progressive, is providing grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to assist small business owners in accelerating their growth. To be eligible, a business must have less than $1M in annual revenue, a commitment to their customers and community, and a clear plan to use the grant funds. Apply here by Oct 27.
Expo East NewsExpo East is being replaced by a new trade show called “Newtopia Now”. The entirely new format next year will leverage a “more tailored and intentional approach to connection and product discovery.” The event will be designed to “provide more opportunities for brands to meaningfully participate, regardless of where they are in their lifecycle.” Newtopia Now will be held August 6-8, 2024 in Savannah, GA. Expo West will continue in its current format in Anaheim. Read more here.
Looking for Brand Exposure?We’re on the look-out for a few highly-motivated Brand Founder/CEOs who are in need of free publicity. Are you interested in sharing your company’s journey? How you got to where you are and where you’re headed? If so, answer these 5 EASY QUESTIONS and spend a few moments talking to our very own in-house PR Guru Charles Nicolas and he’ll work his magic to create a high-impact Brand Profile of your dynamically-growing company.
Women of Color Business Mixer
This networking event brings together current and prospective Women’s Business Enterprise Council members, local businesses and corporations to develop professional relationships. It features networking, a panel discussion about the benefits of WBE certification, vendor tables, and a spotlight on participants of the Women of Color Certification Mentor Program. October 11from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Register here.
This networking event brings together current and prospective Women’s Business Enterprise Council members, local businesses and corporations to develop professional relationships. It features networking, a panel discussion about the benefits of WBE certification, vendor tables, and a spotlight on participants of the Women of Color Certification Mentor Program. October 11from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Register here.
Boss Vision Conference
Calling all driven, purposeful women in business who yearn to make a meaningful impact while building a thriving living – Boss Vision Conference, October 27-28 in Dallas, is your gateway to unleashing your potential, transforming lives, and achieving what you define as success. Register here. For sponsor/vendor inquiries email @Wendy Rodriguez or apply here!
SKU
Are you the founder of an emerging brand who would like to successfully scale with mentorship from top CPG leaders, investors and successful founders? SKU, the nation’s leading CPG accelerator, is now accepting company applications for the Spring ’24 track. The 12-week cohort will run March through May, culminating with a Showcase Pitch Event. The program is hybrid and mentors and founders need not be located in Austin. Apply here by November 19th.