Artist and activist Alysia Reiner will speak about sustainability in the food movement and citizen activism during A Fancy New York Pitch Slam, taking place this Monday at 4 p.m. at the Summer Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center in New York.
Reiner is best known as “FIG” on Orange Is the New Black, for which she won a SAG Award. She also plays Agent Sadie Deever in the new Marvel series Ms. Marvel and Sunny on Peabody Award-winning Better Things. She also plays Kathryn in Shining Vale with Courtney Cox and Greg Kinnear.
Reiner works as a change maker for women and an advocate for women’s rights and climate change initiatives. She is on the board and an ambassador for GDIM, on the board of Earth Day Initiative, on the advisory board for Air Protein, the face and zero waste eco-emissary for Izzy Beauty, and started eco-fashion zero waste initiative, Livari.
Hosted by Naturally New York, in partnership with the Specialty Food Association, Pitch Slam provides a platform for entrepreneurs in the natural and specialty products industry to present their product or service to a panel of judges and audience members for a chance to win prize packages valued at more than $70,000.
“We’re so pleased to be working with Naturally New York to put a spotlight on some of the outstanding, creative food and beverage brands that both of our organizations represent at the Summer Fancy Food Show,” said Denise Purcell, vice president of content and education for the SFA. “We’re looking forward to a fun, informative competition and a rewarding collaboration.”
The following five companies will take part in the pitch competition:
Fabalish: founded by Jessica Gebel in 2018; a New York-based food, condiments, and ingredient company harnessing the power of chickpeas and its upcycled byproduct, aquafaba, to create plant-based foods with award-winning flavor.
Maivino: founded by Mai Vu in 2017; a Brooklyn, New York-based wine company that makes it easy to enjoy premium wine anywhere, anytime.
ÜRösti: founded by Stephen Caldwell in 2019; a Portland, Oregon-based food company with the first-to-market, crispy shredded hand-held filled potato in three bites.
Rule Breaker Snacks: founded by Nancy Kalish in 2015; a Brooklyn, New York-based baked goods company offering “better-for-you” plant-based, vegan, gluten-free, soft-baked, chewy brownies, blondies, and snack bites.
Waku: co-founded by Juan Giraldo in 2018; a Boston-based prebiotic beverage company, putting a modern twist on an ancient Ecuadorian tea recipe.
Summer Fancy Food Show badgeholders may attend as part of their registration. Others may purchase tickets for $35 (or $25 for NNY members).
The grand prize winner of the Pitch Slam competition will be selected by a panel of judges, based on a 3-minute pitch presentation, storytelling abilities, innovative offering, social impact plan, branding and packaging, and market viability.
Judges include: Scott Crawford, CMO, Fresh Direct; Neda Daneshzadeh, co-founder and managing partner, Prelude Growth Partners; Kate Harper, chief brand curator, Hive Brands; Michael Meyer, partner, L Catterton and CEO, “I and love and you.”
Heather Terry, co-founder and CEO of GoodSam Foods, and executive board member and founding partner of Naturally New York will serve as master of ceremonies.
“On behalf of our entire board at Naturally New York, we are thrilled to host the first Pitch Slam in New York City at Summer Fancy Food Show,” said Eric Schnell, co-founder, BeyondBrands and co-chair, Naturally New York, in a statement. “The five finalists who made the cut are a diverse group of emerging CPG brands; each standouts in their respective categories. It will certainly be a highlight of the show, and an event you will not want to miss.”
Related: Startup Pavilion to Feature Up-and-Coming Food Makers; Diverse Cheeses to Debut at Summer Show.