Specialty Food Association will host Scale Up Saturday on January 20, 2024, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Taking place the day before the Winter Fancy Food Show kicks off, the event is designed for makers to learn about growth strategies and financing options to inform their business planning.
Package prices range from $99 - $149 for members and $199 - $299 for nonmembers. More information can be found here.
Workshop Schedule
9-10 a.m.
Taste the Future: AI-Enhanced Marketing for Specialty Food Products
Learn how to leverage the power of Artificial Intelligence to develop branding, copy, visuals, websites, and more for your specialty food business. We will be diving into case studies that will equip you with actionable ideas that can transform how you market your business using AI.
Speaker: Aaron Feiger, Owner/Creative Director, Food Court Creative
10-11 a.m.
Selling to Channels: Understanding Specialty Stores, Grocery, and Foodservice
How do great products find a home in specialty stores, foodservice venues, and high-end grocery? We’ll sit down with the buyers and leaders who choose the food and beverage items that their customers want to buy and learn how they make decisions and work with makers.
Speaker: Ian Kelleher, founder, 2nd Quest CPG; Matt Caputo, founder, Caputo’s; Mike McMahon, director of grocery, Bristol Farms
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Stand Out on the Shelf: An Interactive Product Evaluation Experience
First impressions are critical. In this interactive workshop, select participants will have the chance to receive live feedback from CPG experts on their product’s design and packaging. Join us to gain valuable takeaways from their advice.
Speaker: Victoria Ho, cofounder, Sherpa CPG; Andy Kurtts, creative director, Buttermilk Creative
12 – 1:30 p.m.
Networking Lunch
1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Fund Your Future
This session will introduce founders and their teams to the basics of financing a business in the tough climate we are facing now, including appropriate funding options at each stage of your business. We will touch on clarifying objectives and timelines, determining how much you need, connecting with and telling your story to investors and banks, and ways to think about valuation and deal structure. After this panel session, you will have the chance to meet with potential investors and ask questions in small groups.
Speakers: Jack Acree, executive vice president, Saffron Road Foods; Hallie Bonnar, co-founder & partner, Newfare Partners
Related: Honoring the 2024 Leadership Award Winners; Fancy Food Show Preview: Q&A With Wendy Robinson, Market Hall Foods.