CT Food Launchpad

CT Food Launchpad

Food and Beverage Services

New Haven, Connecticut 206 followers

We help CT food brands get on the shelf.

About us

CT Food Launchpad helps Connecticut food entrepreneurs commercialize their products by facilitating connections with Northeast wholesale food buyers and solutions providers. Our sister businesses are Chabaso Bakery and Atticus New Haven.

Website
https://www.ctfoodlaunchpad.com/
Industry
Food and Beverage Services
Company size
2-10 employees
Headquarters
New Haven, Connecticut
Type
Privately Held
Founded
2021

Locations

Employees at CT Food Launchpad

Updates

  • 👀 Be on the lookout for updated packaging from emerging Connecticut brand Caribe Soul for their frozen empanadas. About the brand: Caribe Soul specializes in gourmet frozen empanadas, offering a variety of options, including vegan and vegetarian bake-at-home varieties. Each empanada is crafted in small, hand-made batches, following a farm-to-table approach with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Learn more at www.caribesoul.com. Recent achievements and milestones: -- Obtained a manufacturing license in April 2024, solidifying our ability to produce at scale while maintaining artisanal quality. -- Launched a new line of vegan and vegetarian bake-at-home empanadas, catering to evolving customer preferences. -- Reinforced our commitment to sustainability and quality with our farm-to-table philosophy and handcrafted approach to production and packaging. 🔎 Visit ctfoodlaunchpad.com to learn about other emerging Connecticut food & bev brands and submit your own brand to be included in our directory and updates.

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  • 📣 Shoutout to emerging Connecticut brand Maia Yogurt on their recent expansion into both Wegmans Food Markets and Stop & Shop! About Maia Yogurt: 100% grass-fed cows milk, real fruit and a pinch of cane sugar. 15-18g protein, lower sugar and packed with 25 billion probiotics. Sweet but not sugary! Full of love, not sugar. Learn more at maiayogurt.com. 🔎 Visit ctfoodlaunchpad.com to learn about other emerging Connecticut food & bev brands and submit your own brand to be included in our directory.

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  • ⏰ Only 4 weeks left until the 1/5/25 application deadline for The Big Connecticut Food Event (happening 3/1/25 at the Yale School of Management). 🔎See below or visit ctfoodevent.com for more information about the participation process for Connecticut food & beverage brands and the event overall. ### ABOUT The Big Connecticut Food Event is an annual one-day event that gathers CPG/wholesale-focused food & beverage brands and other key stakeholders spanning the Connecticut food entrepreneurship ecosystem to network, share ideas, and showcase products and services. The upcoming Big Connecticut Food Event will take place on Saturday 3/1/25 at the Yale School of Management in New Haven. CONTENT 💰 $50k+ pitch competition for 5 finalist emerging Connecticut brands 🥫 Sampling and tabling from 30+ emerging Connecticut brands and solutions providers 🤝 One-on-one coaching sessions between brands and industry experts 🎤 Panel discussions with industry leaders FOOD & BEV BRAND PARTICIPATION PROCESS * Please note that the pitch competition and tabling/sampling are only available for CPG/wholesale-focused brands (e.g. a product sold in a grocer). * Submit an application at ctfoodevent.com. * Applications are initially scored by our planning team. * Finalists: The top 5 scoring brands will be invited to participate in the pitch competition and set up a table at the event. * Semi-finalists: The next 25 highest-scoring brands after the finalists will also be invited to set up sampling tables at the event. * We will respond to you by 1/20/25 with the results of your application. JUDGING CRITERIA FOR FOOD & BEV BRANDS * Strategic target market * Differentiated solution * Team/board/advisors * Company momentum/traction * Impact of prize on the company * Woman- or BIPOC-owned * Sustainable/regenerative (Visit ctfoodevent.com for a more detailed explanation of judging criteria.)

  • Heads up! The deadline for food & beverage brands to submit an application for The Big Connecticut Food Event has been extended to 11:59pm on Sunday January 5. See below or visit ctfoodevent.com for more information about the participation process for Connecticut food & beverage brands and the event overall. ### ABOUT The Big Connecticut Food Event is an annual one-day event that gathers CPG/wholesale-focused food & beverage brands and other key stakeholders spanning the Connecticut food entrepreneurship ecosystem to network, share ideas, and showcase products and services. The upcoming Big Connecticut Food Event will take place on Saturday 3/1/25 at the Yale School of Management in New Haven. CONTENT 💰 $50k+ pitch competition for 5 finalist emerging Connecticut brands 🥫 Sampling and tabling from 30+ emerging Connecticut brands and solutions providers 🤝 One-on-one coaching sessions between brands and industry experts 🎤 Panel discussions with industry leaders FOOD & BEV BRAND PARTICIPATION PROCESS * Please note that the pitch competition and tabling/sampling are only available for CPG/wholesale-focused brands (e.g. a product sold in a grocer). * Submit an application at https://lnkd.in/eFBCt-2M. * Applications are initially scored by our planning team. * Finalists: The top 5 scoring brands will be invited to participate in the pitch competition and set up a table at the event. * Semi-finalists: The next 25 highest-scoring brands after the finalists will also be invited to set up sampling tables at the event. * We will respond to you by 1/20/25 with the results of your application. JUDGING CRITERIA FOR FOOD & BEV BRANDS * Target market -- Addressable target market is large and/or growing, or is a high-priced niche. Customer is well-defined. * Solution -- Product is differentiated vs. competition: better, faster, cheaper, quality, efficient, convenient, focused. * Team/board/advisors -- Evidence of more than just founder-led and -run. Relevant industry knowledge, skills, leadership experience, key relationships, prior successes and/or failures. * Traction -- Stated planned milestones, minimal viable product built, market validation, key success metrics, revenue growth, partners * Impact on the company -- Would this company stand to gain significant advancement and opportunities by being featured at our event? Will an award help them move their stated project along and help take the company further? * Women- or BIPOC-owned -- Business owners represent one or more sytemically disadvantaged identities (race, gender, etc..) * Sustainable or regenerative -- Sustainable/regenerative practices are a significant component of product and business (ingredient sourcing, packaging, energy use..)

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  • 🚨🚨Applications are open for The Big Connecticut Food Event $50k pitch competition for emerging CPG food & bev brands, happening on 3/1/25 at the Yale School of Management. Visit ctfoodevent.com to learn more about the event and submit a participation request. Deadline to apply is 12/1/24. More info 🏆Applications will be scored by our judging committee then ranked. The top 5 scoring brands will be invited to participate in the pitch competition, and the top 30 scoring brands (including the finalists) will be invited to participate in tabling and sampling. 📍All food & beverage brands that are interested in participating in the pitch competition or tabling/sampling must be headquartered in Connecticut (it's okay if you were incorporated in a different state). Food & bev brands based outside of CT are welcome to participate in expert coaching sessions and attend the event. 🔎The following factors will be considered when scoring food & bev brand applications for consideration in the pitch competition. --Target market: Addressable target market is large and/or growing, or is a high-priced niche. Customer is well-defined. --Solution: Product is differentiated vs. competition: better, faster, cheaper, quality, efficient, convenient, focused. --Team/board/advisors: Evidence of more than just founder-led and -run. Relevant industry knowledge, skills, leadership experience, key relationships, prior successes and/or failures. --Traction: Stated planned milestones, minimal viable product built, market validation, key success metrics, revenue growth, partners. --Impact on the company: Would this company stand to gain significant advancement and opportunities by being featured at our event? Will an award help them move their stated project along and help take the company further? --Woman- or BIPOC-owned: Business owners represent one or more sytemically disadvantaged identities (race, gender, etc.). --Sustainable or regenerative: Sustainable/regenerative practices are a significant component of product and business (ingredient sourcing, packaging, energy use, etc.).

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  • 🚨The participation request form for The Big Connecticut Food Event, happening on 3/1/25 at the Yale School of Management, is now live at ctfoodevent.com. 💰Connecticut food & bev brands are invited to apply to participate in the $50k+ pitch competition and tabling and sampling. 🤝All food & bev brands, regardless of location, are invited to participate in the one-on-one expert coaching sessions. 🎤Industry partners and solutions providers for food & bev brands are invited to apply to participate as a sponsor, pitch competition judge, expert coach, or panelist. ⏰ The deadline to submit a participation request is 12/1/24. Visit ctfoodevent.com to learn more about participation formats and requirements and submit a participation request.

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  • Save the date! The Big Connecticut Food Event is returning on Saturday 3/1/25 at Evans Hall in New Haven, home to the Yale School of Management. 💰 $50k+ pitch competition for 5 finalist emerging Connecticut brands 🥫 Sampling and tabling from 30+ emerging Connecticut brands and solutions providers 🤝 One-on-one coaching sessions between brands and industry experts 🎤 Panel discussions with industry leaders Interested in participating as a Connecticut food & bev brand, industry partner, or sponsor? Head over to ctfoodevent.com and submit a participation request.

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  • Thank you to the organizations and individuals that made last week's Big Connecticut Food Event a delicious success! The five pitch competition participants and broader group of brands in attendance made it clear that our state's food entrepreneurship ecosystem is on the up. Pitch competition results: 1st place ($25k): Secret Salad 2nd place ($10k): East Coast Kombucha Company, LLC 3rd place ($7.5k): Maia Yogurt Runners-up ($2.5k each): Caribe Soul, Gorilla Lemonade Audience choice ($2.5k): Gorilla Lemonade If you are interested in joining our effort to strengthen Connecticut's food entrepreneurship pipeline and help organize next year's event please visit ctfoodevent.com and select Submit A Participation Request. We will post the video recordings of the pitches and panel discussions over the next few days. Stay tuned! 📷: Monique Sourinho

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