Naturally Rising Minnesota Pitch Slam

Join us in the spring, for Naturally Rising Minnesota Pitch Slam, the ultimate event celebrating our region's most promising, purpose-driven brands! Whether you're looking to network with industry leaders, discover the next big thing in conscious business, or stay ahead of the latest trends, this is the place to be.

Finalists will take the stage, delivering retail-ready, impact-driven pitches to a distinguished panel of judges and a live audience. Each brand will compete for up to $ 75,000 in prizes. The winner will earn a coveted booth at Newtopia Now, access to top mentors and retailers, a direct path to Naturally Network's national competition, plus additional prizes.

More than just a pitch competition, Naturally Rising is a celebration of conscious business leadership, spotlighting brands that embody Naturally Network's bottom line—the 5 Ps:

Passion, Purpose, People, Planet, Prosperity.

A man in a yellow shirt standing on stage with a microphone, presenting in front of a slideshare about Asian food market value, with a brick wall background and an audience seated at a white-clothed table.

Group of nine people standing together holding a large check for farm-fresh food, smiling, against a blue wall.

Congratulations to Farmented!

The Winner of our 2026 Naturally Minnesota Pitch Slam

Three women smiling and holding a large check from Naturally Minnesota, with the amount labeled as 'FARMENTED A Gazillion' dollars, made out to Pitch Slam.

A woman with long brown hair and glasses standing behind a table at a food tasting event, holding jars of spicy food. There are three groups of jars labeled 'Mild,' 'Medium,' and 'Spicy,' with small sampling cups in front of each group. The woman is smiling and wearing a black T-shirt with partially visible words.

A woman with glasses, holding a microphone and a remote, speaking during a presentation at a conference or event, with a blue background and a large white letter 'b.' on the wall behind her.

Every year, farmers are left with an abundance of perfectly good “imperfect produce” they can’t sell because of their appearance. Not only is that food wasted, it’s time, money, water and energy wasted. It needs to stop. That’s where Farmented comes in.

Farmented takes “ugly” vegetables and turns them into something truly beautiful. Each of their products are bursting with mouth watering flavor: Radish Kimchi, Dill Sauerkraut, and our Spicy Carrot Chips. These carefully crafted ferments make perfect additions to any meal and are great to just snack on straight from the jar.

2026 Finalists

Smiling woman with a yellow headscarf sitting in front of a bookshelf filled with colorful children's books in a room with wooden cabinets.

Mariam Mohamed, Hoya Sambusa

Young man smiling outdoors at a food stall, wearing glasses, a beige cap, and a black sweatshirt, with colorful banners in the background.

Yubi Hassan, Bluehorn Tea

Smiling woman with glasses standing between two wooden barrels, each with canned products and a glass bottle on top, in a room with plain walls

Vanessa Williamson, Farmented

A smiling man standing with crossed arms next to a table with bottles of hot sauce, in a bright indoor space with large green plants and a modern background.

Charles Lovejoy, Lovejoy’s Bloody Mary Mix

A man standing behind a table with a North Coast 100% Cotton MEXICAN banner, displaying small paper bags at an outdoor market or event.

Yair Leonardo, Norte Cafe

About Naturally Rising

Formerly known as Pitch Slam, Naturally Rising has evolved into a competition that not only showcases emerging, purpose-driven brands but also celebrates leaders in the conscious business industry. This event highlights companies that embrace Naturally Network's quintuple bottom line - the 5 Ps:

Passion – The enthusiasm and dedication of founders toward their product and mission
Purpose – The company’s mission and the impact it has in addressing a specific issue or need
People – The company’s focus on community, customer, and team dynamics
Planet – The company’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility
Prosperity – The company’s ability to achieve financial success and market viability while maintaining ethical practices

Naturally Rising places a strong emphasis on retail readiness, ensuring that the businesses competing are not only purpose-driven but also prepared for growth and success in the marketplace. From regional competitions to the national stage, culminating in a pitch experience at Newtopia Now—a show known for supporting emerging brands—this competition is designed to help elevate companies that can thrive in today’s conscious economy.

Once finalists are selected they will compete, and deliver their retail-ready, conscious business pitches to a distinguished panel of judges and a live audience. The winner will earn a coveted booth at Newtopia Now, access to invaluable mentors and retailers, and a direct path into Naturally Network’s national competition. This evolution of the competition underscores our commitment to owning the brand and the marketplace, offering the platform, resources, and connections to help these businesses succeed while honoring their values.

2027 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
- Brand must be a natural, mission-driven CPG brand
- Business must be headquartered in Minnesota
- Must have a website and social channels, and be able to provide liability insurance
- Business can ship samples to selection committee in late April
- Brand founder available to prep before event and pitch LIVE in Minneapolis.