The fourth annual Big Connecticut Food Event is returning on Saturday 4/18/26 at the Yale School of Management in New Haven.
About the event
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.
Our goal is to support the development of the state’s entrepreneurship pipeline so it produces multiple food and beverage brands each year that exceed $2mil in annual sales.
The upcoming Big Connecticut Food Event will take place on Saturday 4/18/26 at the Yale School of Management in New Haven.
Let's get CT brands on the shelf
🛒
Let's get CT brands on the shelf 🛒
Pitch competition
One-on-one coaching
20+ brands sampling & tabling
Industry leader panel discussions
2026 Agenda
8:30am - 11:00am
Table setup & expert coaching
11:00am - 12:00pm
Industry-only tabling & emerging brand pitch competition
12:00pm
Event opens to the public
12:00pm - 3:00pm
Public tabling, workshops & panel discussions
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Scaling brands pitch competition on stage
5:00pm
Prize announcements & Reception
6:00pm
Closing & clean Up
Panels & Workshops
Scaling Without Spoiling
Food safety and regulatory essentials every food entrepreneur needs to
scale confidently and protect their brand.
*The Art & Science of Perfect Pricing
How to set strategic pricing that reflects value, covers costs, and wins in a competitive market.
Where are They Now? Alumni Spotlight
Past participants share real stories of growth, pivots, and
lessons learned on the journey from launch to scale.
*Building a Brand That Sells
Learn how intentional branding and visual identity can
build trust and help products stand out on crowded shelves.
*WORKSHOPS
Sponsor
Now accepting sponsorship requests for The Big Connecticut Food Event!
Review our sponsorship levels below, and then head to our participation request page and select Sponsorship within the participation format dropdown menu.
Feel free to reach out at hi@ctfoodevent.com with any questions related to sponsorship.
2025 event key metrics
300+ attendees
50+ applications from emerging Connecticut food & bev brands interested in participating in the pitch competition
30+ Connecticut food & bev brands sampling & tabling at event
$50k in pitch competition & tabling prizes
10 major grocers & distributors with procurement leadership in attendance
2026 event projections
500+ attendees
75+ applications from emerging Connecticut food & bev brands interested in participating in the pitch competition
40+ Connecticut food & bev brands sampling & tabling at event
$50k in pitch competition & tabling prizes
10 major grocers & distributors with procurement leadership in attendance
In the news
Some context
Connecticut has made substantial progress in developing infrastructure for entrepreneurs in the state’s food and beverage industry. Multiple commercial kitchens, incubators and funding programs now span our small state and have generated interest within the regional industry.
Work remains to remove friction in the Connecticut food entrepreneurship pipeline, including stronger links with wholesale buyers and solutions providers, and more effective support for low-income, women and BIPOC entrepreneurs and businesses pursuing sustainable or regenerative processes.
The Big Connecticut Food Event is designed to provide opportunities for emerging food and beverage brands to connect with the expertise that they’re going to need on their journeys, and for strategic and industry partners to meet the growing community of promising brands.
Our goal is to support the development of Connecticut’s entrepreneurship pipeline so it produces multiple food and beverage brands every year that each exceed $2 million in annual sales.
It takes a village
The Big Connecticut Food Event is made possible by a growing network of organizations throughout the region.
