Thank you to the organizations and individuals that made the 2024 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. If you are interested in joining our effort to strengthen Connecticut's food entrepreneurship pipeline and help organize next year's event please submit a participation request.

Pitch competition results:

• 1st place ($25k): Secret Salad

• 2nd place ($10k): East Coast Kombucha

• 3rd place ($7.5k): Maia Yogurt

• Runners-up ($2.5k each): Caribe Soul, Gorilla Lemonade

• Audience choice ($2.5k): Gorilla Lemonade

Key metrics

• 225 attendees (not including 85 attendees left on waitlist due to space constraints)

• 34 applications from emerging Connecticut food & bev brands interested in participating in the pitch competition

• 15 Connecticut food & bev brands sampling & tabling at event

• $50k in pitch competition prizes distributed to 5 brands

• 6 major grocers & distributors with procurement leadership in attendance.