Unlock the secrets to securing funding in our dynamic Grant Writing Master Course! Whether you're new to grant writing or looking to sharpen your skills, this two-part session will equip you with the tools to craft compelling proposals that capture funders' attention and bring your vision to life.

Led by industry experts, you'll gain insider insights from successful grant recipients and seasoned funders on key strategies, funding trends, and best practices. Learn how to effectively communicate your mission, structure a winning proposal, and avoid common mistakes that could cost you funding.

🚀 Bring a Laptop!

To fully engage in the exercises, we highly recommend bringing a laptop. You’ll leave with a polished draft and the confidence to tackle your next grant application with success!

Join us on March 27, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM PST at Midcity Kitchen!

Midcity Kitchen

Raymond Avenue 693

Saint Paul, MN

Get ready for an unforgettable evening at MN Mingle at Expo West 2025! Join Minnesota’s top food and CPG founders, service providers, and industry pros for a high-energy happy hour filled with great conversations, new connections, and exciting opportunities.

This event is the perfect chance to mix, mingle, and celebrate Minnesota’s thriving CPG community. Enjoy hosted appetizers and a complimentary drink, courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, as you meet fellow innovators shaping the future of the industry. Don’t miss out on this dynamic networking experience—come connect, collaborate, and raise a glass to the power of community!

Join us on March 5, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM PST at the Anaheim Convention Center’s Katella Terrace!

West Katella Avenue 800

Level 200 Balcony / Katella Terrace

Anaheim

Intent:
A discussion between MN Brands on their growing journey from creating their company, developing their products, the growing pains they experience, how they overcame them, and where they see themselves growing.

Topic:
Educate the audience who come from small to big companies what it takes for a small company to grow. MN-IFT is composed of many companies, many being “big”, who don’t necessarily understand what it takes to be a small company. On the flip side, those attending that are interested in starting or are starting a company will have the chance to learn what others have done before them.

Date & Time

Tuesday, February 4, 2025
5 - 8PM

Join us at Surly Brewery to participate in the auction and support the cause!

• 5:00 pm
  Event Starts - Networking and Silent Auction 

• 6:15 pm
  Section Updates and Panel Introductions 

• 6:30 pm
  Panel Discussion 

• 7:30 pm
  Panel Concludes/Silent Auction Concludes/Last Call 

• 8:00 pm
  Event Concludes   

Cost

Members*: $30
Non-Members: $40
Students: $10

*MNIFT/Naturally MN/Make-It Minnesota

Description:

Unlock the potential of your brand on Amazon with Community Day: Amazon Essentials for CPG Success! This event is designed to help CPG entrepreneurs and businesses elevate their Amazon strategy and achieve growth in today's competitive marketplace.

Join us for:

• Education Session with Brady Digital Consulting: Gain expert insights into Amazon best practices, from optimizing product listings to leveraging advertising tools and analytics for success.

• Founders Forum: An interactive discussion where experienced CPG founders share actionable tips and firsthand experiences on transforming their Amazon presence.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your approach, this event provides the tools, knowledge, and community to propel your brand forward.

Who Should Attend: CPG entrepreneurs, founders, and anyone looking to excel in e-commerce on Amazon.

Don't miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and grow with industry experts and fellow founders!

Naturally GREATER Minnesota Presents: Holiday Happy Hour

Join us for one of the biggest networking events of the year, as Naturally Minnesota brings together our entire ecosystem to celebrate the thriving natural products industry. Whether you're a founder, investor, retailer, industry employee, or simply passionate about food, ag and CPG, this is your chance to connect, share insights, and toast to a successful year with hundreds of like-minded individuals.

In addition to fostering valuable connections, this year's Holiday Happy Hour will showcase a diverse range of brands from across Minnesota, including exciting innovations from Greater MN, who will be sampling and selling their products. This is a unique opportunity to meet brand founders, support businesses not typically represented at Twin Cities based events, and discover new favorites.

Come for the community, stay for the conversation, and leave feeling inspired as we close out the year with holiday cheer and entrepreneurial energy!

Event Highlights:

• Network with hundreds of industry professionals and enthusiasts.

• Sample and shop from Minnesota brands, featuring Greater MN innovators.

• Enjoy festive drinks, appetizers, and a vibrant holiday atmosphere.

Agenda:

6:00 pm: Doors Open

7:00 pm: Welcome and Remarks

7:30 pm: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!

As your Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brand grows, understanding trade spend promotions and deductions becomes crucial to maintaining profitability and efficiency. Join us for a series of sessions (education, panel conversation, and founders forum) on navigating the complexities of trade spend, allowances, and deductions in a way that supports your brand's growth.

In this event, we will cover:

• Key strategies for managing trade promotions effectively

• Best practices for reducing deduction-related risks

• Real-world examples from industry leaders

• Tools and technologies to streamline your trade management process

Whether you're just beginning to scale or looking to refine your approach, this event is designed to give you actionable insights to manage your trade spend more effectively and maximize your bottom line.

Who Should Attend:

CPG founders, finance teams, sales managers, and brand managers looking to scale and optimize their promotional strategies.

Calling all emerging founders, students, and CPG enthusiasts! Join Naturally Minnesota and WE* at our highly anticipated WE* TALKS x Women in CPG event! Unleash your potential as we bring together extraordinary minds, industry leaders, undergraduate students, MBA students, and recent graduates, all under one roof. This meetup promises to ignite your passion and connect you with trailblazing women entrepreneurs who are transforming the CPG industry.

In our upcoming edition, we are thrilled to feature Dana Thompson as our WE* Talks speaker. Dana is a descendant of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate and Mdewakanton Dakota tribes, has been active in the food sovereignty movement for over a decade. As former co-owner and COO of The Sioux Chef, she co-founded Owamni​, Minnesota's first Indigenous restaurant, which won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 2022. She also co-founded NĀTIFS, focusing on health initiatives through Indigenous wisdom, and launched Heti​, a beverage brand supporting sustainable housing for Indigenous communities. In 2024, she founded The Modern Indigenous​, promoting decolonized meals. Dana serves as Vice Chair of Owámniyomni Okhódayapi and was a founding member of the James Beard Foundation's Investment Fund for Black and Indigenous Americans.

Join us on November 13th as Dana shares her journey, and insights into the world of entrepreneurship from her unique perspective as an indigenous female founder.

This event is a collaboration between Naturally Minnesota, as part of the national Women in CPG Summit​, and the Carlson School of Management's​ WE* Talks series. Both Naturally Minnesota and WE*​ are initiatives of the Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship​.

Join us on Monday, October 7th, to kick off Food | Ag | Ideas Week​ with an immersive and inspiring event hosted by Naturally Minnesota​ and Tree Range Farms​ at Salvatierra Farms, in Northfield, MN. Dive into a day of exploration, education, and dialogue centered on regenerative agriculture and sustainable farming practices.

Please join MBOLD Bold Growth leaders for a virtual information session about the opportunity for protein innovation companies based outside the United States to apply for our Bold Growth mentorship program.

If you cannot attend this session, another info session with the same content will be held on Thursday, September 26th from 9-10am US Central Standard Time. You can register for that event here.

This is an opportunity to learn more about the program and ask questions. Applications for the Bold Growth International program may be submitted through October 15, 2024. You can learn more at http://www.mbold.org/boldgrowth​.

Please join MBOLD Bold Growth leaders for a virtual information session about the opportunity for protein innovation companies based outside the United States to apply for our Bold Growth mentorship program.

If you cannot attend this session, another info session with the same content will be held on Monday, September 30 from 3-4 pm US Central Standard Time. You can register for that event here.

This is an opportunity to learn more about the program and ask questions. Applications for the Bold Growth International program may be submitted through October 15, 2024. You can learn more at http://www.mbold.org/boldgrowth​.

Join Naturally MN for an exclusive event tailored for founders and early-stage teams of CPG brands aiming to make their mark in retail. This interactive session will guide you through the essential strategies to not only get your products on store shelves but also ensure they thrive once they're there. You'll gain insights from store buyers, NCG category managers and brand founders on category management, product positioning, and retail readiness, as well as hands-on experience in understanding shelf dynamics and how to make your brand stand out. Whether you're looking to refine your retail strategy or just starting your journey, this event will equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to succeed in the competitive retail landscape.

Why I Closed My CPG Business - Lessons Learned

Starting, running, closing, or selling a business are big decisions, and can be affected by many different factors. Hear from 3 seasoned CPG brand owners on why they made the tough decision to close their business. They'll cover what convergence of factors led to their decision, what they wish they knew earlier on, and what they would do differently (and would they do it at all?!) if they could do it again.

Join Naturally Minnesota, Big River Farms, Route 1, and The Good Acre for a farm walking tour highlighting on-the-ground partnerships and innovations that are accelerating new farm businesses.

Walk the fields of Big River Farms to learn how different fields/training plots serve as training and incubation for new farmers, and tour the neighboring 7 acre vegetable farm of grower Robert Lor. Engage in conversation with Big River Farms, Route 1, and The Good Acre about how these organizations support these farmers and the differences in their businesses.

This unique farm tour experience will broaden your understanding of how to engage with and support local farmers and farms, and leave you with tangible actions you can take to support strong food systems in Minnesota.

Agenda:

7:30am - 8:15am: Bus/travel time

8:15am - 8:45am: Welcome and Framing

8:45am - 9:00am: Travel to Fields

9:00am - 11:00am: Field Tour (Emerging Farmer setup (0.5-1 acre); Large scale farm (row crop), bridge between small and large - scaling journey).

11:00am - 12:00pm: Snack and Chat

12:00pm - 12:15pm: Wrap-up and departure

1:00pm: Bus returns to starting point

Important Transportation Notice:

Parking is VERY limited on site. Due to this, we have limited the number of "No-Bus" tickets. We encourage all to join us on the short bus ride to Big River Farms or to carpool. If you do choose to drive yourself, it is very important that you arrive on time, to not lose the tour group.

TikTok Shop Strategies for Food & CPG Founders

Join us for an exciting and informative Community Day & Founders Forum at Finnovation Lab on July 31st, from 11 AM to 1:30 PM, designed specifically for founders in the food and consumer packaged goods (CPG) sectors.

This educational and networking session will dive deep into the world of TikTok Shop, the latest platform revolutionizing e-commerce and marketing.

Event Agenda:

11am: TikTok Shop 101: From Scrolling to Spending

Join TikTok Shop CPG Partners for an overview of how to turn your customers' scrolling into spending on the fastest growing social e-commerce platform!

Americans spend an average of 95 minutes per day scrolling, discovering, reposting, and creating on TikTok. What better way to help current and potential customers discover your products where they already are than making your products available for sale on TikTok Shop? Join us for our Scrolling to Spending webinar on 7/31 to further understand the basics of TikTok Shop and how you can enhance your business through the fastest growing social e-commerce platform!

Can't make it to the Community Day In-Person? Registrants will be able to attend this session virtually via a Zoom Webinar link.

12:00-12:30pm: Lunch + Networking

Lunch is included with your ticket.

12:30-1:30pm: Founders Forum: Designed specifically for founders. Learn firsthand from local food founder Yubi Hassan from Bluehorn tea how he leverages the platform, create engaging content, understand TikTok algorithms, and utilizes the platform's unique features to maximize your reach.

Our Founders Forum (intended for Founders only), is free for Naturally Minnesota Members, but costs $10 for non-members. You will see the option to add this on to your ticket once you begin the registration process.

1:30pm-3pm Open Networking: Connect with fellow entrepreneurs, potential partners, and industry leaders over lunch. Build valuable relationships that can help take your business to the next level. Plus, enjoy free co-working from our partners at FINNOVATION LAB.

Whether you are new to TikTok or looking to refine your existing strategy, this event will provide you with the knowledge and tools to thrive in the rapidly evolving digital marketplace. Don't miss this chance to elevate your brand and connect with a community of like-minded innovators.

Reserve your spot today and get ready to transform your TikTok presence into a powerful growth engine for your business.

The future of the natural products industry is conscious! Join us for the ConsciousCPG Summit at Finn Lab, hosted by Naturally MN, as part of the national Naturally Network's ConsciousCPG Summit​. This event promises to expand your knowledge of conscious values and uncover incredible practices and strategies happening in the industry today.

The summit dives deep into Naturally Network's conscious business transformation framework, centered around the five "Ps": Passion, Purpose, People, Planet, and Prosperity. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a newcomer to the CPG industry, this event will show you how you can make a significant impact by incorporating conscious business practices and use this framework to drive your brand growth with retailers, investors and consumers.

Our speakers represent diverse voices within the industry, all working towards a collective impact. Be inspired and discover why conscious business is the future of the natural products industry!

Event Details:

Date: Tuesday June 18th (Second day of the national ConsciousCPG Summit)

Location: Finn Lab

Time: 11:00 AM - 5:30 PM CST

Agenda:

• 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Watch Party: Join us to watch the livestream of the national ConsciousCPG Summit sessions and gain insights from industry changemakers. Feel free to join us for as much or as little of the livestream as you like – attendance is not required for our panel discussion or networking happy hour, so come whenever it suits you best!

• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM Panel Discussion: Meet last year's 5 P Award Winners and hear from CPG founders who embody conscious decision-making. Learn firsthand about their journeys and the strategies they employ to drive positive change in the industry.

• Previous Winners Include:

• Bim Bam Boo, Seven Sundays, Simpls, Finnegans, Mickayla Rosard (Groove Capital).

• 4:30PM - 5:30PM Happy Hour: Connect with fellow attendees, speakers, and industry professionals. Share ideas, build relationships, and explore opportunities for collaboration in a relaxed and friendly environment.

Why Attend?

• Expand your understanding of conscious business practices.

• Gain insights from leading voices in the natural products industry.

• Network with like-minded professionals and potential collaborators.

• Get inspired to make a difference and contribute to a more sustainable and prosperous future.

Don't miss this opportunity to be part of a transformative movement in the natural products industry. Reserve your spot today and join us in making business a force for good!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Summer Spree x Pitch Slam is the premier event of the year to celebrate our region's up-and-coming brands with a community gathering and pitch competition. Whether it's to network your heart out, hear from our rising brands, or to keep your finger on the pulse of the hottest industry trends, Summer Spree x Pitch Slam is the place you want to be!

Please join us on June 6th at Mosaic Venue (3rd Floor of Finnegan's Brew House), starting at 5 PM. Sure, there's free food and drinks included with your ticket, networking opportunities with the best in the biz, and a prize wheel, but that's not all...

At this years expanded Summer Spree event we are thrilled to bring back Naturally Minnesota's Pitch Slam​! Join us in cheering on our 5 Pitch Slam finalists who have spent the last 6 weeks honing their pitch and will now present live (to you!) at Summer Spree to win more than $50k in cash and in-kind prizes. The winner will be announced live and a crowd favorite will also be crowned, plus you will have a chance to sample the highlighted products throughout the evening.

If you're interested in sponsoring the event, or a prize for pitch slam, please fill out this form and our team will connect with you.

Many farm and food businesses are venturing beyond traditional grocery retail and embracing diversified revenue streams through foodservice. In this interactive Community Day, you'll get a broad overview of the various foodservice channels, from restaurants, hotels, and airlines to institutions such as schools, universities, military bases, and healthcare facilities.

Learn about the distinct needs and expectations of buyers in these sectors and hear from producers that have forged successful foodservice partnerships. We'll take a deeper dive on local farm- and CPG-to-school opportunities and requirements and hear about foodservice tradeshows supported by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. You will gain valuable insights and connections to kickstart your business' journey into the dynamic world of foodservice.

Community Day is free for all! Our Founders Forum (intended for Founders only), is free for Naturally Minnesota Members, but costs $10 for non-members. Lunch is included with any ticket.

Who should attend? Any founder and/or leadership team – with clarity that grocery retail is a channel you already have a focus on – or you know you want to pursue. A desire to truly understand this complex channel and have the baseline resources to successfully execute.

This workshop IS for you IF:

· You are focused on building brick & mortar retail sales

· You know that the grocery natural channel is a the right fit for your brand – with a specific emphasis on the natural channel

· You want to up your game – your understanding – your proficiency of/in retail management

· You want a velocity strategy that will increase your odds of successful distributor slotting and retailer placement

· You've got a few retail accounts already and want more

· You feel like you're mostly responding to opportunities vs actively going after strategic opportunities

· You want to manage your business like a boss

· You want to be in the 'know' so you can speak to retailers, brokers and distributors like an industry insider.

Tools you'll leave with:

• Retailer Roadmap - excel grid of all grocery accounts across the US, including channel segmentation, location, number of stores, and primary distributor partner

• Templates:

• Account Tracker

• Master presentation deck

• Sell sheets

• Spec sheet

• Retail incentives

• Annual promo plan

Join us for an exclusive tour of Northern Diversified Solutions​, a leading hemp facility, where you'll get an inside look at their innovative processes and sustainable practices. Learn about the latest advancements in hemp ingredient production and explore how this versatile plant is transforming industries. Register now for this insightful event and secure your spot to gain valuable insights into the future of hemp!

Spaces are limited. If you register and can no longer attend, please email mcdo0777@umn.edu to relinquish your spot and refund your ticket.

Are you heading to Expo West?! Then join us for our 5th annual Minnesota Mingle! This is an opportunity to meet and connect with Minnesota's growing food startup and innovation community including founders, industry leaders, investors, retailers, and more. We encourage our Minnesota "ex-pats" to attend.

This year we will be gathering on the 2nd-floor balcony outside the MN Alley in the North Hall from 4-6 pm on Wednesday, 3/13. We are excited to offer everyone a break from the salty snacks intake and enjoy some heavier bites and beverages to send you off into the evening. A huge thanks to our sponsor for the event, the MN Department of Ag. Hosted appetizers and one complimentary drink per guest will be provided courtesy of them!

Are you an entrepreneur looking to explore more options for funding your business? Dive into this capital access education workshop that will cover the wide array of funding options that are appropriate for each stage of a company, from pre-revenue to over $1 Million. You'll have the chance to learn from industry experts, connect with local financing leaders, and take the next step to growing your natural product, tech, or agriculture-based business.

Join us on January 26th at FINNOVATION Lab and learn what it takes to raise capital and prepare yourself for success in 2024 and beyond.

Close out Food, Ag, Ideas Week by joining us at Amsterdam Bar & Hall for our annual Crash the Networks Happy Hour. This is a chance to network with folks from across the ecosystem and forge deeper connections. Additionally, we will giving out our inaugural Naturally MN 5 P's of Progress Awards. These awards recognize companies and individuals who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in the 5 P's - People, Planet, Prosperity, Passion, and Purpose, and are nominated by the community. We are excited to keep building a community of action, collaboration, and support. Join us for this finale and celebration!

Looking to nominate a brand for a Progress Award? Click Here