If you’ve built a food or beverage brand in New York, there’s a decent chance Adrienne DeLisio knows your story.
As Executive Director of Naturally New York, she spends her days between the founders trying to make it and the buyers deciding whether they will. Five years of that adds up.
We talk about why community comes before capital, the reality of building in New York, and why the pitch that wins is rarely the one you expect.
00:19 - The road to Naturally New York
01:36 - Founders who succeed vs. those who don’t
02:37 - How to make it in New York CPG
04:51 - The secret to a winning video pitch
06:42 - Make your pitch memorable
08:18 - Adrienne’s favorite NNY event
09:42 - The biggest challenges in CPG today
11:22 - The best $100 in CPG
Text answers below have been edited for length and clarity. Full answers are in video. (We highly recommend watching!)
Brands that make it vs. brands that don’t
What really differentiates the ones that make it versus the ones that don’t are making an effort to network within the community, building a strong group of advisors, and learning from their peers. If you’re not showing up, how are you really going to grow your network and build meaningful connections that could lead to something even greater?
Even if you’re not ready now, this is the time to prepare yourself to be ready later. A lot of brand members are pre-launch. And they’re still interested in being a part of our community because they want to foster those connections. See what else is happening in market, what competitors are doing, and how you can maybe position yourself differently.
What does it take to make it in New York CPG?
New York in general is just a really tough market, but it’s important for any brand, especially if you’re local or grew up here, to really establish your presence.
Many investors and retailers have told me if a brand is not already owning their backyard, they shouldn’t think about expanding into other markets. Because it’s going to be a common question from folks in other markets.
As a born and raised New Yorker, and someone that has grown their career here, there’s definitely a different hustle. It just never feels like the day ever ends. You’re kind of always working even when you’re not. But I think that’s actually what makes us so great and why I’ve never really thought about working anywhere else. I thrive off that energy. And I think a lot of people here do too. It’s important to tap into that, or you’re not gonna make it. And honestly, it’s New York or nowhere.
What’s the secret to a pitch people remember?
Certain pitches just stick out, mainly because of the opening line and being memorable. When Keya Wingfield of Keya's Snacks submitted her pitch video to Fairway, the first line was, "I'm an Indian woman who fell in love with an American who hates Indian food." The judges were only supposed to award one winner, but they were so impressed they gave her a runner-up prize too.
Damiano Messineo from Loopini took out a protein shake, a bar, all these things, and said you need to consume all of these… or just eat a Loopini pizza. Lori Gitomer of Whipnotic did whipped cream shots down the Whole Foods buyer pitch panel. Did it help them win? Possibly. But at the end of the day it was just a great pitch. Memorable, fun, impossible to forget.
My favorite event by far is the Holiday Bazaar.
A couple of years ago, I was hearing a lot of complaints about how hard it is for brands to activate at trade shows. The cost was just out of their means. I really wanted to provide a solution for that. The Holiday Bazaar is my mini expo: very affordable, just a few hundred dollars for you to activate, sample, sell products, and connect with industry professionals.
Over the last two years, we’ve had at least 300 attendees at each. It continues to grow and it’s getting to the point we’re outgrowing our space.
I know there are other showcases, but it’s just something I wanted to do to really celebrate all the hard work brands did that year and end on a high note. It’s one I look forward to every year.
Naturally New York started in the fall of 2021.
It was still a very post-COVID climate with supply chain disruptions and fundraising challenges. We broke out of that and there were sunnier days for a while, but I feel like we’re going back into some of those challenges again.
Fundraising has been harder recently, maybe because there’s more competition. Investors are being very conservative. Retailers are being more selective. You need patience and perseverance. One day, if it’s meant to be, the spot will open for you.
Another big concern is around distributor relationships. There seems to be a lack of transparency and at the end of the day, brands don’t even feel profitable. They’re at the distributor’s mercy because how else is your product going to get in stores?
I’m grateful for companies like Adventure CPG that are trying to change the game and make it more accessible for brands to activate. It’s going to be hard to fight against the bigger distributors (I won’t say those names, but I think you know who they are), but hopefully something will change.
We have dedicated pavilions in Expo West and the Fancy Food Show. It’s good to have that community because we help bring traffic and broker the introductions you’re looking for.
Someone once told me it’s the best $100 you could ever spend as a brand founder.
I feel like a proud mom when I walk into any store and recognize some of the brands. I’m like, “Oh, I know that founder.”
It really is such a joy to see them and be able to just act as a consumer and support them. These brand founders, they have my phone number. They know they can text me anytime, or call, send me an email.
We do at least 50 events a year outside of any trade show activations. At least one networking event a month, educational webinars, and quarterly boot camps.
If you’re not a member of Naturally New York, visit us at naturallynewyork.org. There are tons of events there that you can start to register for. It’s as little as $100 for brands a year. Someone once told me it’s the best $100 you could ever spend as a brand founder.
