Naturally Chicago Direct Brand Pitches to Retailers: A Key Way We Help Partner Companies Grow
Sign welcoming buyers from the Meijer grocery chain to the Naturally Chicago brands pitch event at SPINS, Feb. 25, 2026. All photos by Bob Benenson/Naturally Chicago.
Naturally Chicago’s mission is to help member brands thrive in the highly competitive Natural Products industry. We do this by delivering impactful educational programs, mentorship opportunities and networking connections that help brands grow — through our general activities and specifically through our Locally Made program.
Inviting emerging companies to pitch directly to major retailers in pursuit of broader distribution is an increasingly important arrow in our brand-building quiver.
The most recent of these events took place on February 25 at the offices of SPINS (a Naturally Chicago co-founder and principal partner). We were proud to help 20 member brands pitch their products directly to buyers from Meijer and Fresh Thyme. More than 35 brands applied to participate, and the Meijer and Fresh Thyme teams selected those that best fit their current local sourcing needs.
A special thank you to Simon Cutts, Kyle Mener and the entire SPINS team for hosting us at their beautiful Chicago headquarters.
Naturally Chicago creates opportunities like this throughout the year. Join us as a brand partner or corporate partner, and be part of a community that is helping local natural brands succeed.
Click the buttons below to learn more about the benefits of becoming a partner and to sign up for a partnership. Then keep scrolling to view more photos from the February 26 pitch event.
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