Natural ice pops creator wins Good Food Conference pitch event

Ready to Brands, a maker of natural nausea relief ice pops and liquid shots, clinched the $3,000 Judge’s Choice Award at a business pitch event held at the Good Food Financing & Innovation Conference in Chicago this week. Nine companies competed for top honors at the conference sponsored by the nonprofit group Family Farmed. Participants in addition to Ready to Brands included the following companies:

• Almondaire, maker of an almond-based, dairy-free cream liqueur
• Beanstalk, a plant-based protein and snacking platform that includes four newly created snack brands
• Departure Snacks, creator of a line of snack nuts seasoned with globally inspired flavors
• Finger Lakes Fish, an aquaculture start-up that is building land-based facilities to raise Coho salmon
• Frönen, creator of a banana-based nondairy frozen dessert
• Lil’ Gourmets, a refrigerated baby food company
• Moon Meals, a provider of plant-based meals
• Tea Squares, developer of a line of caffeinated energy snacks made with organic tea

Each company delivered a six-minute pitch to a panel of five judges, who chose the winner. Judges included Tera Johnson, founder and director of the Food Finance Institute; Michael Lavin, founder and managing partner, Germini8 Ventures; Jessica Martin, director of client relations & portfolio management, C.A. Fortune; Cristina Rohr, vice president, Seed 2 Growth Ventures; and Alya Adamany Woods, executive director, ChicagoNEXT at World Business Chicago.

In addition, three companies—Chutney Devis, a maker of South Indian one-pot meals; Sacred Serve, a vegan gelato company; and Unicreamer, creator of vegan coffee creamers—delivered brief pitches via video. Audience members cast their votes and selected Sacred Serve as the winner of the $2,000 Audience Choice Award.

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