The biggest CPG party at Expo West meets Grocery Run! Sample 50 breakout brands, connect with buyers, and celebrate with the CPG community
Startup CPG is BACK with our 5th annual Alley Rally - but this year, we're making it BIGGER and BETTER by bringing our proven Grocery Run format to the party!
What's New for 2026: We're featuring 50 Breakout Brands sampling throughout the night (up from just 12 last year), giving you way more opportunities to discover the next big thing in CPG. At the end of the night, attendees vote on their favorite brand, and the winner gets a FREE booth in our section at Expo West 2027!
What's Staying the Same: Everything you love about Alley Rally is still here - 3-hour open bar, bowling lanes, arcade games, pool tables, and the energy you've come to expect from a Startup CPG event. Plus, VIP buyers from Target, Whole Foods, KeHE, UNFI, Meijer, and more will be there to connect with brands.
Conveniently located at Anaheim Bowlero - only a 10-minute walk from the convention center - you'll have plenty of time to network, sample, bowl, and party the night away.
Last year, the Alley Rally party sold out to 1,300+ attendees, so don’t delay - block your calendar and grab your tickets ASAP — see you there!
Interested in serving NA beverages or leaving samples for guests? Email community@startupcpg.com!
Featured Guests:
- Czar Daniolco - Founder/COO @ Hi-Touch Distribution
- Kasey Blueitt - Local Field Coordinator @ Meijer
- Travis Reams - Manager, Supplier Relationship Management @ Meijer
- Alexander Motal - Director of Demand Planning and Customer Care @ Good Eggs
- Jordana Fuchs-Chesney - Purchasing and Category Manager @ Good Eggs
- Ruthie Young - Grocery Category Manager @ Good Eggs
- Andy Leung - Meat & Seafood Category Manager @ Good Eggs
- John Craven - Founder/CEO @ BevNet
- Harshal Rana - Operations Manager @ Nature's Way Health Foods
- Trei Campbell - Chief Merchandising Officer @ Woodlands Market
- Jason Rose - Senior Vice President @ Woodlands Market
- Steve Buhagiar - Grocery Buyer @ Woodlands Market
- John Trainor - Category Manager, Center Store @ Giant Food
- Aaron May - Senior Manager, Supplier Merchandising UpNext Program @ UNFI
- Meagan Kessel - VP, Supplier Services @ UNFI
- John Raiche - EVP, Supplier Services @ UNFI
- Jen Pletscher - Supplier Development Manager @ UNFI
- Mike Ridenour - VP of Industry Relation @ UNFI
- Keri Cardenas - Category Manager, Beverages, Snacks, Sweets, Plant Based Proteins, Supplements @ Hungryroot
- Clare Blunt - Category Manager, Sauce, Condiments, Pantry, Pasta, Grains @ Hungryroot
- Ryan Foote - Category Manager, Dairy & Eggs, Bread & Bakery, Cereal & Oats @ Hungryroot
- Marissa Freedman - Category Manager, Meals and Sides @ Hungryroot
- Julia Bello - Director of Category Management @ Hungryroot
- Nika Mosenthal - VP of Food Experience @ Hungryroot
- Jessica Groves - Supplier Development Manager @ Ahold Delhaize
- Ahmed Chehade - COO @ Good Stuff Distributor, Inc
- Nick Fimbrez - Key Account Manager @ Good Stuff Distributor, Inc
- Benjamin Herrmann - Purchasing Manager @ Good Stuff Distributor, Inc
- Richard Marquez - Good Stuff Distributor, Inc
- Malik Chehade - CFO @ Good Stuff Distributor, Inc
- Joshua Linton - Center Store Coordinator @ Metropolitan Market
- Almir Adjemovic - Category Manager @ Metropolitan Market
- Brianna Bates - Metropolitan Market
- John Creed - Metropolitan Market
- Hannah Koch - Category Manager of Supplements @ Kimberton Whole Foods
- Chris Baum - Forager @ GFI
- Sara Weinreb - Founder @ Little Nosh
Breakout Brands
Breakout Brands are those who don't have a booth at Expo West and will sample at the party. You'll vote for the the top-rated Breakout Brand who will win a free FREE BOOTH for Expo West 2027!
- Alchemy of Food - Real ingredients, real magic. Swicy sauces with organic honey, real peppers & adaptogens—zero artificial anything.
- Aussie Select - Premium, Halal-certified lamb charcuterie for retail and foodservice
- BamJam - BamJam is a healthy alternative to traditional jam made with real fruit, no added sugar, fiber, and collagen protein.
- Beni Bites - Benibites are a traditional Japanese dried sweet potato snack with a modern twist, turned into a naturally sweet energy bar.
- Birdie Bakes Co - The first easy-to-bake muffin mix with real fruits, veggies and clean ingredients made for busy families.
- Bitter Love - Bitter Love is a non-alcoholic sparkling mocktail made with a blend of functional digestive herbs, juice and sparkling water.
- Black Beverly Hills - Black Beverly Hills Sea Moss Lemonade is a low-sugar, organic wellness drink made with real sea moss, fresh lemons, and ginger.
- Cartwheel - Nit Happens is a 96% effective, all-natural, non-toxic lice treatment launching in 6,000 Walgreens this March.
- Chara Greek Froyo - A low-calorie, high-protein Greek frozen yogurt with probiotics and real ingredients that transforms dessert into a clean, craveable treat.
- Cotto - Cotto is a line of high-protein dips made with whipped cottage cheese, reimagining classic flavors for everyday eating and snacking.
- DIME - DIME was born to help rewrite the narrative about MSG with an everyday seasoning that delivers bold, simple umami.
- Dr A's Lo-Fi Kava - Dr A's Lo-Fi Kava: Crafting the healthy buzz of You'Phoria since 2015—authentic Pacific noble kava for America's mindful drinking movement.
- Food for the Sol - Feel-good pasta alternative made from 1 ingredient—hearts of palm; clean, low-carb, al dente texture, soul-hugging.
- Gato dates - Gato is a modern indulgence brand creating elevated, better-for-you treats designed for gifting and everyday enjoyment.
- HASSY - HASSY is a single-origin, 100% pure avocado oil made from Hass avocados, crafted by generations of farmers in Mexico.
- Keya's Snacks - Built on flavor, backed by culture - leveraging Indian heritage on beloved american snacks!
- legit queso - Legit Queso, simple whole ingredients, fun and sustainable packaging.
- Mimi Cheng's - NYC-born, women-founded dumplings with elevated Asian flavors, chef-driven taste, and clean, wholesome ingredients.
- Mother Root - Mother Root: a bold, bittersweet non-alc spirit - crafted for modern rituals and grown-up drinking without alcohol.
- Natty Ice Cream - The world's healthiest ice cream, balancing ultra clean ingredients, impressive nutrition, and delicious flavors.
- NOOCI - Relax + Sleep is a melatonin-free sleep blend rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine, designed to support calm, restful sleep.
- Noodo - Noodo is premium sauce brand that exists in the space where tradition and innovation meet.
- Ocemiam - We proudly craft Banana Bread and authentic French-inspired small Cakes in Oregon. We bake with premium, natural, high-quality ingredients.
- OH MY! - OH MY!created the first Dessert Butters.Snackable,clean ingredients,unapologetic indulgence&guaranteed deliciousnessNothing like it exists
- OH MY GUM! - OH MY GUM! is here to reinvent traditional confectionery categories by elevating every element - ingredients, branding & packaging.
- OSIA - OSIA is a premium functional beverage designed to elevate your mood
- Purple Drop - A bold, craft-brewed Peruvian purple corn drink blending ancient roots with clean ingredients and vibrant flavor.
- RJ Naturals - A refrigerated snack bar made with grass-fed butter and organic whole-food ingredients that tastes like real comfort food.
- Sleet Pops - We are the first ever Protein and Fiber Ice Pop! We are shelf stable, 2oz pops with only 90 calories.
- Stimmie - Stimmie is modernizing how we pick our teeth on the go.
- SUNDAY SUPPER - SundaySupper makes craveable plant-based, vegetarian Italian comfort—rich, saucy, & satisfying, made w/ better ingredients & way less effort
- SVRY Nutrition - Protein bars in savory flavors so good, you'll wonder how sweet ever satisfied.
- tea facto - We make traditional Chinese medicine inspired herbal tea blends for everyday wellness
- Tezza - The first non-dairy yogurt with high protein from whole foods.
- TIPS - TIPS: tallow-cooked, seed-oil-free potato chips made with simple ingredients—clean snacking accessible for everyone
- umma juice - Juice, upgraded: Korean-inspired blends with functional benefits and 0g added sugar: fresh, craveable, family-ready.
- Vital Halva - Brooklyn-born sesame snack focused on daily protein and fiber, making better nutrition an everyday habit.
- Wild Monkey Bar - The candy bar reimagined! Standout Layers. Real Ingredients. Pure Indulgence. A snack bar that fuels your day and makes you feel good about what you’re eating.
Health & Safety Standards, Refund Policy
There is a no refund policy. Regarding Health & Safety the organization follows local state guidelines & the same policies adapted by New Hope / Expo.
Sponsors:
Uniqode
Uniqode empowers consumer brands to turn product packaging into a measurable growth channel. With dynamic, trackable QR Codes, brands can connect offline shoppers to personalized digital experiences, capture first-party data, and unlock actionable audience insights that drive loyalty and repeat purchases.
Justworks
Justworks is a technology company that levels the playing field for all small businesses. Through our software and as a partner, we help our customers take care of their teams, streamline their operations, and navigate the complex aspects of managing a workforce with confidence.
Bowling Lane Sponsors:
BeyondBrands
Interested in sponsoring this epic party? Email partnerships@startupcpg.com
Startup CPG is the biggest community in the world for emerging brands. We have 30k+ Slack members, produce the #1 podcast in CPG, host 100+ events per year, and are the #1 education hub for brands trying to improve our CPG ecosystem. It’s free — join today!
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