Overview

There are a lot of incredible CPG companies, professionals, and investors (plus CPG distributors, merchandisers, co-packers, category managers, marketing & PR gurus, etc) based in the greater Baltimore-Washington area (aka the DMV) and there has been no easy way for them to connect and learn from each other, while gaining industry knowledge. This is a group is focused on a select segment of Consumer Packaged Goods for Food, Beverage, Body, and Beauty, plus other related categories of items that you may find in a grocery store and online. This group is not for restaurants or foodservice providers unless they either sell packaged goods in retail or have needs for sourcing local brands. We will be hosting periodic free (or mostly free) monthly happy hour meetups in the DC area that feature product sampling tables by local CPG brands, panels with industry and brand experts, and founder stories and best practices. If this group gains traction, we may look to the members to help develop a structure and discuss fees to ensure the organization's growth and stability. The primary goals of this group are to help local start-up, craft, and emerging brands network and learn best practices for sales, marketing, distribution, retail execution, sustainability, manufacturing, and all the other components that go into building a CPG brand in this space. Additionally, this will provide a space for larger CPG companies and industry professionals based in the area to connect with and/or invest in smaller brands and impart their wisdom and potentially network for job opportunities. Lastly, we are forming partnerships with local retailers, distributors, & VCs to help these brands grow. This group is being spearheaded by locally based CPG industry professionals that have worked for national independent brands like GT's Kombucha, Pirate's Booty, & vitaminwater and local start-up companies selling in stores nearby.