Startup CPG Founders & Formulators - July 2026
About this Event
Hey Chicago: Startup CPG is hosting our first-ever Founders & Formulators event!
Join us at the historic Palmer House Hotel for an afternoon of structured "speed-dating" with the top food scientists and product developers in town for IFT FIRST 2026.
Finding the right formulator on your own usually means months of cold outreach, dead-end calls, and guessing whether someone's expertise even fits your product. This event skips that process entirely, giving you 1:1 time with multiple formulators.
Each expert brings different knowledge, experience, and working style, so you’ll get lots of different perspectives which you can use to improve your product.
Not necessarily looking to bring on a formulator? Come anyway. These formulators can taste your product, evaluate your formula in person, and give you expert insights you can't get from a call with someone who's never actually seen your product.
Whether you're still in development and looking for a partner or trying to scale something that's already on shelves, bring what you're working on!
Light bites and refreshments are included with your ticket; please indicate any dietary restrictions in your ticket order confirmation form.
Heads up, as always, we'll have VIPs in attendance as well!
Featured Guests
- Adam Yee - Food Scientist @ UmaiWorks, Host of Startup CPG's R&D Radio
- Brian Chau - Principal Food Science Consultant @ Chau Time
- Jamie Valenti-Jordan - Founder & CEO @ Catapult Commercialization Services
- Jim Hastings - Food Scientist/Consultant @ First Production Food Innovation
- Rachel Zemser - Food Science Industry Consultant @ A La Carte Connections
- Ann Zissu - Scale Food Labs
- Travis Zissu - Scale Food Labs
- Valerie Daniello - R&D Consultant @ Flavor Crave Consulting
- Slade Crooks - President @ Fernando's Food Partners
- Lance Schwarzkopf - Principal Consultant @ Copack.net
Please note: this event is open to founders, co-founders, and C-Suite equivalent employees of CPG brands, as well as formulators and product developers. No sales reps, brokers, or service providers are permitted.
About Chicago Section IFT
The Chicago Section IFT (CSIFT) brings together food scientists, suppliers, manufacturers, and everyone in between — right in the heart of America's food industry.
With over 800 members and a history dating back to 1941, CSIFT is the first, largest, and most active Section of the Institute of Food Technologists, powered by a volunteer team of Officers, Executive Committee members, and committee leads from across the Chicago area. Sign up here
Sponsors:
About
For over 25 years, Applied Food Sciences (AFS) has helped beverage and supplement formulations stand out with science-backed ingredients across categories such as natural energy, cognitive performance, hormone wellness, and some exciting developments in active aging.
Through our environmental leadership, quality standards, and clinical research, we aim to bridge the gap between ingredient trust and consumer experience. Showcased by our latest innovations in botanical caffeines, antioxidants, and our exceptional lineup of functional mushrooms, AFS gives brands the flexibility to create products that consumers will measurably feel and will earn repeat purchases.
About
FlavorSum helps growing North American food and beverage companies go to market quickly and cost-effectively. We provide flavor solutions for delivering great-tasting products that inspire loyalty among today’s consumers. With nearly 100k square feet of manufacturing space across North America, along with a dedicated innovation center, FlavorSum is the fastest growing North American flavor company.
About
Marine Biologics makes SeaTex, a clean-label seaweed ingredient that replaces the gums, buffers, and emulsifiers cluttering today’s food labels. SeaTex sits at the convergence of two structural forces reshaping the food industry: more protein, cleaner labels.
Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Email [email protected]
About Startup CPG
Startup CPG is the biggest community in the world for emerging brands. We have 35k+ 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!
Instagram: @startupcpg
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 27.50 to USD 37.24
