We are a Fresh Idea for the Food and Beverage Community.
We are a Cluster with a Purpose…
Food’NBev Connect was designed to save entrepreneurs and CEOs time and help bring more success to the region’s start-up and emerging brands. We are forging a strong network for innovation and sharing between large and small firms, and bringing on-going education and training to help executives and employees at our food and beverage brands gain knowledge about our industry and become more valuable employees and leaders. Food’NBev Connect is specifically for food and beverage brands and food tech and software firms seeking to improve and grow their capability and knowledge.
Our company members are focused on better food and beverage choices for you and your family – healthier ingredients, simpler recipes, no preservatives and sustainable processes. That’s the Food and Beverage future and we are creating a cluster for this new market opportunity.
OUR REGION NEEDS TO BE MORE PROMINENT
The Northeast, particularly Connecticut and Fairfield County, has a strong history of starting and building new food and beverage brands – and we also have a number of key players in distribution, retail and grocery and related businesses. The food and beverage sectors are also growing from NYC north up to Boston and across the country, as consumers look for fresh, simpler, natural ingredients and recipes, and new to market, authentic brands.
Processed ingredients and formulaic marketing are passé…fresh and simple is in. This consumer driven mandate is driving changes at all levels — manufacturing and production, distribution and grocery — even as
direct-to-consumer distribution and food kits and other e-commerce based distribution is exploding.
Our region has all the resources, but making easy and fast connections and getting the right training and education to improve product concepts, distribution effectiveness and funding, as well as marketing, merchandising, packaging and other digital strategies is one of the big benefits we can bring as a cluster to our growth companies and to help our established brands innovate.
Our Brand Members
Brand Buzz . . .
Fall 2025 — Stew Leonard’s is seeing the power of our brands – Horman’s Pickles are now available in Wegmans, Stew Leonards, Fresh Direct, King Kullen, Northeast Independents and more! To support this growth, Horman’s is now on-boarding with KeHe for broader distribution capabilities.
Fall 2025 — Maia Yogurt has spent the last two years developing an innovative, no-sugar-added formulation and new products that will be launching through the grocery channel this year.
Fall 2025 — Hook & Arrow is proud to announce that they won the Screaming Mimi Award for their newest hot sauce, Spicier Sauerkraut & Mustard, which was featured on Season 27 of Hot Ones…Yum!
Fall 2025 — Stylish Spoon has added new wholesale accounts in Fairfield County, including their first hospitality account – their wonderful Cookie Bites are now being provided as a guest amenity at the Delavan Hotel in Westport. Sweet treats for all guests!
