New Hope Network announced that Wellesley, MA-based Veggie Fries won the 2016 NEXT Accelerator Natural Products Pitch Slam at Natural Products Expo West & Engredea, the world’s largest natural, organic and healthy products event. Pitch Slam is a fun, fast-paced event that lets entrepreneurs pitch their natural product ideas to a panel of seven leading natural products investors and branding experts in order to compete for a prize package of services worth $39,000. Veggie Fries was selected as the winner of the competition based on their ability to reinvigorate the sleepy frozen french fry category through their innovation of a significantly more nutritious product.

Veggie Fries are frozen french fries made from a blend of all-natural, farm-grown vegetables, legumes and potatoes, chopped and blended together with herbs, spices and just a pinch of sea salt. Veggie Fries are vegan, Non-GMO certified and free of the top eight allergens including gluten, soy, dairy and wheat. Each batch of Veggie Fries provides a crispy texture on the outside, fluffy and tender on the inside. Every variety has at least 27 percent of non-potato vegetables and legumes, containing 9 vegetable servings and a substantial amount of vegetable nutrition in every 14 oz. bag.

Veggie Fries won a prize package of goods and services that includes: a booth at Expo West 2017; trade show booth design services from Nucleus Maximus; a brand audit from Interact, Boulder; category snapshot data from SPINS; marketing services with Christie & Co; an invitation to VMG’s exclusive Investor’s Symposium; brand consulting services from Beyond Brands, corporate legal services from Holland & Hart LLP’s Food & Beverage Practice; a complimentary pitch spot at NCN’s investor conference; and an executive coaching session with leadership at Plum Organics.

"Winning the Pitch Slam was a tremendous honor, especially since the judges are such luminaries in the industry. The exposure for our emerging company was terrific and will generate important connections that will help us accelerate our growth," said David Peters, co-founder and CEO of Veggie Fries. "All the prizes are amazing and will help us gain new consumer insights, hone our business model and springboard into new channels. Thanks so much to New Hope Network and all the wonderful sponsors."

“The Pitch Slam contest is the ideal platform for natural, organic and healthy entrepreneurs to showcase their products. The program helps these new to market companies refine their pitches and prepare for future fundraising,” said Diana Mercer, community and conference content manager at New Hope Network. “We congratulate Veggie Fries on their win and wish them the best of luck as they grow their natural products business.”

Pitch Slam is part of New Hope Network’s Natural Products Business School, a year-round education solution for entrepreneurs offering live and online education for the young and growing business owner in the natural space. Natural Products Business School connects manufacturers with the information, expertise, advisors, service providers and partners they require to ensure their success. New Hope Network’s Natural Products Business School also provides year-round e-learning, webinars and other education events to meet identified needs.