2027 VEGPRENEUR Awards Entries Open
An Awards Program Where Nobody Leaves Empty-Handed
Most product awards work like this: you pay, you ship, you wait. If you win, great. If you don’t, you receive no scores, no explanation, no way of knowing whether you came close or missed by a mile.
The 2027 VEGPRENEUR Awards are built around a different premise. Win or lose, every entrant gets a 1:1 call with the VEGPRENEUR team to go through their scores and exactly what the judges said.
The Early Bird deadline is October 23, 2026, this Friday at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.
What Happens at the awards
Three judges (at minimum) evaluate every entry in person at private events in Los Angeles and New York City. Professional chefs prepare food and drink samples on-site, following your package instructions and any notes you add on the entry form.
Judges score your product across four criteria:
First Impression and Clarity. Does the product grab you? Do you understand what it is at a glance?
Product Experience. How does it taste (food and beverages), or how does it actually work (non-food products)?
Innovation. Is it meaningfully better or different from what’s already on the market?
Market Viability. Would you pay for it, stock it, or fund it?
After the events, VEGPRENEUR walks you through every number on your scorecard on a 1:1 call.
That call is included with every entry, at every price point.
The Judges
The 2027 panel is made up of people who make buying, funding, and promotion decisions every day. A few announced so far:
John Lawson, Forager, Whole Foods Market
Dan Weisbach, Vice President, LA Libations
Eric Kroll, Investor, Vibrant Ventures
Nick Dolce, Brand Partnerships, Instacart
Eric Schnell, CEO, BeyondBrands
Roma Bhatt, Food and Recipe Creator, itsromab
Justin Tyson, Chef, Cooksgood
More judges will be announced. Winners are revealed live at the VEGPRENEUR Summit in early 2027, in front of founders, investors, buyers, and press.
Entry Options
There are three ways to enter, designed to fit brands at different stages and with different goals.
The Single Product Entry is the starting point: one product evaluated by three or more judges at a private event in LA or NYC, with pro chef preparation for food and beverage products and a 1:1 feedback call to review your scores.
The Multiple Product Pass covers up to four products or SKUs, each scored by the same caliber of panel. Useful for brands that want to understand how different items in their line perform against the same group of buyers and investors.
The VIP Entry is capped at 10 brands and goes considerably further: at least five judges per product, a category benchmark report showing how your scores compare to other entrants, your pitch deck and sell sheet sent directly to the full judge panel, two VEGPRENEUR Summit tickets, a private Summit dinner invitation, and a complimentary quarter of VEGPRENEUR Circle membership.
An Early Bird discount applies to the Single and Multiple Product tiers through October 23. Enter before Friday to lock in the lower rate and get first preference on judging location.
Who Should Enter
Brands at any stage, from early-stage startups to established companies, both stand to benefit.
For earlier brands, the feedback from buyers and investors is formulation and packaging intel you’d otherwise spend months or years collecting. For established brands, it’s buyer access and a recognized award badge for sell sheets and pitch decks.
To be eligible, your product needs to be:
Free from animal-derived inputs (including honey)
Not tested on animals
Not made with cultivated (cell-cultured) animal cells
Precision fermentation products are welcome. Eligible categories: Plant-Based Food, Beverages, Wellness, Personal Care & Beauty, Fashion, and Household & Lifestyle.
Past finalists can re-enter the same product. Past winners can enter a different SKU, flavor, or line.
It Works
“Participating in the VEGPRENEUR Awards is definitely super valuable. Our win is in our sales deck, and we were able to join the ‘Award Winners’ selection with RangeMe.”
Louise Cox, Co-Founder, Devious Foods (2024 VEGPRENEUR Award Winner)
Devious Foods rolled out in Target nationwide in 2026. Past winners also include milkadamia, Nature’s Fynd, Redefine Meat, Oshi, Better Sour, Yo Egg, and more.
Enter Before Friday
Early Bird deadline: October 23, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.
Entering before October 23 saves you $20 to $30 and gives you first preference on judging location (LA or NYC). After October 23, prices increase and location assignment goes to whoever entered first.
The final deadline is November 23, 2026, or when judging event slots fill, whichever comes first.
VEGPRENEUR Circle members can apply a member code at checkout for a free entry credit.
Questions: hello@vegpreneur.org
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