FAQ – Pitching to Buyers
How do I apply to pitch to the stockists?
First, you’ll need a valid ticket to attend Foodpreneurs Festival—applications to pitch are only open to Brand Owner ticketholders. Once you’ve secured your ticket, you can apply to pitch through the official application form on our website whilst submissions are being accepted. Each buyer has their own criteria, which is outlined in the submission form. Successful applicants will be notified of their pitching timeslot prior to the Festival.
Does buying a ticket guarantee a pitching time slot?
No it does not. What it guarantees you, as a product brand owners, is:
- Entry to the Festival;
- Your application looked at and product assessed for suitability by buyers;
- Hearing ‘mistake-saving’ advice from our workshop and Dream Lab speakers;
- Unparalleled opportunity to network with the industry throughout the day;
- Drinks and snacks at Happy Hour;
- Media exposure at Collaboration Corner;
- A place for your product (3 max) to be showcase on Stickybeak Station;
- Photographs of your product on Product Snap Lap; and
- The opportunity to submit an application to one or all of our buyers in Buyer Pitch Hub..
Can I change my responses on the pitch submission form?
Once you submit your application, no changes can be made by you or us on your behalf. We encourage you to review the questions and complete the answers offline before submitting your final application online.
How will brands be selected to pitch?
All eligible applications are reviewed by the relevant buyer team, not the Festival team. If your application is successful, you’ll be notified via email ahead of the Festival. Be sure your email address is entered correctly when applying, and check your inbox and SPAM folder for updates.
What is the timeline for the Buyer Pitch Hub?
The Buyer Pitch Hub follows a structured application and review process with the following key dates:
- Tuesday, 14 April 2026 – Buyer Pitch Hub pitch submissions open and buyer reviews begin
- Tuesday, 5 May 2026 (5pm AEST) – Buyer Pitch Hub pitch submissions close
- Wednesday, 20 May 2026 – Successful brand owners are notified of their Buyer Pitch Hub timeslot
- Friday, 22 May 2026 – Buyer Pitch Hub takes place at the Foodpreneurs Festival
If I have a ticket and submit an application, do I need to be at the Festival in person?
Yes, if your application is successful, you’ll need to be available to attend the Foodpreneurs Festival in person on event day. All pitching opportunities and activations take place live and are not available virtually.
Where do I go to pitch on the day?
Great question! At the Festival, there will be a Buyer Pitch Hub. Once you have a Festival ticket (you can’t pitch without one!), apply to pitch to a buyer according to their category criteria outlined in the application within the timeline we have allocated. If your application is successful, you’ll get notified of your firm pitching time slot. On the day pitch for 10 minutes face-to-face.
How long is my pitch, and why only 10 minutes?
Each brand gets a 10-minute pitch slot to meet retail buyer(s) and introduce your product, your brand, and why it deserves to be stocked.
Why 10 minutes? Research shows buyers form first impressions in just 7 seconds, so a concise, well-prepared pitch is essential. Think of it like a mini TED Talk – plan carefully, focus on your strongest points, and make every second count. This is your chance to impress buyers and leave a lasting impact.
What do I bring?
That’s your call. If it were us, we’d consider bringing; a pitch deck (digital or analogue), packaging design or finished product (to show not taste), and our best pitch script dialled in. If you need some help with your pitch script, download our Pitch Preparation Plan. It’s the gold standard. Please note there are no powerpoint sockets in Pitch Hub (your devices need to operate on battery power) and there are no chilling, freezing or heating facilities available.
What will be in the pitching room for me to use to pitch?
A table and a chair. If you need something else, we suggest you bring it. Please note no heating/chilling/freezing equipment is permitted at the venue for this event and no sampling. If you want someone to taste your product, please book in to see the experts at the Tasting Room.
Who will I be pitching to?
Can I pitch to more than one buyer?
You betcha. The Festival will coordinate the stockists to avoid any clash of time slots for foodpreneurs pitching to multiple buyers.
When will I find out if my pitch application was successful?
Festival staff advises the successful brand owners of their Buyer Pitch Hub timeslot by Wednesday, 20 May 2026.
Make sure you check your SPAM folder and mark our emails as ‘safe’.
Will I hear if my application has been unsuccessful?
No you won’t. The Festival receives and coordinates literally 100s of submissions and appointments with buyers for Pitch Hub. As we’re only a small team, and things change up until the last minute, only successful applicants will be notified whether the buyers have given them a pitching time slot but we’re working to change this in the future. For now, the best way to make sure you receive the notification if you are successful is by ensuring the email address you provided on the application form is correct and you check your SPAM folder on the notification date in case our notification email lands in there. We encourage all attendees to discover, exercise, and rely on their inner resources and make the most of the sales + promotions opportunities regardless of whether a pitch time slot was granted or not. Please know that in the past buyers have listed brands from products they saw on Stickybeak Station and also by contacting the brand owner after the Festival. This has happened numerous times. So the moral of that is, be there and be seen.
What if I can’t make my pitching time slot?
You need to be available in person at the event during the specified time range and it would be a bummer if you couldn’t make the time. If that’s the case, we suggest you liaise with the retailer to reorganise a time slot for either on the day of the Festival or another time/day. Rescheduling pitching time slots is at the retailers discretion and Foodpreneurs Festival has no control or part in that process.
When does pitch submissions close?
Pitch submissions for the Buyer Pitch Hub close at 5pm AEST, Tuesday, 5 May 2026.
Festival staff advise successful brand owners of their Buyer Pitch Hub timeslot by 5pm AEST, Wednesday, 20 May 2026.
All eligible applications will be reviewed by the buyer team, not the Festival team. Once you submit your application via the Retail Partners page, no changes can be made by you or the Festival on your behalf, and you must have a valid ticket to Foodpreneurs Festival to apply.
Can I request a pitching time slot?
No. There’s a lot for the buyer to coordinate to make the Festival valuable for themselves and their business. We suggest you be available during the specified date and time range.
Want the buyer's contact details?
The only way to get the buyer’s details is to ask them in your pitch time slot.
Pitched and want to follow up with a buyer but don't have their details?
The only way to get the buyer’s details is to ask them in your pitch time slot. Buyers did not give permission for their details to be sent out by us and we’re working to change this in the future, but for now, if you didn’t get their contact details during your pitch time slot, we suggest, just as you would outside of the Festival, that you proceed to keep following up via their owned channels like their website and LinkedIn.