February 25, 2026 (FI Newswire) – The Well Network a membership-based community committed to empowering the consumer industry, is hosting its Summit West at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, Calif., during the Natural Products Expo West (“Expo West”) on March 3, including a full day of programming featuring industry leaders across the food, beverage, beauty, wellness, supplements, tech-enabled and consumer ecosystem.
The Well Network hosted similar programs the past two years at the same venue to coincide with Expo West in 2024 and 2025. These previous events have been attended by over 300 curated guests including founders, investors and strategic advisors in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), consumer tech and wellness industries.
This year’s event is sponsored by Stage Sponsor Shopline and lead sponsors Ito En (North America) Inc. and Morrison Foerster LLP, and partners including RodeoCPG, SecureCPG, SnoBase, Glimpse, Happy Wellness Group and other supporters.
“The Well Network is a great example of a collaborative community that is actively facilitating partnerships and building a shared infrastructure for company founders and platforms like ours to support their growth strategies. We share their mission of building a global network that creates sustained advantages for its members and partners. We are excited to support this thoughtful program and all the promising brand founders participating,” said Christopher Yang, Co-President of Shopline who is also moderating the “Expanding Direct to Consumer (DTC) Sales” panel.
The programming is scheduled to include:
1 p.m.: “Investment and Financing Solutions”
- Moderated by Mike Gelb, Founder, Bridge
- Bryan Guadagno, CEO and Co-Founder, It’s That Simple
- Humphrey Ho, Founder & President, Helios & Partners
- Peter Darrow, Managing Partner, Happy Wellness Group
1:30 p.m.: “International Expansion to the US Market”
- Moderated by Taisa Baucum, Marketing Manager, Ito En North America
- Midori Sato, President, Better than Butter Brown Sugar 1st
- Grace Park, CEO, NuLeep
- Ganesh Nair, Founder, Karma Nuts
- Hanh Do, CEO, Buyo and Vietnamese Organic Agriculture Association
2 p.m.: “Fueling Commercial Innovations”
- Moderated by Lynn Altman, President, Brand Now
- Valerie Emanuel, Founder & CEO, Rif Care
- Gregory Willis, Founder of Senspire and Flavor Studio
- Brendan Kavanagh, CEO, Elixir Distribution
2:30 p.m.: “Ingredient Transparency and Integrity in CPG”
- Moderated by Brian Choi, CEO, The Food Institute
- Conor Begley, President, Fathers Brewing
- Meredith Mills Merritt, Founder, The Original Southside and Co-Founder, Clean Alcohol Collective
- Kelley Scanlin, Founder & CEO, Pure Simple Foods
3 p.m.: “Expanding Direct to Consumer (DTC) Sales”
- Moderated by Christopher Yang, Co-President, Shopline
- Connie Wan, Founder, Seattle Gummy Company
- Amy Keller, Co-Founder, FAVES by Climate Candy
- Steve Patino, Founder and CEO, ALES GREY
3:30 p.m.: “Where CPG Brands Get Sued – Lessons from Better-For-You Labeling Litigation”
- Claudia Vetesi, Partner, Morrison Foerster LLP
- Lena Gankin, Complex Litigation Associate, Morrison Foerster LLP
3:50 p.m.: “Alternative Channels”
- Michael Costello, CEO, GNC
- Zach DeAngelo, CEO, RodeoCPG
4 p.m.: RodeoCPG Pitch Slam Judges
- Michael Costello, CEO, GNC
- Kelly Landrieu, Global Director, Whole Foods Market’s Local & Emerging Accelerator Program (LEAP)
- Andrew Reynolds, Co-Founder, RCV Frontline
- Jacqueline Kalina, Senior Director, Chex Finer Foods
- Sebastian Dreher, Managing Director, Döhler Ventures US
“We’re excited to lead the Pitch Slam at the event which is our third year supporting The Well Network’s programs coast to coast during Expo West, Newtopia and the Summer Fancy Food Show. The Pitch Slam’s esteemed judges from GNC, Whole Foods Market, RCV Frontline, Döhler Ventures US and Chex Finer Foods look forward to hearing from brand founders who are generating a lot of excitement in their categories including Fave, Lucky Ox, Realm, The Conscious Bar and Two River Gourmet Mushrooms,” said Zachary DeAngelo, CEO of RodeoCPG.
The event will also feature brand exhibitors and a networking reception. Exhibitors include Lark Ellen Farm, Joey Nordic Seed Crisps, Kombucha Culture, Luba Libations, Pricklee, Heritage Kulfi, Glimpse, Shopline, Hazelicious, Baked By Sticky, Happy Wellness Group, Vietnamese Organic Agriculture Association and others.
“We are among the founding members of The Well Network, which has brought us a lot of shared knowledge, brand awareness and increasing value. As a founder of a fast-growing natural snack brand based in Ojai, California which sources locally and also imports our ingredients globally, we appreciate the camaraderie of the Well Network’s community of founders and advisors and their expertise in operations, sales channels and with fast-evolving tariff policies,” said Kelley Scanlin, Founder of Lark Ellen Farm.
Additional brands sharing their products in gift bags include It’s That Simple, San Diablo Artisan Churros, Betty Buzz, B.T.R. Nation, Chimes, Groundwork Coffee, Karma Nuts, Lemongrass Farms, Culturi Coffee, Scott’s Protein Balls and others.
Since its inception in March 2024, The Well has hosted over 40 bespoke events in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, DC and other cities during Expo West, NY and LA Tech Weeks, Expo, SFA Summer Fancy Foods Show, National Restaurant Show, Meet the Makers and in partnership with numerous brands and industry groups.
Summit West is free to attend for members of The Well Network. Guests passes are available for $150 pre-sale and $200 at the door. Registration link.
The Well Network is a membership-based organization committed to empowering the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), consumer tech and wellness communities. The Well Network’s mission is to build a dynamic, engaging, thoughtful ecosystem where every member personally and professionally prospers by being connected to the “right” people and being able to leverage the necessary resources for business advancement.
Co-founders of The Well Network include professionals at Blossom.it, BWE Consultancy LLC, The Food Institute, Happy Wellness Group, IEQ Capital, Planet LA Records, Poe Law PLLC, Roadmap Advisors, SMC Consulting, Two Shes Productions, US Veg Corp, Vierra Ventures and other companies.
Updates at www.thewellnetwork.com and @followthewell on Instagram
For more information about this news release or the March 3 program, please contact: Rob Rinderman (rob@smcconsulting.biz)
