The CPG Dept — The Sport of Building Brands
Ontario's Largest CPG Conference

The
Sport
of Building
Brands.

Canada's community for CPG founders, operators, marketers, and brand builders — built around events, education, and the sport of building brands.

Nov 5 — Get Tickets Join the Community
Date November 5, 2026
Location Toronto, Ontario
Format Conference + VIP Dinner
Capacity 350+ Attendees
Jan 2026 — Sold Out
1,800+
Newsletter Subscribers
1,200+
Community Members
200+
Past Event Attendees
5+
Events in 2026
The Community

Built for
people in
the arena.

The CPG Dept is Canada's home for the people who build, grow, sell, and support consumer packaged goods brands. A real community built around the sport of building brands.

Join Free
i.
Founders & Brand Builders

You're betting everything on your brand. Get the playbook, the connections, and the edge you need to compete.

ii.
Marketers & Growth Teams

Trade tactics, test ideas, and learn from the people driving demand for CPG brands across Canada.

iii.
Retailers & Buyers

Stay ahead of the brands fighting for your shelf and the trends reshaping your category.

iv.
Operators & Leaders

Supply chain, finance, ops — the people who keep the engine running deserve a seat at the table.

v.
Brokers, Agencies & Service Providers

Build relationships with the brands that need exactly what you offer. This is where deals start.

vi.
Students & Emerging Talent

Breaking into CPG? Build your network before you need it — and learn from people already in the game.

Education.
Community.
Culture.

To build the single most valuable ecosystem in CPG — where education, community, and culture collide to elevate the next generation of brand builders.

We believe CPG is the most competitive arena in business. Every pitch is a game day. Every shelf is a stadium. Every founder, marketer, and builder is an athlete.

We're here to train smarter, compete harder, and celebrate every small win that moves the industry forward.

The CPG Dept · The Sport of Building Brands
2026 Calendar

Get in
the arena.

View All Events
Flagship Event · Nov 5, 2026
The Sport of
Building Brands
Toronto, Ontario  ·  9AM–5PM Conference  ·  6PM VIP Dinner  ·  350+ Attendees  ·  4 Keynotes  ·  2 Panels
Get Tickets
June 18
2026
AI as Your Co-Founder — Masterclass
Online · 7:00 PM · Closed
Closed
May 28
2026
Pickleball CPG Classic
Toronto, Ontario · Closed
Closed
Sept 25
2026
Instacart & Elbows Out Happy Hour — CHFA
Hotel X, Toronto · Presented by Instacart & Elbows Out
Coming Soon
Nov 5
2026
The Sport of Building Brands — Flagship
Toronto, Ontario · 350+ Attendees · 4 Keynotes · VIP Dinner
Get Tickets
Jan
2027
2027 Kick Off Event
Canada
Coming Soon
Flagship Event 2026

The Sport
of Building
Brands.

Ontario's largest single-day CPG conference. Keynote speakers, industry panels, sample stations, and an exclusive VIP dinner — all in one room with 350+ of Canada's top CPG professionals.

Date November 5, 2026
Location Toronto, Ontario
Conference 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
VIP Dinner 6:00 PM · Capped at 50
Format 4 Keynotes · 2 Panels · Samples
Expected 350+ Attendees
September 25, 2026

Instacart &
Elbows Out
Happy Hour.

Join us at CHFA Toronto for an exclusive Happy Hour hosted by Instacart and Elbows Out. Connect with CPG founders, buyers, and operators in one of Toronto's best venues.

Details and registration coming soon — join the community to be first in line.

Event Details
Date September 25, 2026
Venue Hotel X, Toronto
Event CHFA Toronto
Hosted By Instacart · Elbows Out
Our Partners

Become a
Partner.

Put your brand directly in front of Canada's most engaged CPG community — founders, operators, marketers, and buyers who are actively building and deciding.

MNP
Instacart
Mindful Snacks
FCC
Purity Life
Get In Touch team@cpgdept.com
Brand Visibility
Logo across events, digital, email, and social — in front of Canada's most engaged CPG audience.
Product Sampling
Direct trial with a professional, high-intent audience who understand your category.
Speaking Opportunities
Panels, keynotes, and sessions that position your brand as a category expert.
Community Access
Year-round presence across events, content, and Canada's growing CPG community.
Post-Event Reporting
Engagement metrics, sampling sentiment, and attendee data so you can measure real ROI.
CPG Consulting

Win the
last mile.

Building a great product is only half the battle. Getting it onto shelves, into the right hands, and moving at retail is where most early-stage brands stall out.

The CPG Dept works directly with founders to close the gap between a great product and a great business.

Book a Consultation
team@cpgdept.com
i.
Brand Strategy & Positioning
Clarify what your brand stands for, who it's for, and how to communicate it — to buyers, brokers, and consumers alike.
ii.
Retail & Buyer Readiness
Get shelf-ready — from packaging and pricing to planogram fit and the sell sheet that actually gets a meeting.
iii.
Buyer Meeting & Broker Prep
Walk into your next meeting with a tight pitch, the right numbers, and a clear path to yes.
iv.
Promo Planning & Trade Spend
Build a promo strategy that drives velocity without burning margins — and trade spend that works at retail.
v.
Buyer & Distributor Introductions
Warm introductions to buyers and distributors who are actually a fit — through The CPG Dept network.

Ready to join
the team?

Free to join. Built for people serious about CPG.

Join the Free Community