Naturally Seattle Executive Director India Nagy, left, is working to promote natural food brands. At right is Naturally Seattle Board Chair Diana Fryc. | Photo courtesy of India Nagy
Serving as executive director at Naturally Seattle isn’t a full-time job for India Nagy — yet. She envisions it will be sometime this year.
Nagy, with a background in branding and graphic design, joined the nonprofit as executive director last October. Naturally Seattle, founded early last year, is an affiliate of the Naturally Network, an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit that seeks to boost the next generation of leaders in the conscious consumer goods industry. Naturally Seattle is one of 11 regional chapters across the United States.
Nagy is no stranger to the natural foods industry. She recalls her parents becoming interested in the whole foods movement back in the 1970s before it was even a concept. She has since worked with several local food brands over the past two-plus decades.
She’s now busy preparing for Naturally Seattle’s upcoming pitch competition April 30 at Seattle University. Deadline for companies to enter is March 20. Eligible brands must have less than $2 million in revenue and have some sort of retail distribution. The winner receives $5,000 and will advance to Naturally Network’s national pitch competition against other regional winners at tradeshow Newtopia Now from Aug. 18-20 in Denver.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
The natural foods movement is having a moment right now. Is there still more momentum this space can have? Everybody is now drawn in and that has changed things quite a bit. You see the big companies, the big retailers. It is getting more challenging for smaller brands who really try to create a quality product set themselves apart. It is a very challenging time for so many reasons. There’s so much uncertainty in the economy.
How do the Naturally Network and Naturally Seattle fit into this? We've made brands the focus of our organization, so that they really feel like they are not reinventing the wheel. They are not doing it alone. We are creating programming, conversations and opportunities for them to engage with each other and learn together, so that you really have more of like a cohort situation.
Does Seattle stand out? We have a diverse range of suppliers and food that we grow here in Washington state. We have access to all these different sources, and we just have that consciousness already of what doing better for the planet is. That's just part of the Northwest spirit. We can really invest in this community, invest in these businesses that are trying to get ahead, and help support the idea that business can be about more than just profit. It can be focused on passion and can have a purpose.
What’s the future of healthy food in America? We are the generation where food. comes from, where nutrition comes from, the food that we eat, is important. We are also seeing younger people really looking for different types of (foods). We’re still going to see new inventions and developments, but some of those principles of what we need to be healthy, I think, are constant.
What’s the role of these smaller entrepreneurs you work with? Are they going to be the innovators as time goes on? That's what we are here to support. That’s our reason for being. The brands that we are working with have vision and clarity. Because they are smaller, they are able to adapt faster. They can make changes quick and really respond.
Tell us about the pitch competitions. (The brands) are going to present and pitch. They get four minutes to stand in front of an audience about what makes them the right product at the right time. They're getting a chance to get eyeballs and recognition from industry leaders. They also get a mentorship partner. For three weeks they work with a mentorship person to really get up to speed and prepare their pitch to make sure they're ready.
Final thoughts? We are welcoming. We have open doors. We have a variety of events coming up. We’re looking for people who are excited.
