For more than a decade, Monica Watrous has covered the latest trends, innovations and developments in the food and beverage industry and has organized and hosted multiple events featuring emerging brands and cutting-edge concepts. She is a lifelong foodie and a champion of startups and disruptors in the consumer packaged goods landscape.

Luke Abbott, Founder and CEO of Vdriven, is a serial entrepreneur, consultant and leading voice of innovation in the food industry. As the former President of Monterey Provisions, a national food distributor, he scaled the company’s revenue from $32 million to over $250 million while successfully launching three startups. Luke’s academic contributions as a Professor of Supply Chain at the University of San Diego equip the next generation of business leaders with practical insights and real-world experience. Today, he leverages his deep expertise and industry connections to help emerging brands scale and dominate the retail market.

Arnulfo Ventura joined Siddhi in February 2024 and has focused on driving shareholder value as CEO for mid-stage consumer packaged goods companies where his experience over the last seventeen years in the industry spans across eight brands comprising fourteen different categories, including scaling companies ranging from start-up to nine-figure revenue-generating brands. In January 2022, Arnulfo joined Alter Eco Foods as CEO where he would eventually lead the brand to a successful exit and transaction at the end of 2023. Arnulfo led Alter Eco to become the #3 ranked chocolate brand in the Natural channel of trade, and set new Company records for topline revenue, growth, and profitability. Arnulfo also oversaw all aspects of the brand’s innovation, which resulted in three innovation awards in 2023. Prior, Arnulfo served as CEO of Beanfields and was charged with the brand’s turnaround and realizing an eventual transaction where he led the Company to not only 3x growth on topline, but also a profitable run-rate. Arnulfo grew the business to a recognized top-five brand in the highly competitive snacking chip category. A self-proclaimed “reformed banker” and former architect, Arnulfo pursued his MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of Business where he formed the startup, Cobá, and pioneered the first line of RTD all-natural aguas frescas. In 2012 during the “Fiscal Cliff” crisis, Arnulfo was one of 15 CEOs invited to the White House to meet with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. In 2020, Arnulfo was one of three entrepreneurs who came together to create Project Potluck, a non-profit organization with the singular mission of helping people of color build successful companies and careers in the CPG industry. Before Beanfields, Arnulfo apprenticed with industry veteran and plant-based innovator, Greg Steltenpohl at Califia Farms. There, he led Califia on strategic growth initiatives and incubating new marketplaces, including the formation of the company’s global eCommerce platform. Previously, Arnulfo led corporate sales strategy at PepsiCo’s venturing and innovation business unit, NEB. There, Arnulfo served as a founding member of PepsiCo’s Global eCommerce Steering Committee.