Got a product or an idea that deserves a bigger stage? The Pitch at The PPAI Expo 2027 is looking for suppliers ready to show the industry what they’ve got.

Applications are now open for the fifth annual edition of the popular live competition, which returns to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas on Monday, January 11.

A cross between Shark Tank and The Voice, The Pitch gives exhibiting suppliers an opportunity to put their most innovative products and services in front of a panel of industry judges and an audience of potential customers.

  • At The Pitch, contestants representing both emerging and established suppliers will have three minutes each to make their case.
  • Expert distributor judges and audience members will help determine which contestant walks away with the title.


Suppliers: Apply for The Pitch 2027

For suppliers, The Pitch is more than an entertaining competition. It’s an opportunity to introduce a product or concept to a room full of distributors, generate excitement heading into the trade show and potentially make connections that extend well beyond The PPAI Expo.

Just ask Stacy Stahl, founder of Sweeter Cards, whose customizable greeting card and chocolate bar combination won The Pitch in 2024.

A month later, Sweeter Cards became Rupt Ventures’ first strategic investment in the branded merch industry. That July, Maple Ridge Farms acquired the company in the gourmet food supplier’s first acquisition in its 45-year history.

In 2025, Rupt CEO and co-founder Jason Lucash took home the title. And at The PPAI Expo 2026, Sock101’s Audrey Miesner won over the judges with a pitch for experiential activations, demonstrating that the competition isn’t limited to products alone.



From innovative merch options to creative new ways of engaging end users, The Pitch has become a showcase for ideas that push the industry forward.

The next big idea could be yours.

This year’s competition will have some additional star power, as Erika Casupanan, winner of CBS’s Survivor 41, takes over hosting duties.

The first Canadian and first Filipino winner of the long-running reality competition, Casupanan knows a thing or two about winning over an audience and performing under pressure. Before becoming a television personality and award-winning host, Casupanan built a career in communications and marketing. She’ll bring that professional experience, along with her humor and competitive spirit, to The Pitch stage.

Casupanan will also host The Branded Runway, the first-ever PPAI Fashion Show at Expo 2027.

Read More | Sneak Peek: What’s New & Different At The PPAI Expo 2027

Make Your Pitch

The Pitch will take place Monday, Jan. 11, from 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., ahead of the opening of The PPAI Expo 2027 trade show floor on Tuesday.

Suppliers interested in participating are encouraged to submit their applications now.

Suppliers: Apply for The Pitch 2027

For more information about The PPAI Expo 2027 and to register, vist expo.ppai.org.