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2026 Top Shelf Retail: High Volume Growth Insights | Application Deadline
April 10
The Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) is proud to present Top Shelf Retail: High Volume Retail Growth Insights. This cohort is an eight-week, curriculum based virtual cohort program designed to help established retail businesses access procurement opportunities in the mass retail market. Participants will learn how to build pricing, branding, and marketing strategies, and how to work with category managers. Participants will have the opportunity to pitch their products to a select group of corporate representatives who will provide valuable feedback during the Vendor Showcase.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
You will gain a deep understanding of the retailer’s perspective, create a deck that will appeal to a retail buyer, and create a network of other consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers. Upon completion of the Top Shelf: High Volume Growth Insights program, participants will have successfully completed educational training and hands-on learning opportunities in the following areas:
- Capacity building to scale businesses to compete in the retail marketplace
- Technical assistance and financial support to help manage cash flow
- Pricing analysis
- Business capability statement
- Branding and marketing
- Certification benefits
- Preparation for a pitch presentation
- How to work with category managers
- Risk management and Cybersecurity
- Opportunity to pitch to corporate evaluators
RETAIL APPLICANT CRITERIA
- Be a consumer product company that sells (or wishes to sell) to mass retailers
- Two or more years in business
- Revenues of $50,000 or greater
- Committed to 8-weeks of virtual learning and participation (more than one owner may attend)
- Committed to 8-weeks of virtual learning and participation (more than one owner may attend)
- The program is open to all business owners
- The business does not need to be certified to participate
PROGRAM DETAILS
When: Every Thursday | April 23 to June 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 CT
Where: Zoom
Application Deadline: April 10, 2026
For more information, contact Jessie Leonard | jleonard@wbdc.org
