Colorado-based food and beverage manufacturers have a narrow window to enter the fifth annual Coolest Thing Made in Colorado competition, with nominations closing July 29, 2026 at noon. The contest, run by the Colorado Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by PNC Bank, spotlights the state's manufacturing sector and is open at no cost to any company producing goods in a Colorado facility.
Who Qualifies
The eligibility rules draw a clear line that foodservice operators should note: the contest is designed for manufacturers, not restaurants. A food company mass-producing frozen pizza qualifies; a restaurant making pizza to order does not. That distinction puts craft food and beverage producers — think packaged goods, frozen meals, beverages, specialty ingredients, and similar CPG categories — squarely in scope. The manufacturing company does not need to be headquartered in Colorado, but the product must be made in a Colorado facility. Companies may nominate their own products, and a single nomination is sufficient for consideration.
Past Winners and What's at Stake
The 2025 winner offers a glimpse of the contest's reach into food and agriculture: the Vertical Hydroponic Farm by FarmBox Foods, manufactured in Aurora, Colorado, took the top prize. The unit uses patented vertical farming technology inside upcycled shipping containers to grow mushrooms, leafy greens, and herbs year-round with solar capability and remote monitoring — a product with direct implications for food supply chain innovation and controlled-environment agriculture.
Previous finalist classes have spanned industries from space instruments to agricultural equipment to medical devices, but food-adjacent products have consistently featured in the mix. An independent panel of judges will select the top 10 finalists in October, and the winner will be announced at the Colorado Chamber's Coolest Thing Awards Banquet on November 12.
Colorado Manufacturing by the Numbers
Colorado's manufacturing sector is a significant economic driver, home to more than 5,000 firms that collectively contribute over $31 billion to the state's economy — accounting for 5.1% of Colorado's GDP and employing more than 149,000 workers. For food and beverage producers operating in the state, visibility within that ecosystem carries real business value, from supply chain partnerships to retail buyer attention.
Colorado Chamber President and CEO Loren Furman described the contest as a platform for the full breadth of in-state production. "From groundbreaking technologies to everyday products, manufacturers across our state continue to drive our economy forward," Furman said.
Food and beverage industry professionals tracking regional foodservice and manufacturing trends will find the contest a useful lens on emerging Colorado-made products that may eventually reach restaurant supply chains or retail shelves. Nominations can be submitted at coolestthingcolorado.com/nominations.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
