Swish Wins 2026 FMItech Pitch Competition

Cutting-edge technology propels the food industry into a bold new era

Chula Vista, Calif. – Today, FMI – The Food Industry Association proudly announces Swish as the champion of the fifth-annual FMItech Pitch Competition held live at the FMI Midwinter Executive Conference.

“Every major shift in the grocery industry begins with a bold idea,” said Doug Baker, FMI vice president of industry relations. “The FMItech Pitch Competition serves as a launchpad for innovators reimagining how food retailers operate and how grocery shoppers engage. By connecting emerging technology companies directly with industry leaders, we’re accelerating solutions that address real-world challenges, from supply chain resilience to personalized customer experiences. This year’s finalists exemplify the creativity and drive that will shape the future of food retail.”

FMItech Pitch Competition Winner

For this competition, 22 contestants submitted nominations, which were evaluated by a panel of esteemed judges from the food industry. The competition was then narrowed down to six semifinalists, who were subsequently reduced to three finalists after an online live pitch round featuring groundbreaking food industry technology solutions.

At Midwinter, the three finalists presented live during the FMItech program and then conference attendees cast their votes to determine the winner.

Swish, our winner, powers targeted, automated programmatic sampling by placing full-size products into consumers’ online orders. It transforms merchandise into media, bringing transparency, efficiency, and measurable results that legacy sampling has never delivered. Swish will pitch its technology to assembled attendees during the final keynote presentation.

FMI members can explore other leading-edge technology solution companies through the exclusive FMItech Directory.

For Media:

• The six semifinalist companies can be found here. 
• Pitch Competition Judges and Past Pitch Winners can be found here.