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Las Cruces Consumer Product Summit

May 5, 2026 at Mesilla Valley Mall

Summit entrance will be by Allen Theaters

The Las Cruces Consumer Product Summit is launching to accelerate the rise of Southwest-made consumer brands. With national speakers, hands-on workshops, and guidance in areas like trademarks, distribution, manufacturing, and AI marketing, this summit gives entrepreneurs the platform they need to grow smarter, scale faster, and build together.

If you are a vendor and want to sell your products during the CPG Summit, please fill out our brief Vendor Application below.

Meet Our Speakers

Get ready to be inspired by a lineup of industry leaders and experts who are shaping the future of consumer products in the Southwest and beyond. They'll share invaluable insights, strategies, and success stories to help your brand thrive.

Our Esteemed Sponsors

We are grateful for the generous support of our sponsors, who are instrumental in empowering local businesses and fostering a thriving consumer product ecosystem.

Schedule

Mesilla Valley Mall

700 S Telshor Blvd, Las Cruces, NM 88011


1:00 PM – 1:35 PM

Main Stage

Opening & Keynote

Amer Jandali, Founder & CEO of Future Meets Present, shares insights on integrating sustainability and social innovation into your business model for future success.

Speaker: Amer Jandali


1:45 PM – 2:15 PM

Mall Main Stage

Southern New Mexico Rising: Innovation, Opportunities and Growth

A dynamic panel discussion exploring key opportunities, investments, and collaborations shaping economic growth across Southern New Mexico and the Borderplex region.

Panelists: Dr. Winnie Lee, Jeff Flores, Davin Lopez (Moderator)

Allen Theatres Room

The CPG Playbook: From Kitchen Table to Retail Shelf

Leah Messina shares proven strategies, modern marketing insights, and real founder lessons to help emerging brands scale from early traction to national retail growth.

Speaker: Leah Messina


2:25 PM – 2:55 PM

Mall Main Stage

How Local Entrepreneurs Transform Communities

Hear inspiring lessons from Sandra Espiritu and Rachael Ryan on building successful businesses, revitalizing spaces, and fostering a thriving community in Las Cruces.

Speakers: Sandra Espiritu, Rachael Ryan

Allen Theatres Room

Building Your Brand Tech Stack: AI, Automation & Modern Growth Tools

Ivan Huerta and Mike Cortez break down essential AI tools, automation strategies, and modern growth tech stacks for founders to build, scale, and compete smarter.

Speakers: Ivan Huerta, Mike Cortez


3:05 PM – 3:35 PM

Mall Main Stage

Measuring Success & Planning for Growth

Chris Lang will teach you how to track key performance indicators and translate those insights into smart, scalable growth decisions for your consumer product business.

Speaker: Chris Lang

Allen Theatres Room

Successfully Opening a Business at Mesilla Valley Mall

Loretta Piña, General Manager of Mesilla Valley Mall, outlines the steps and considerations for becoming a successful business owner within an indoor mall environment.

Speaker: Loretta Piña


3:45 PM – 4:15 PM

Mall Main Stage

Legal Foundations for Strong Brands: Entities, Trademarks, Contracts

Jeff Villalobos provides a practical breakdown of the legal essentials every founder needs, from choosing the right entity to protecting your brand and avoiding costly mistakes.

Speaker: Jeff Villalobos

Allen Theatres Room

Building Businesses in Las Cruces: The Real Stories

Sandra Espiritu shares candid insights on the journey of local entrepreneurship in Las Cruces, covering risks, funding, failures, pivoting, and the power of community.

Speaker: Sandra Espiritu


Networking Social

5:00–7:00 PM

Sponsored by Vela Wood Law

Close out the Summit at the game with a fun, high-energy networking social where founders, speakers, organizers, and supporters passionate about growing Las Cruces CPG brands can connect, celebrate, and keep the momentum going.

Located at: 2605 S Espina St, Las Cruces, NM 88001

Google Maps

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

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Eventbrite

Las Cruces Consumer Product Summit

Get ready to discover the latest trends in consumer products and connect with industry leaders at the Las Cruces Consumer Product Summit!

About the Summit

Where Real local growth you can get behind.

The Las Cruces Consumer Product Summit is a high-energy gathering for creators, makers, growers, shakers, foodies, founders, and the whole Southwest CPG tribe. If you've ever said "I should totally sell this," this event is for you.

We're bringing together everyone who believes that New Mexico-made products deserve to be on regional and national shelves.

Event Flow

A full day designed to maximize learning, connection, and inspiration — from sunrise vendor browsing to sunset celebration.

1

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Vendor Marketplace

Taste, sample, shop, connect. Browse dozens of New Mexico-made products while meeting the makers behind them.

2

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Food Truck Festival

Enjoy local flavors from the areas best food trucks.

3

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Keynote, Panel Sessions

Deep dive into workshops and panels across Main Room, Product Lab, and Marketplace tracks. Mix and match based on your needs.

4

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Cinco De Mayo Cocktail Hours

Network with buyers, investors, and mentors in a relaxed setting. Make the connections that move your business forward.

Sign Up to Attend Now

Eventbrite

Las Cruces Consumer Product Summit

Get ready to discover the latest trends in consumer products and connect with industry leaders at the Las Cruces Consumer Product Summit!

A Region Ripe for Growth

Las Cruces is overflowing with incredible local products — salsas, spices, wellness goods, roasted chiles, coffees, pecans, crafts, and small-batch creations that families have perfected for generations. But too often, these homegrown brands stay hidden at farmers markets, tucked on a single store shelf, or passed down without ever reaching their full potential.

With the right care, clarity, and direction, these products can do so much more than survive — they can scale, generate new revenue, and create family-sustaining opportunities that transform family trees.

We’re bringing bold Southwest energy together with startup strategies — mixing creativity, culture, and commerce to help Las Cruces makers rise.

AI Packaging Rebrand Tool

Design plays a bigger role in sales than most people realize.

Studies show that around 70% of buying decisions happen at the shelf, and shoppers form an opinion about a product in under 3 seconds. About 60% of consumers say they’ve tried a new product because the packaging caught their attention, and over half are more likely to buy again when the packaging feels consistent and professional. Simply put, clear and thoughtful design helps people notice your product, trust it, and feel confident coming back for more.

Upload a photo of your product packaging and instantly see it reimagined in a polished, retail-ready design. Choose from five distinct styles—from Modern Minimalist to Heritage New Mexico—and let AI generate professional packaging concepts in seconds.

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See what the Make It Market Studios: AI Packaging Rebrand Tool can do for your brand. Below are sample rebrands.

Margin Map

Know Your Numbers. Own Your Margins.

Pricing is one of the most important decisions a CPG founder makes — and one of the easiest to get wrong.

Even small pricing improvements can have an outsized impact on profitability — in many businesses, a ~1% improvement in price realization has been associated with roughly ~11% improvement in operating profit. Meanwhile, many founders still price based on gut feel, competitor guesses, or incomplete costing — which can quietly erase margins or put products underwater once all costs are counted.

Enter your product details — ingredients, labor, packaging, and overhead — and see your fully loaded unit cost, pricing scenarios by channel, and a clear margin breakdown that shows where each dollar goes. From DTC and farmers markets to wholesale and distributor conversations, MarginMap helps you build pricing you can explain and defend — fast.

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Summit Organizers

Behind the Las Cruces Consumer Product Summit are two founders who believe the next wave of iconic consumer brands can — and should — rise from the Southwest.

Jeff Villalobos and Joseph Sapien have spent years building platforms that help entrepreneurs break through barriers. Together, they co-created the Día de los Muertos Startup Pitch Conference in El Paso — an event that brought founders face-to-face with angel investors and venture capital leaders, sparking new companies, new deal flow, and new economic momentum for the Borderplex region.

Jeff’s background as a business and intellectual property attorney has helped countless makers protect what they’ve built. Joseph’s experience as a startup ecosystem builder has unlocked funding, partnerships, and growth opportunities for emerging ventures.

Jeff Villalobos, Senior Attorney

Joseph Sapien, Ecosystem Builder

Now, they’re turning their focus to Las Cruces’s consumer product innovators — the small-batch food creators, beauty makers, apparel founders, and sustainable product builders who are ready for the national stage.

Their mission is simple:

Give local brands the tools, expertise, and exposure they need to scale — right here at home.

Together, Jeff and Joseph are committed to uplifting makers, activating a stronger consumer economy, and showcasing the entrepreneurial spirit that defines Southern New Mexico.

Thank You Supporters



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May 5, 2026 • Las Cruces, New Mexico • Where Local Products Glow Up

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