Shelfies Awards Special Edition '22

SPOTLIGHT

BY

MEET THE 2022 SHELFIES AWARDS WINNERS

INTRO

DEAR STARTUP CPG COMMUNITY,

A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of hosting the Second Annual Shelfies Awards. In an event that spanned in-person and virtual mediums, we came together as a community to celebrate some of the best-in-class emerging CPG brands. Now, in this magazine, we get to share the stories behind our winning brands and highlight the incredible work they’re doing to innovate in our industry.

We started the Shelfies Awards last year as our answer to a clear problem: the exclusion of startup brands in big-name awards. Because of the steep cost and labor barrier for big-name award nominations, emerging food and beverage brands often miss out on these opportunities – yet the recognition of a best-inclass award could be the catalyst to turn a new product into a moonshot. The Shelfies are free and easy to apply to, opening the doors for countless future opportunities. The Shelfies celebrate the small guys and recognize potential moonshots in our own community.

The Second Annual Shelfies Awards were made possible by Trax Retail. With both their on-demand and always-on merchandising capabilities and shelf data built on image recognition, Trax Retail sets itself apart from the traditional in-store execution and merchandising providers. They are dedicated to helping game-changing brands, like Startup CPG’s Shelfies Awards winners, win in retail.

Cheers, Jenna Managing Editor, The Spotlight

Jenna is the Editor of The Spotlight magazine and works on Startup CPG’s marketing team. She is passionate about emerging CPG, also working as a publicist for Knack PR and a freelance copywriter for several CPG brands.

SNACK

Svaa Haa makes nutri tion-packed, addictive snacks out of the ancient Ayurve dic beans that helped heal founder Priyanka. The Spicy Chili Garlic Straws are made from green mung, black gram and horse gram beans, and are packed with authentic Indian spices. An alternative to chips or puffs, these savory snacks are glu ten free, plant-based, and packed with 5g of fiber and 5g of protein in each serving.

KENKO

Kenko Bites are your daily dose of veggies — in cracker form. These crunchy, insanely satisfying crackers were made with only 6 simple ingredients: carrots, broccoli, cabbage, red bell pepper, sesame seeds and sea salt. Created with the goal of making eating vegetables just as easy and delicious as eating junk food, these deliciously savory crackers are addicting alone, but also make for the perfect (undetectably veggie-packed) vehicle for your favorite dips.

TOODALOO

Toodaloo's adaptogenic trail mixes turn everything you know about trail mix on its head -- literally. Their Turning Heads mix combines sprouted nuts, seeds, chewy superfruits, coconut, sea buckthron and white rose in a rich cacao blend that leaves you wanting more. These non-GMO mixes are free of any processed sugars, artificial flavors or preservatives and peanuts, and focus on regenerative farming practices to share the very best snack for you and the planet.

POPADELICS

Fun-Gal Snacks was founded in July 2020 on a mission to create innovative snacks that harness the benefits of mushrooms and other underloved veggies, all while supporting social causes. Popadelics Crunchy Mushroom Chips, Fun-Gal Snacks’ flagship product that launched in April 2022, are shiitake mushrooms reimagined for the modern superfood snacker.

Popadelics was founded by Marilyn Yang and Michael Casali. Prior to founding FunGal Snacks LLC, Marilyn held roles in private equity investing and investment banking in NYC, including having been involved with a number of food manufacturing and CPG companies. Mike worked in VC with a particular focus on early-stage health companies, and moonlighted as an unofficial snack connoisseur. Partners in both business and in life, Marilyn claims that Mike’s equal passion for mushrooms — “to the point where it became a defining element of our personalities” — was one of the main reasons she knew they were meant to be. “I actually remember that we really bonded about this on one of our early dates — while eating mushroom pasta, of course,” Marilyn recalls.

As mushroom enthusiasts, Marilyn and Michael noticed that mushrooms are notably ab sent today from today’s snacking landscape, yet are on the verge of hitting an inflection point in the public consciousness. After seeing the opening for a modern, edgy brand focused on crunchy mushroom snacks, Popadelics was born.

Since founding, they have expanded from DTC to retail and wholesale, but the most exciting accom

plishment for the founders? Becoming official partners for Electric Zoo Music Festival this year. As two major EDM fans, Marilyn and Mike always hoped to get Popadelics into EZoo “someday” — and were able to achieve it only a few months after launching the product.

As they continue expansion, the Popadelics team hopes to also expand the public percep tion of mushrooms: “Many people don’t realize that the mushroom world is so much bigger than just psilocybin, or just white button mushrooms,” says Marilyn. “Our snacks prove that mushrooms are multifaceted — they aren’t just that standard chewy texture when raw, and have the potential and proven ability to become a super crunchy, chip-like snack like Popade lics. There’s a whole wide world of mushrooms out there, and with Popadelics, we hope to be just one small piece that helps make mushrooms mainstream.”

Popadelics is currently available in three mouth-watering, culinary-inspired flavors — Trip pin’ Truffle Parm, Twisted Thai Chili, and Rad Rosemary + Salt — and are vegan and nonGMO. A portion of all sales supports the Fun-Gal Snacks Foundation, which supports health and wellness causes. Popadelics is available for purchase on popadelics.com, Amazon, Mul tiverse, and a number of other ecommerce platforms, as well as at select independent natural food stores in 11 states and counting. For a full list of retailers, please visit: https://popadelics. com/pages/store-locator.

BEST BAKED GOOD

SOOZY’S

Soozy’s dairy-free, grain-free, gluten-free Birthday Cake donuts come frozen, and are easy to prepare for the perfect cake-style donut. Made with nutrient-rich ingredients like almond flour, organic coconut oil and organic coconut sugar, Soozy’s are simple, nutritious, nonGMO, and contain 60% less sugar than a tradition al donut — without sacrificing any flavor.

RUANI

UANI’s Delightful Peanut Butter Brownie is a dairy-free, grain-free, soy-free treat that tastes just as rich and decadent as a “real deal” brownie. Made with nutrient-rich almond flour and avocado oil, as well as a touch of ashwa gandha for stress relief, these brownies are func tional yet gut-friendly and completely scrump tious. Non-GMO peanut butter is whipped into every batch of their Delightful Peanut Butter flavor for a delicious energy boost without the inevitable crash.

R

NOWHERE BAKERY BEST BAKED FOOD

Nowhere Bakery was founded by Saphira, a Certified Holistic Nutrition Counselor and dessert addict. When Saphira developed gut issues in her early twenties, she removed all of the “fun stuff” from her diet — but her sweet tooth didn’t adjust. When she met my husband, and to-be co-founder Maurizio, they bonded over their love of dessert but were always torn on how to satisfy their sweet tooths. Maurizio didn’t suffer from the same gut health issues, and had more ‘traditional’ taste buds. “A dessert that catered to both of our needs was nowhere to be found — so I took it upon myself to create it,” says Saphira.

Nowhere Bakery was founded in 2020 after years of iterations and finally perfect ing desserts that catered to both sides of the dessert coin: one that had the perfect balance between better-for-you ingredients and indulgent taste. Made with organic, vegan, grain free and refined sugar-free ingredients, Nowhere Bakery is on a mission to ensure dessert never has to be a compromise. Their Shelfies-win ning chocolate chip cookie is made with ingredients like almond butter, organic maple syrup, organic cassava flour and organic tapioca flour, making for a crispy yet chewy cookie that you would never know is paleo and entirely vegan. Since founding, the Nowhere Bakery team has been doing their own production. “There have been many learning curves, especially shipping a perishable product na tionwide during the heat of summer. Myself and my husband have been in the kitchen since day one, baking and packing up the product by hand,” says Saphira. Putting aside their self-described “perfectionist” attitudes for the sake of scaling was a major hurdle — but two and a half years in, and they are starting to build up a good team of bakers and packers they trust to run it like we have been so that they can start working on the business instead of in it.

Finally stepping back may not have been the easiest for the hands-on duo, but since doing so, they have hit their first 1 million in sales — and couldn’t be more ecstatic about sharing their scrumptious, clean treats with the world.

Find Nowhere Bakery on their website www.nowherebakery.com or in stores: www.nowherebakery.com/ pages/cookie-locator.

FROZEN

Baozza is forever altering the frozen aisle with their innovative mashup between pizza and Chinese bao buns. Filled to the seams with delicious cheesy goodness, these buns come in a microwave-safe steam bag so you can throw them straight from freezer to microwave. In just one microwave minute, you’ll have a perfectly steamed bun absolutely bursting with flavor. Their BBQ Chicken flavor pairs tangy BBQ sauce and chicken with rich, gooey mozzarella cheese.

SAVORLY

Savorly’s products are the appetizers you never knew your party needed – and you won’t be able to live without. On a mission to bring European-quality appetizers to American freezers, Savorly replaced the traditional frozen appetizer cheese goop and artificial preservatives with only real ingredients and elevated flavor combinations. Their Mini Gratins pair potatos with four flavor-packed cheeses, and crisp to perfection in the oven.

FROZEN ITEM

BALKAN BITES

Balkan Bites all started in 2018 when founder Ariana Tolka ap proached her aunt Alida to teach her how to make traditional Albanian recipes in honor of her late grandmother, Magbule. “On Sundays, we found solace in baking together, reminiscing about her while bringing her recipes to life,” Ariana recalls. Soon enough, they were debut ing their authentic Albanian bureks at outdoor markets in NYC, receiving overwhelming support from customers around the world. And so came the start of an ‘unBurekable’ bond and the birth of Balkan Bites.

Balkan Bites are bureks, or savory phyllo pie, that is flaky on the outside and oozing with goodness on the inside, authentic to the founders’ Balkan roots. Their all-natural phyllo dough is made from scratch with premium ingredients like unbleached flour, extra-virgin olive oil, and real butter. Fillings range from a traditional Cheese Medley (loaded with feta and ricotta cheese) to Beef and Onion and Spinach and Cheese — all crisp and flaky on the outside, yet gooey and soft on the inside. Balkan Bites are made fresh and frozen for easy preparation, rendering a perfect, justbaked, handmade pastry in the comfort of your home.

Since the Balkan Bites team started selling their bureks, they were eager to get into retail to make their product more accessible. But they hit a wall when they realized they didn’t have the production capacity or target cost of goods to succeed in retail while self-manufacturing. “We emailed basically every burek manufacturer in the world in hopes of finding a partner,” says Ariana. “To make burek at scale, we needed special machinery from Europe which we didn’t have the funding to buy, so we had to find a co-packer that had the machine.”

After searching for almost two years, they finally

found the right co-packer for their needs. “It was a really trying process but it definitely taught me patience. Luckily we had built a loyal base of DTC customers that allowed us to stay in business during that time.”

After securing a co-packer, Balkan Bites has expanded far outside of the founder’s backyard in the Northeast to Foxtrot Market and Central Market in Texas — with some more accounts launching in the Midwest soon. As they grow, they hope to continue to drive their mission of sharing a new culture through everyday Southeast European comfort foods.

You can find Balkan Bites in independent retailers across the Northeast and Mid Atlantic, through home delivery services in the NYC area, Foxtrot Markets, and Central Market in Texas. You can find their complete stockist list here or order Balkan Bites through their website: balkanbites.co.

BEST KIDS PRODUCT

MAVERICKS

COOKIES

KEKOA

Mtional needs. Vegan, non-GMO, and containing 40% less sugar than the leading natural kid’s cook ie, Mavericks’ Birthday Cake Cookies are schoolsafe yet utterly delicious. Even without preserva tives, syrups or sugar alcohols, these cookies are buttery and cake-level sweet for any child to enjoy.

Kekoa Foods was founded by two Dads on a mission to feed their son the most nutritious foods possible. After finding only bland, uninspiring foods in the American baby food market, they decided to make the food themselves to expand their child’s palate with unique flavors and minimal sugar. They founded Kekoa Foods to share this mission with other par ents looking to support their child’s transition to

KIDS

TINY SPROUTS

Founded in May 2020, Tiny Sprouts Foods is a minority female-led children’s nutrition company focused on producing easy, nutri ent-rich products that offer functional health benefits to the develop ing child.

The founders, Kim Pabla and Tina Rajani, both former marketing mavens with young children, started Tiny Sprouts to help parents better nourish their children. As moms, they were troubled to find out that American children are well-fed, but undernourished; high-nutrient needs combined with picky-eating habits have resulted in over 90% of them not meeting daily nutrient needs. Inadequate nutrition can cause anything from fatigue, poor immune health or even chronic disease such as obesity and diabetes.

To combat this, the co-founders put their hearts and souls into the idea of “superseeds for kids” — an accessible yet exciting way to improve mealtime. De signed in collaboration with pediatric experts, Tiny Sprouts uses all organic, non-GMO and vegan ingredients with no added sugars, preservatives, or artificial flavors. They include functional ingredients such as probiotics and vitamin D for additional immune & digestive support.

Tiny Sprouts’ Organic Superseed Boosters are blends of cold-milled seeds, probiotics and oth

er superfoods that can be added into any food to support a child’s daily nutrient needs, combat common ailments from constipation to the cold & flu, and even reduce risk of future disease. Their Digestion Booster is flavored with apple powder and cinnamon, making it a delicious addition to existing breakfasts.

Since kicking off Tiny Sprouts, their largest challenges have surrounded ingredient sourcing. “Since our initial production, ingredients costs have steadily increased, crop yields have decreased, and minimum order quantities have become unattainable in some cases,” says Tina. “There is also a huge level of uncertainty and volatility when dealing with crop-based ingredients, such as flax seeds, chia seeds and hemp hearts, and we are often at the mercy of mother nature when making our purchasing decisions.” As the team prioritizes product quality and safety above all else, ingredient sourcing and rigorous testing will continue to guide their decisions — even if it requires going the extra mile.

The Tiny Sprouts team is thrilled to see their hard work and dedication pay off through industry recognition, including their most recent Shelfies win. “It has been so rewarding to see our prod ucts being recognized by industry professionals and respected organizations,” says Tina. “This will hopefully be the catalyst we need to get our boosters into the hands of many more parents, helping to nourish the health of babies & young children everywhere.”

BEST BREAKFAST

The Actual Blue Breakfast Burg ers introduce a category-defying breakfast option that allows you to instantly enjoy a whole food breakfast without the preparation. These perfect patties are packed with nutritious superfoods including acai, blueberries, blue spirulina, cauliflower and more. This gluten-free, oil-free, soy-free and nut-free option is naturally sweetened (contains no added sugar) and a good source of protein and fiber to start your morning off right.

Otherworld reimagined our favorite childhood breakfast with 100% plantbased ingredients, 10 servings of fruits and veggies and 0g added sugar. Their just-add-wa ter, chef-crafted Apple Cinnamon mix is delicious ly balanced with whole grains, dates, apple and sweet potato – making for a lightly sweet, perfectly fluffy pancake that you would never know is vegan (or came from a mix).

FOR GOOD GRANOLA BEST BREAKFAST ITEM

Inspired by her two superhero daughters, both of whom have significant special needs, Chef Kiley Fields started For Good Granola in 2021 to merge her culinary profession with her personal connection to individuals with disabilities. On a mission to craft great tasting food for the purpose of doing good, For Good Granola supports organizations that engage, empower and elevate kids and adults with disabilities.

For Good Granola makes premium, flavor-forward no-oat granola with nutrient-packed ingredients that are both indulgent and nutritious. Buckwheat groats*, slowly toasted, add an awesome crunch and deliciously rich, nutty flavor. Rich in vitamins and minerals, low on the glycemic scale and a complete plant-based protein, these buckwheat beau ties are the foundation of all For Good Granola’s products. The company’s chef-driven recipes balance sweet, spice, salt, and sometimes even smoky flavors, like their unique Smoky Pineapple flavor. For Good’s ingredient lists boast a wide variety including nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, as well as unexpected ingredients like puffed amaranth, puffed sorghum, and cranberry seeds.

Kiley says that the company’s greatest challenge has been learning all that it takes to get a great product from the kitchen to the consumer’s pantry. “With a passion for a product and a belief in a purpose,” Field says, “we were blissfully ignorant of what we’d have to tackle. Here’s to continued challenges and learnings as we grow.” At the same time, the learning process has been one of Kiley’s greatest joys in building her brand. “Bring ‘em on! We’re passionate about always doing good – especially on even a larger scale.”

Along Kiley’s journey, the greatest wins are also the moments that keep her most grounded.

“We’ll always remember our first ‘yes’ from a retailer — Tony at Kramer Foods, now retired,” she says. “It was confirmation that we had made the right decisions and were heading in the right direction. And it is a milestone we often revisit as we celebrate wins and face challenges.”

For Good Granola products can be purchased through their website or at retail partners in Illi nois, Michigan, and Connecticut.

*groats refer to the hulled kernels of various cereal grains, such as oat, wheat, rye, and barley.

INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS

RIO GOOD R

io Good’s Ch-Easy Bread is a gluten-free, non-GMO and vegan take on traditional Brazilian cheese bread. This dry mix is ridiculously easy to prepare at home, making for a crispy, golden outside and fluffy, cheesy inside that comes hot out of the oven. Made by a Brazilian founder with a passion for animals and the planet, this authentic mix brings Brazil into anyone’s home, regardless of dietary restrictions.

FRUTERO

Frutero makes tropical fruit ice cream, in spired by the co-founders’ Indian roots. In India, tropical fruit ice cream is a massive phenomenon, but this creamy yet fresh fruit flavor was challenging to find in the US. Frutero sources the best fruits across the globe to make a super creamy, all natural ice cream packed with 100% real fruit – a flavor difference you can truly taste.

SUNG’S KOREAN HOT SAUCE

Sung's Korean Hot Sauce is a gochu jang-based condiment that brings a sweet and spicy Korean kick to all your favorite foods. Made by an immigrant child of Korean par ents, this hot sauce is made with premium gochu jang, soy sauce, sesame oil and Western ingredients like apple cider vinegar and tomato paste for the perfect blend, rendering a deep, rich, lightly sweet heat.

FLAVORS

NIRAMAYA

Mehek Khera, founder of Niramaya Foods, immigrated from her home country of India to the United States at the age of 24. A decade of stress from the US corporate hustle and visa woes left her with multiple health issues that led her down a path of nutritional discovery.

After becoming a nutritional coach, Khera realized that the rich flavors of dishes from her childhood were inherently nutritionally dense and plant-forward. Unfortunately, most Indian foods she found in U.S. grocery stores were merely European adaptations of Indian foods. From these experiences, Khera created Niramaya Foods to make accessi ble, nutritious, culturally rooted and grandma approved products.

Niramaya Foods aims to make nutrient rich, plant-based cooking as easy, accessible and as delicious as possible. Through the gift of Indian culture, Niramaya Foods aims to keep innovating homegrown recipes, tailoring them to modern day needs. The company’s first line of products, “Dips for Dinners”, is a collection of nutrient dense, plant based, homestyle

dips inspired from the flavors popular throughout India.

Since launching in September 2022, Niramaya has already had it’s share of challenges, including finding a co-packer that would work their specific line of products. “Simmer sauces and curries are usually spice and oil pastes.” says Khera, “Whereas dips are usually hummus, guacamole, tahini or a few more. This intersectional category extender took a while to get the co-packers on board, formu late, iterate and scale up to a point where we now have a shelf life of 3 years without any preserva tives.” This speedbump eventually led the company to create a whole new product segment — Dips for Dinners.

The company’s challenges have also been bolstered by major wins. Within a few weeks of soft launch, Niramaya was selected as a NEXTY finalist for expo east 2022, Startup CPG Selfie’s 2022 finalist, and was also a finalist for NOSH live 2022.

You can find out more about Niramaya and shop their products on their website. The brand will also be launching an Amazon store soon as well as a wholesale channel at Expo East 2022 (booth #4488).

BEST ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

VESO MODERN APERITIFS

Veso makes stunning aperitifs inspired by old-world European aperitivo culture, but with a modern twist. Whole fruit and spices are infused into California-made white wine perfect to serve over ice on their own, or made into a gorgeous craft cocktail. The Vanilla Nighfall flavor tastes like an old-fashioned without the bite - it's rich with baking spices, bittersweet with burnt cara mel, and has a touch of citrus from the orange peels.

Sake High creates canned Junmai sake made in partnership with an authentic Japanese brewery. Their Junmai sake is non-addi tive, meaning that it is made with just four simple, high-quality ingredients, all locally sourced in Kyoto – water, rice, yeast, koji – for a crisp, full body brew with slight fruit and acid notes. The canned format makes for a unique and versatile drinking experi ence of this incredible sake.

G’S DRY HARD GINGER BEER BEST ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

In 2013, Donna Katz stepped foot onto an organic vineyard in the Napa Valley with a strong desire to be closer to and care for the land. What she didn’t know was her time on the farm would also leave her with a newfound passion for fermentation – and her own line of hard ginger beers.

Four years after breaking ground on the vineyard, Donna began foraging seasonal ingredients and making them into craft ginger beers. Blown away by the taste, and the low sugars in her own creations, Donna discov ered the power of using real, high quality ingredients to improve her gut health while being able to enjoy a delicious beverage.

G’s Hard Ginger Beer was founded in 2018 in San Francisco’s Bay Area to bring Donna’s craft concoctions to market. These clean alcohol beverages are intended to support active, healthier lifestyles, and bring bold flavors back to light sips – while reawakening the $1.6 billion sleepy household category of ginger beer here in the US. All G’s hard ginger beers are fermented to dry, which means there’s no remaining sugar. The company also doesn’t add any sugars, sweet

eners, or any artificial ingredients. This non-traditional fermentation process made it chal lenging for Donna to position the brand amongst other craft beverages – but she is proud to bring a category-disrupting innovation to life.

“As a solo founder,” says Donna,” it’s been both incredibly hard and wonderfully energizing all at the same time. I’m immensely grateful for the journey so far, beyond excited for all of the navigating and wins ahead and especially grateful to those who have helped guide me along the way, and with such sincerity.”

G’s organic, gluten free, and plant-based beverages boast only 87 calories per 12oz can. G's products are available in California at many independent retailers, most Whole Foods stores, Target in the Bay Area and statewide with Total Wine & More and BevMo.

BEVERAGE INOVATION

XICAMA WATER

Xicama water uses the power of jicama, a superstar ingre dient packed with prebiotic fiber, to make deliciously refreshing, nutrient-rich sparkling waters. Their Spicy Watermelon pairs juicy watermelon with the sweet heat of cayenne for the perfect summer sip or cocktail mixer. With 5g of prebiotic fiber and 10% of your daily vitamin C intake, this sparkling bev secretly gives you a nu tritional boost while you savor every sip.

CRAFTMIX

APRCH

Aprch utiliz es 25 MG broad-spec trum hemp extract(CBD), sourced and extracted to include all the benefits of CBD without an aftertaste. Without any sugar or calories, and no masking agents to cover the hemp flavor, Aprch’s Mint + Cucumber is a deliciously crisp, refreshing, and calm ing fizzy drink with hints of zesty cucumber and chilled mint.

Craftmix makes instant craft cocktails that turn anyone into an at-home bartender. Their all-natural cocktail mix comes in a dry blend packet – easily transportable and wildly easy to use – that you simply add to water, ice, and your alcohol of choice. This low-sugar alterna tive to typical cocktail mixes makes for a truly craft-quality experience. Their Strawberry Mule flavor balances bright berry flavor with a kick of ginger for the perfect spice to change the Happy Hour game for good.

BEVERAGE INOVATION

Growing up, founder Rosa Li’s Chinese grandma brewed tonics with a symphony of wild herbs and botanicals. These tonics, Rosa recalls, worked wonders, soothing her stomach and lifting her spirits. In 2018, Rosa reimagined the healing drinks of her heritage, where herbal wisdom and gut-healing superfoods meet big fruit flavors — and wildwonder was born. Wildwonder is the very first sparkling probiotic + prebiotic beverage made specifically for gut health. It was founded on the belief that better gut health should be as easy as popping open a can, and as delicious as a California produce stand. Wildwonder is focused on making wellness accessible, starting with a better drink for gut health. Their delicious sparkling beverages are made with live vegan probiotics, prebiotic plant fiber and superherbs. “Think Kombucha benefits without the vinegary taste or refined sugar.” Each can contains 1 billion live probiotics and 5 grams of prebiotic fiber. The Shelfies-winning Strawberry Passion flavor is the perfect mix of ripe, sweet strawberry flavor and tart passion fruit juice, with floral hints of el derflower and hibiscus. While typical sodas are high in sugar and contain zero fiber, these gut-health bubblies contain only 6g of natural sugar (from fruit juice and agave nectar) and add 5g of dietary fiber to keep your system healthy.

Among their greatest accomplishments has been wildwonder’s inclusion in the 2021 Target Takeoff Food & Beverage cohort. This opportunity came at a time that the company was just exploring retail, and served as a jumping off point to act on increased retail interest.

Through wildwonder seeks to benefit the individual, their driving mission is to constantly inspire everyday wonders. This means that 5% of their profits go towards empowering women and marginalized communities. “As a female and AAPI founder, I hope to inspire others like me to pursue their passions,” says Rosa. “This bigger mission helps me to look beyond daily ups and downs and stay motivated.”

Today, you can find wildwonder on their website or in select retailers across the country.

CONDIMENT

SYDPLAYEAT

SYDPLAYEAT’s Original SYDSALT is the truffle salt that will replace all other seasonings in your cabinet. Packed with intense umami flavor with a hint of heat, SYD PLAYEAT uses real black truffle, ground into a fine dust, so you get a truffle explosion with each bite. Aleppo pepper, chives and red pepper flakes round out the truffle flavor with brightness and a

New York Shuk is bringing Middle Eastern flavors to your pantry. Their Matbucha with Olives and Mint is a slow-cooked tomato condiment that transforms any at-home dish. This traditional Moroccan classic is made with the addition of olives and mint for bright flavors with a tangy twist from preserved lemons. This craft-quality condiment is delicious on your favorite proteins, vegetables, or even as a one-ingredient base for Middle Eastern staple dish, Shakshuka.

HAVEN’S

Haven’s Kitchen’s Gingery Miso sauce is the flavor-packed pouch that’s upgrading all of our favorite meals. Miso (fermented soybean paste) and ginger are blended with dashes of toasted sesame oil and gluten-free soy sauce to create an umami-rich, salty/sweet marinade & simmer sauce. On a mission to make home cooking more fun, Haven’s Kitchen’s squeezable sauces are fresh and easy to use.

CONDIMENT

AWSM SAUCE

Before Heinz, there were tons of ketchups primarily made out of fruit and vinegar. But when Heinz came in, they decided that tomatoes would be "the thing”— and created a sauce that hit taste buds at different parts of the tongue with the sweet and tanginess. At the time, Heinz was an innovator, the first-of-its-kind sauce that changed the game for good. Today, Heinz is the standard, and has been taking up stagnant shelf space in a dusty category. That is, until AWSM Sauce came in — determined to redefine the dry world of condi ments with sauces in powdered form. In 2021, AWSM Sauce was born as a line of delicious, tangy sauces that come to you as a powder to be mixed with water in a reusable container. Once mixed, these sauces mimic the exact texture of those you know and love, without having lugged around the excess liquid in typical sauces. Co-founders Paul Lehmann and Carl Starkey, two dads with a passion for grilling and hosting, saw firsthand the massive plastic problem in the kitchen. They decided to do their part to find a solution, so their kids will never have to. AWSM Sauce is the world's first sustainable sauce company delivering their sauces dry without the BPA add-in or shipping of standard water-based sauces delivered in plastic squeeze bottles that fill pantries and landfill.

Within the first few months, AWSM Sauce was accepted into Techstars' MN Twins Program, putting them in the spotlight alongside other major brands. Being selected for a nationally televised show all within the first 6 months of R&D really pushed them to get product ready, and into customers' hands early.

As they continue to grow, the AWSM Sauce team will shift their focus to consumer education. “For any brand, being first-to-market is a blessing and a curse,” says Carl. “We are building our customer base and learning what works and doesn't work ahead of all others. We are footing the build for consumer education, while building a brand that is trusted for sustainability in a sleepy category.” AWSM Sauce is excited that recent recognition will allow them to continue to spread their mission: to create AWSM tasting and innovative food products that reduce waste in the kitchen and make people smile. AWSM Sauce’s products can be found on their website

BEST PLANT-BASED

RENEGADE

Renegade Foods makes premium char cuterie salami — entirely from plants. Using old-world techniques like smoking and fermentation, Renegade created a whole food product that perfectly mimics salami made from meat. Their Sweet Toscana plant-based salami is a Tuscan-style salami flavored with sweet Italian herbs and roasted red peppers, and pairs beautiful ly with a creamy plant-based cheese for a next-level vegan charcuterie experience.

RIND

CHEESE

R

IND Cheese’s Carrot Cheese Slices are plant-based cheese slices that flawless ly replace your go-to sandwich cheese. Made with real carrots, potato starch, mung bean and chickpea, these vegan, gluten-free, nut-free and soy-free cheese slices have a creamy, robust and cheesy flavor. The best part? These slices melt beautifully into the perfect cheese pull for all of your plant-based creations.

PLANT-BASED

FUNKY MELLO

Delisa and Zach Harper created Funky Mello in 2018 after noticing a lack of clean desserts. The co-founders consistently found that they had limited dessert options because of their many dietary restrictions — and knew there had to be a better solution. Inspired by the simplicity of a crispy treat, the two decided to create their own new, fun yet clean version of this dessert. After much experimentation, they finally created the per fect answer to their sweet toothed desires, and Funky Mello was born. Funky Mello makes flavorful and airy marshmallow cremes using only clean, plant-based ingredients for everyone to enjoy. Plant-based, dairyfree, gluten-free, top 8 allergen free; the minimal ingredient list offers a healthier approach to a nostalgic sweet treat. With a base of aquafaba (the liquid found in cans of chickpeas), Funky Mello mimics the gelatinous texture of marshmallow fluff sans the animal-based gelatin. Perfect for s’mores, crispy treats, coffee, and even a sweet cream to top off your coffee, Funky Mello is incredibly versatile yet tummy-friendly for all food sensitivi ties.

Since creating their first Funky Mello recipe, the team had to pivot to a different product several times before they were deemed "retail-ready". Though they were

ready to drive full-steam ahead, the need for shelf stability forced them to briefly pause their business and focus on researching, testing, and purchasing new equipment — on top of learn ing how to properly scale. “It was important for our product to maintain great quality while sitting on the shelf or in the fridge,” says Delisa. They worked with multiple food scientists over several months to test the stability of their marshmallow creme. “Today we're proud to say it lasts for 6-months, even if opened.” This has helped the team secure 60+ stores across the US and Canada within the first year of launching. They are also gearing up for their largest rollout this holiday season with a major retailer — boosting their store count to nearly 300. You can find Funky Mello in these stores, or explore even more of their funky flavors on http://funkymello.com/.

SUSTAINABILITY-

YOLÉLÉ

Yolélé’s delicious products feature sustain ably-grown, climate-resilient, gluten-free ancient West African grain fonio. Dedicated to creating opportunities for smallholder farmers and improving the soil in Africa, Yolélé aims to “regener ate and regreen the Sahel.” Their Tangy Baobab Fonio Chips bring together citrusy baobab fruit + Africa’s earthy, nutrient-dense moringa leaf for a zesty, per fectly crunchy bite of green goodness.

MILLBUCKS LIL BUCKS

Lil Bucks makes their delicious grain-free gra nola alternative, Clusterbucks, using the one of the most sustainable superstar ingredients out there: sprouted buckwheat. This regenerative cover crop brings incredible nutri ents to the soil its grown on, increasing future crop yields and improving biodiversity. It also happens to lend the perfect crunch to every bite of their sweet cinnamon Snick erdoodle Clusterbucks, while adding gut-healthy prebiotic fiber and plant-based protein.

Renewal Mill has been at the fore front of the food sustainability movement since their inception.

Trailblazers in upcycling, Renewal Mill re purposes the byproducts of tofu and oat milk production into flours used to make their incredible baking mixes and ready-to-eat baked goods. Their newest soft-baked Peanut Butter Cookie, made with upcycled Okara flour, is plant-based, gluten-free, and made with Miyoko’s Creamery’s European style cultured vegan butter. Deliciously rich and nutty, you would never know this is planbased… let alone fighting climate change with every bite.

SUSTAINABILITY PRODUCT

We have a new brew to add to the growing landscape of beverages — avocado seed brew. Reveal, a Philadelphia based company that launched in August 2020, making brewed drinks derived from avocado pits using a proprietary process to extract the antioxidants from the avocado seeds.

It all started when Reveal founder Sheetal Bahirat was working as a personal stylist. “I realized that people were coming to me to solve problems that personal styling wasn't going to solve,” says Sheetal, “I fell in love with the power of living a healthy lifestyle and specifically in healthy food. I started a cold pressed juice company, where I discovered the amount of waste I was creating.”

Sheetal took her newfound passion to pursue a Masters in Culinary Arts and Science, where she focused on food waste research. “After making guacamole for my class, I was left with a ton of avocado seeds. I discovered that they have many uses, but since they don't compost very well, they get sent to the landfill,” says Bahirat. She knew there had to be an alternate use case for these antioxidant-rich seeds, and began experimenting with

different options. She ultimately discovered avocado seed brew — and Reveal was born. Reveal is a ready-to-drink beverage made from upcycled avocado seeds, antioxidant-packed superpowers that would’ve otherwise gone to waste. This refreshing beverage contains 3x the antioxidants of green tea, contains zero added sugar, and provides your daily dose of apple cider vinegar — like a cross between iced tea and kombucha. Reveal comes in three flavors that pair fruit and herbs or flowers: Rose Mint, Mango Ginger, and Grapefruit Lavender.

Since Reveal’s launch, their greatest challenge has been building a supply chain for avocado seeds — which previously didn’t exist. The company had to start from scratch. There was no information about the shelf life of avocados seeds, how to handle them, how to process them at scale or even how to preserve them. But Sheetal poured her passion into uncovering the truths behind this mysterious seed, and ultimately built out a supply chain with the capacity to scale.

Reveal recently closed their successful pre-seed round, has begun building out their team, and is thrilled to see steady growth in sales since launching. Reveal’s drinks are available for purchase in 27 stores nationwide as well as through the company’s website

BESTSUPPLEMENT

REPRISE

R

eprise puts functional herbal extracts into ridiculously flavorful gummies. Each herbal gummy combines a deli cious chew with the same powerful ingredients that have been used in Chinese Medicine for thousands of years -- from American Ginseng to Reishi mushroom and Jujube Seed. Their full-spectrum herbal extracts are immediately prepared into all-natural gummies that preserve potency and require no additives, so you're getting the purest form of their high-quality herbs in the most delicious, fruit-forward format. Reprise Health helps those new to Chinese Med icine with personalized formulations through their online quiz.

SUPPLEMENT

Mojo Microdose gummies launched in October 2022 by a team of nature lov ers with a passion for mushrooms, accessibility and innovation. The journey of Mojo Microdose’s mushroom gummies began when the team sought to reverse-engineer the reported effects of a psilocybin microdose. Formulated with a proprietary blend of functional mushrooms, herbs and roots to boost energy, fo cus, clarity and mood, the Mojo Microdose gummy mimics the effects of a psilo cybin microdose – without the psilocybin. Mojo’s deliciously fruity, plant-based gummies pack in powerhouse ingredients including two varieties of cordyceps, lion’s mane, l-theanine, mucuna puriens, panax ginseng and a nootropic blend for high-level focus, sustained energy, mental clarity, and a happiness boost. For decades, the founding team at Mojo Microdose’s parent company Gwella advocated for better access to diverse plant medicines and experimented with unique practices and botanical blends. Mojo Microdose’s gummies take this passion to the next level, introducing an innovation in a typically tabooed space.

Though proud of their superstar fungi ingredients, the Mojo team acknowledges that this stigmatized category has brought about unique challenges in the form of strict and sometimes outdated community guidelines. They team has had their so cial media accounts compromised and ads removed – despite being a completely legal product – but the company has fought back using research-backed educational content and a loyal community of creators. By working with passionate creators, the company has

expanded their community, gained insight into future product innovation, learned about new and exciting use cases for their formula.

Mojo Microdose’s greatest accomplishment in their short brand journey has been the launch of their Mojo Macro Strength. This new product, a direct response to customer requests, is a supercharged evolution of the company’s original microdose chewable gummy, containing 2.5X the amount of active ingredients.

Mojo Microdose is a direct-to-consumer mushroom product grounded in the belief that mush rooms, both functional and psychedelic, hold untapped power to help manage the chaos of modern life. Mojo Microdose gummies can be purchased through the company’s website

Hone was born in November 2019 after co-founder Chris Gonzales reached the end of his rope. While attending busi ness school, Chris had relied on adderall, energy drinks and pre-workout to manage his ADHD and keep his energy and focus levels high – all to no avail. Adderall left him feeling disconnected and cold. Nootropics, coffee, and energy drinks simply didn’t cut it. He was left to do some personal research, enlisting classmates for experimentation. Eventually, Chris and his co-founder Ari Gordon came across a solu tion: a blend of matcha, functional mushrooms, vitamins and adapto gens. They “honed” this solution into the product you see today: Hone.

“I wanted to find something that worked to improve minds and bodies in the moment and over the long term, rather than supply a quick, fleeting fix.

Something that harnesses the power of the natural world rather than chemical fillers and sugar,” says Chris. Hone uses ceremonial grade matcha sourced from a third-generation family owned farm ion an eco-heritage site Yame, Fukuoka Japan.

Their matcha boasts much higher EGCG antioxidants, umami flavors, caffeine, and L-the anine than lower quality matchas. Hone adds cordyceps militaris to their rich matcha blend, a mushroom known to aid in stamina, mental cognition and immunity. They use an organic 8:1

fruiting body extract to ensure that the mushroom carries no additional flavor nor adds gritty tex ture to the bottom of your matcha cup. The addition of vitamin B6 and a methylated B12 to the blend increas es bioavailability and provides more consis tent energy. Since found ing, their greatest achievement was one incredible pitch ing opportunity; the co-founders thought we would be pitching to King Soopers and King Sooper’s alone, but were surprised to see a national buyer present for the pitch. “Ari and I took turns pitching the brand story,

mission, consumer data, and scalability as we cracked jokes and made delicious Hone lattes for the judges,” he recalls. “The judges felt like a part of a con versation rather than recipients of a cold pitch. The response was overwhelmingly positive and felt like a massive win for us, not just because we fit what Kroger corporate was looking for, but because we walked away with two more Hone community members.” Both buyers have ex pressed their love for the product and have been drinking Hone since the pitch in April.

The Hone team is now on track to be in QFC, Fred Meyer, and King Sooper’s in November, pre cisely three years after launching Hone! You can also find Hone in Erewhon, and on their website honeblends.com.

BESTBRANDING

COYOTAS

COYOTAS makes grain-free tortillas out of only four simple ingredients, including a base of cassava flour. An ode to the founder’s Sonora, Mexican roots, these vegan and paleo friendly tortillas are handcrafted in small batches to ensure craft quality.

DAMN RIGHT COCKTAILS

Damn Right Cocktails are certified organ ic canned cocktails made with 100% de Agave Tequila. Their tequila is sourced from the Partida family, 4th generation Tequila makers in Amatitan, who grow their own organic agaves and their delicious fresh fruit flavors, Son of a Basil and Devil of a Lime, are made with real fruit juice.

TEND

Tend Prenatal is the real food answer to prenatal nutrition. Rather than relying on artificial supplements, these bars are made with real ingredients – 25 nutrients from solely fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds – to support the mother’s energy and baby’s develop ment. Each bar contains 8+ servings of fruits and vegetables, 300mg of vegan omega-3 DHA, and half the sugar of an apple.

BRANDING

UPROOT TEAS

BeFounded Dec 2021, Uproot Teas is a direct trade premium tea compa ny on a mission to elevate loose leaf tea culture & the farmers who grow them, tastefully & transparently. Uproot handcrafts single-origin, loose leaf teas with 100% zero waste practices.

Tea is the #1 consumed beverage after water, yet due to its colonial trade history and its systemic inefficiencies, not only have the crop and its growers suffered, but consumers are often getting poor quality leaves, not grown for taste but for corporate profit. Uproot’s mission is to change the way that tea is valued, high lighting the tastiest teas with transparent sourcing. Uproot is proudly partnered with three regenerative family farms in Hawai'i, Vermont, and Kyoto, and they believe in paying their farm partners higher than fair trade to empower sustainable agriculture.

The designers on Startup CPG’s team admired Uproot’s clean, playful branding. Their simple logo reflects a tea cup pouring, and also visually represents the act of “uprooting.” Bright colors and wavy lines bring elements of joy and ease to the packaging.

For founder Cindy Li, the largest challenge so far has been navigating supply chain challenges. “Launching a direct-trade company during a global pandemic has not been easy, especially given our commitment to being a zero-waste company,” says Cindy. “Inputs have tripled in many areas of the business!” But despite these challenges, Uproot is proud to have sold out of their teas three separate times within their 9 months of business.

You can find Uproot Tea on their website at http://uprootteas.com.