The 2023 Shelfies Awards

SPOTLIGHT

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

MEET THE 2023 SHELFIES AWARDS WINNERS

THE SPOTLIGHT

EDITORIAL TEAM

Jenna

Movsowitz Managing Editor, The Spotlight

Grace Kennedy Staff Writer

Tamara Romčević Designer

ABSURD SNACKS

Absurd Snacks is on a mission to make living with food allergies easier, safer, and more delicious. Made from crunchy roasted chickpeas, fava beans, granola spices, dried fruit, and whole spices, their high pro tein, low sugar trail mix is free of the top nine food allergens and comes in two flavors - Rockin' Rosemary Sea Salt and Magic Maple Cinnamon - and in two sizes, a family pack and single serve pouch.

Founders Grace Mittl and Eli Bank started Absurd Snacks as seniors at the University of Richmond in 2022. Their inspiration came from their friend and classmate who once went into anaphylaxis after eating a granola bar that was labeled "nut-free" but had fallen victim to cross-contamination in the supply chain. Their friend struggled to find snacks that were not only safe, but also nutrient-rich, and he typically had to rely on sugar-filled, carb-heavy, low-protein cookies or chips. With their friend’s challenges in mind, Grace and Eli set out to create Absurd Snacks trail mix, packed with 7g of protein, 5g of fiber, and only 5g of natural sugar, and are proud to produce their products in a dedicated top nine food allergy-free facility.

Grace and Eli's vision for Absurd Snacks is driven by the needs of the food allergy community. They hope to provide education and advocacy and plan to launch more product lines in categories where the food allergy-free community is underrepresented. Grace and Eli’s advocacy for the food allergy community also goes beyond their own products. In June 2023, they competed in the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon on team FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) and raised over $1,000 for food allergy research.

Grace and Eli created Absurd Snacks because they believe that food intolerances should not get in the way of having access to delicious, quality foods. You can find Absurd Snacks on their website, various grocery stores and cafes on the East Coast, and Amazon and select Whole Foods Market locations beginning in mid-September.

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TRUPO TREATS

BOOSKIES COOKIES

CAROLYN’S KRISPS

BETTER SOUR

Better Sour is reinvigorating the gummy candy category with globally-inspired sour flavors, using better-for-you-ingredients. Their 100% plant-based gummy candy celebrates sour flavors from the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific, like calamansi, guava and pomegranate. Free from sugar alcohols, artificial colors and flavors, one bag of Better Sour gummies is only 60 calories and contains just 3g sugar.

Co-founders Bella and Semira are lifelong best friends. As daughters of Iranian immigrants who were born and raised in the Hawaiian Islands, the duo is obsessed with all things sour. Bella is a serial entrepreneur, former art curator, repeat CPG founder and angel investor, while Semira comes from a career in public policy and law. Together, they are proudly raising awareness on Middle Eastern-American founders.

Since launching, Better Sour has quickly become a top-selling SKU in some of their first accounts. You can find Better Sour at Erewhon, Foxtrot, Pop-Up Grocer, Fairway Market, Gourmet Garage, Lassen's – and they are soon launching in Central Market, Town & Country, and select Kroger and United Supermarket stores.

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KUSHAE

WOO MORE PLAY

Viv is an earth-friendly and toxin-free period care brand for the modern menstruator. They're on a mission to make period care that works better and provides better for you & the Earth, offering products such as their Viv cup, organic tampons, and biodegradable pads.

Viv founder Katie Diasti grew up in Tampa, FL with a large Egyptian family full of small business owners and entrepreneurs to look up to. She started building Viv for your V in an entrepreneurship class during her senior year of college after learning about the harmful toxins in traditional period care and the amount of plastic waste that was generated in the process. One pad, for example, can take 500 to 800 years to break down while Viv’s biodegradable pads and liners will only take 150 days. Diasti believes that people who menstruate deserve a high-quality product that is both sustainable and works well.

Since their launch in 2021, Viv has raised $1 million in capital and can now be found in over 2,000 retail doors across the US, as well as direct-to-consumer on their website and on Amazon. Viv’s goal is not only to create better-for-you, more sustainable period care but also to create an inclusive and empowered community led by education to bring a new approach to modern health education.

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BEST SKINCARE FINALISTS

RADIXIR

JOURN

Journ (short for journey) was born from Sara Shah’s journey as a South Asian woman with severe cystic acne. As a busy corporate lawyer, Sara grew frustrated with her multi-step regimen, using multiple skincare products to improve her acne and then covering it all up with heavy cosmetics. She could not understand how, in an industry saturated with products, she could not achieve natural-looking skin. After months of research and surveying hundreds of people, she realized that the skin concerns of people of color were not a focus for brands in skincare or the health and wellness industry. Journ’s mission is to design efficacious, clean, and sustainable science-backed skincare and beauty products for melanated skin that work together to create simple and effective routines.

Journ offers four color correctors that are formulated for both different skin tones and different skin concerns. For example, the Kauai color corrects and helps minimize the appearance of dark circles and spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation over time for those with light to medium skin tones while the Marrakech color corrector does the same but for those with medium to deep skin tones. Journ also offers Alpenglow — to brighten and even out skin tone — and Matcha — to reduce redness from acne and acne scars.

Since launching, Journ has shipped products to thousands of customers in over 54 countries, but their mission goes beyond products. Through Journ, Sara aims to help break down stereotypes and societal norms around beauty standards and redefine what it means to feel confident and comfortable in one's skin. Journ wants to be at the forefront of a more inclusive beauty industry — where personal care is not a one-size-fits-all approach but one that embraces individuality and celebrates differences.

You can purchase Journ on their website, Amazon, Neighborhood Goods, and Central Market locations in Dallas and Austin.

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SHIKOHIN

BUTTER’D BODYCARE

PEDESTRIAN PROJECT

Pedestrian Project is founded on the belief that one of the greatest things we can do for our physical and mental health is to move our bodies. So, they created products that care for the very things that make movement possible: our feet. Four years ago, co-founders Kristen Doyle and Matt Jacobs realized that the foot care aisle was full of ineffective, chemical-laden formulas. So, they built Pedestrian Project: a line of clean, environmentally-conscious, vegan topical products specifically designed to support the wellness of our feet.

Kristen Doyle has spent her career uncovering consumer insights, building brand identities, and creating products for classic CPG brands, private equity portfolio companies, and startups, ultimately leading the development and launch of the premium hair care brand Virtue Labs. Matt Jacobs is a digital strategist and performance marketing specialist and previously founded the NYC office for AMP Agency.

Kristen and Matt spent two years building Pedestrian Project, holding themselves to “what some considered an unreasonable standard of efficacy” – which is clear in their clean ingredient list and incredibly rich, nourishing Walker’s Cream. Their proudest accomplishment so far? One of their earliest supporters was a principal ballerina with the NYC Ballet – the team was over the moon to have her endorsement.

You can find Pedestrian Project’s Walker’s Cream on their website and Amazon

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JADED

FUNK IT WELLNESS

Founded by dietitian Kate Morton, Funk It Wellness addresses a crucial gap in menstrual and hormone health. With 90% of people with periods suffering from PMS, traditional solutions of processed pills and powders often worsen symptoms. Funk It offers a unique approach, using real food on a large scale to support hormone health, relieve PMS symptoms, and enhance the lives of women nationwide.

CycleBites are the world's first food-based vitamin for menstrual health, made with 20+ natural, organic ingredients packed into a deliciously crunchy and chewy cacao + ginger daily vitamin bite. After a year of research and 130 trials, CycleBites were perfected as a shelf-stable whole-food vitamin with zero fillers or additives. This formula uses 100% real foods to address hormonal acne, menstrual pain, and mood swings. Already endorsed by dietitians, Funk It is proud to introduce clinical research study results later this year.

Kate Morton is the founder of Funk it, a proud TEDx Speaker, host of the Period Chats podcast, and a dietitian with a Master's Degree in Human Clinical Nutrition who teaches about hormone health and nutrition. She wants to help women and menstruators feel in control of their bodies and have a positive relationship with food and menstrual cycles.

So far, the Funk It team lists their biggest accomplishment to date as simply helping thousands of people learn about their hormones and make peace with their periods. You can purchase Funk It’s CycleBites on their website or Amazon.

BEST NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE FINALISTS

EXEER

Exeer, which means “elixir” in Arabic and Persian languages, set out to reimagine botanical waters — elixirs cherished by kings, queens, and luminaries throughout history and packed with potential health benefits. Their mission is to bring forth a line of reduced-sugar botanical beverages that seamlessly intertwine ancient wisdom with contemporary wellness.

Co-founders Ramin Bagheri and Mahboob Bolandi — based in the US and Canada — came together over a shared passion for their Persian roots to craft a line of ancient-inspired botanical waters. With expertise in product management, CPG, supply chain, engineering, and community building in tow, the duo brought their 40+ years of combined experience to build Exeer. Exeer reimagines classics such as rosewater, mint water, Neroli water, and PussyWillow, pairing them with grade-A and meticulously-sourced ingredients, like maple syrup.

Throughout the process, the co-founders have been proud to connect and collaborate with renowned influencers and startup communities, and earn the trust and appreciation from their customers, partners, and supporters. You can purchase Exeer on their website and Amazon, as well as specialty food stores in Vancouver, Toronto and San Francisco.

BEST ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE FINALISTS

KRUSHWELL

CROOKED OWL TEQUIO

WHIST

Whist is a light bubble-free cocktail made with real fruit — in short, an alcoholic spa water. It provides an alternative for those seeking a low-abv (4%) drink without the bubbles and bloating of a beer or seltzer. Made with simplicity in mind, Whist is a refreshing and full-flavored drink made with nothing artificial. Flavors including pineapple, peach ginger, and lychee each burst with real flavor and contain 80 calories or less.

Founder Michael Krulwich spent countless hours in his kitchen trying to concoct the right flavors and balance, to somewhat lackluster results. But once he found a good partner to help, Michael got the flavors to the perfect spot: a balance of easy-to-drink, light, and still full-flavored.

Michael comes from a background of experience research, which is all about identifying and understanding the user (or customer) needs, testing solutions to those needs, and iterating. Michael is passionate about understanding the needs of their customers and delivering delightful products and experiences for them.

It's pre-production (going into production this currently), but soon to be available in CT, NJ and MA. Please reach out to info@whist.us for more details.

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LL’S KITCHEN OAT OF THE ORDINARY CRAFTY COUNTER

FULL OF BEANS KITCHEN

When Full of Beans Kitchen founder Narell Vasquez first moved to the US, the contrast between the food culture in her native Ecuador and America was evident. In Ecuador, her diet was rich in local, unprocessed foods, particularly beans. In the States, however, highly processed foods were everywhere, and the effect on her health and energy was undeniable. Vasquez wanted to find a way to incorporate more whole foods into her diet, and she learned that the beans she had grown up eating were an essential component of a healthy diet and a staple in Blue-zone kitchens.

That said, it is not always so easy to incorporate beans into our every day. As she developed Full of Beans, Vasquez considered, ‘How can we incorporate beans into an easy breakfast or snack?’ Her answer: pancakes. After 100s of iterations and countless bags of beans, Vasquez successfully crafted a pancake mix where the primary ingredient is fava beans, making the pancakes a natural source of protein (12g per serving) and a rich source of iron and potassium. The mix is also gluten-free and free from the top 9 allergens. Beyond their health benefits, beans have a regenerative impact on the soil, and Vasquez has confidence that increasing our bean intake is a step towards a more sustainable future.

At Full of Beans, they’re on a mission to make the daily dose of beans effortless. They believe that everyone should have access to the nutritious and sustainable benefits of beans through convenient, minimally processed everyday foods. You can find Full of Beans Pancake & Waffle mix on their website, fullofbeanskitchen. com, and on Amazon.

BEST PET FINALISTS

A BETTER TREAT

HOMESCAPE PETS

PETALUMA

Founded by Garrett Wymore and Caroline Buck in 2019, Petaluma is a sustainable dog nutrition brand challenging the pet food industry’s reliance on animal agriculture. The mission-driven brand replaces resource-intensive animal ingredients with plant-based alternatives that require far less land, water, and greenhouse gas emissions. Petaluma’s dog food is not only more sustainable than other brands but it is also formulated by a veterinarian with your dog's health in mind. Petaluma offers adult dog food (roasted peanut butter & sweet potato flavor) and recently launched a new formula specifically created for the needs of senior dogs (baked pumpkin & peanut butter), both of which include all of the nutrients dogs need for a healthy and balanced diet.

Caroline and Garrett are proud pet parents themselves and nothing makes them happier than hearing from customers that their dog is thriving, energetic, and receiving a clean bill of health from their vet. Especially, they say, when that feedback comes with a photo attached.

Petaluma is also a Certified B Corporation, Climate Neutral Certified, and a member of 1% for the Planet. You can find their products on their website, feedpetaluma.com, at all Erewhon stores, and select pet boutiques around the country.

BEST SPICES & CONDIMENTS

MATRIARK FOODS

LUCKY 22

DESERT DUST

Desert Dust founder Rick Marino has spent his career tour-managing rock and roll bands, traveling the world and collecting culinary souvenirs along the way. However, he always wondered why there were no culinary souvenirs from his home in the California desert. He wanted to bring gifts to share with his coworkers and friends, but there was nothing he felt captured the flavors of his home, so he decided to create something of his own. Enter Desert Dust: a unique date-based all-purpose spice blend that utilizes the distinctive ingredients of the California desert.

During the pandemic, with no tours to manage, Marino got to work blending ingredients from the California desert to create his spice blends. Lucky for him, the Coachella Valley region of the California desert is the largest producer of dates outside of the Mid-

dle East, which inspired Marino to create spice blends that would showcase the unique flavor profiles dates can offer. After some tinkering, Marino launched The Original Desert Dust, which includes Organic Coachella Valley Dates, garlic, onion, turmeric, and smoky peppers. The Original Desert Dust has a wide range of applications, from steaks on the grill to popcorn and fancy breakfast toasts. Desert Dust also offers two more spice blends: Savory (infused with dates, cumin, and chili powder) and Spicy (with spicy chiltepin pepper from the Sonoran Desert and organic dates).

Desert Dust has traveled with Marino on tour to over 20 countries, but you can also find Desert Dust online at desertdust.com, Bristol Farms, Ace Hardware, Chef Tanya's Kitchen, Mojave Flea Market, Bestie's Vegan, Gratitude Market, and Valley Farms Market.

BEST COFFEE & TEA

GOOD PHARMA THREE KEYS COFFEE MALU COFFEE

OPEN EYE MASALA CHAI

Open Eye’s Masala Chai concentrate makes drinking your favorite chai latte at home delicious and simple. When mixed with milk, water, or alcohol, Masala Chai concentrate tastes like an authentic, slow-brewed cup of chai. However, instead of spending 15 minutes making your own tea, or spending six dollars at a coffee shop for an over-sweetened “chai tea latte,” Open Eye customers can access an amazing cup of chai in one minute flat.

Anna Clair Eddington is a farmer-turned-found and chai enthusiast. During COVID, she found herself without a high-quality chai to drink at home and missed the bonds one so often forms over a cup of tea. She was also eager to start a project that, if done correctly, could support small, family-and-women-run farms around the globe. Pulling on her background in food systems and farms and her

personal experience as a chai drinker, Anna founded Open Eye as a farmers market business in 2021.

From the woman-run farms where they directly source their tea leaves to the co-ops that provide their spices, all of their ingredients are sourced intentionally and ethically. Open Eye also prioritizes sustainability — their products are exclusively packaged in glass bottles to limit plastic use and they compost all of their spent ingredients.

Open Eye remains committed to sustainability and authenticity as it grows, and in the fall of 2022, Open Eye was named the Austin FAVE Eco-Friendly Business of the Year. Anna says, “I’m just one person with an idea of how our food system should work…but we believe we can build a better food system through our commitment to top-tier ingredients, sustainable production, and our community.” You can purchase Open Eye on their website.

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18 CHESTNUTS

HOUSE OF KAJAANA NOBULL

House of Kajaana is a delicious, 100% plant-based Indian food company dedicated to bringing the joy of nutritious meals to the modern palate. Their mission is to make it easy for people to joyfully nourish themselves — without sacrificing their health, the planet, or their time.

Growing up, founder and CEO Sabah Ashraf’s food experiences were grounded in traditional Indian meals, ritually saved in the freezer – or treasure chest — of her family home. After working in CPG-focused investment banking and helping build multiple major food brands, Sabah decided to bring her own brand to life, celebrating her love for authentic Indian food and responding to the modern need for convenience and nutrition. Enter: House of Kajaana.

House of Kajaana’s prepared Indian meals boast unique rice components in every dish which makes them instantly shareable. Using only plant-based, non-GMO whole ingredients, their products exclude major allergens (free from nuts, gluten, dairy, and soy) and have no added sugars. And the thoughtfulness of their product goes down to the package it comes in: recyclable paper trays.

Sabah is proud to have built a company that serves important unmet needs in the market, and to have partnered with a highly talented diverse set of women since day one to bring it to life. You can find House of Kajaana on FreshDirect, at Pop Up Grocer in NYC, and on their website shipped nationwide.

NoBull Burger’s Original veggie burger was not created to merely imitate the flavor of meat. Instead, they take pride in offering whole-food plant protein that delivers not only on nutrition but also on flavor. Made from an organic lentil and brown rice base, with organic spinach, caramelized onions, and roasted vegetables and seasonings, NoBull provides consumers with a go-to source for real-food plant protein and offers a line of five flavors: Original, Savory Mushroom, Madras Curry, Spicy Italian and Sun-dried Tomato.

Co-founder Crissanne Raymond was eating a “plantbased” diet long before the term was trendy. As a single mom of five and the owner of a successful catering business, Crissanne instilled in both her children and her clients the importance of nutritious, plant-based meals that did not scrimp on flavor. However, she found that many of the plantbased alternatives on the market were over-processed and laden with artificial ingredients. After decades in the catering world, and some convincing from her daughters, she took the leap of faith to bring her crowd-favorite veggieburger recipe to market. Crissanne enlisted the help of her daughter, Elizabeth Raymond, to bring the product to market, and twelve years later, they are now selling Crissanne’s original veggie burger, among others, to customers nationwide.

Both Crissanne and Elizabeth believe in the powerful impact a whole-food diet can have on our planet, bodies, and minds, and they hope NoBull Burgers can help consumers incorporate a whole-food diet without compromising on quality ingredients or bold flavor. At NoBull, their mission is to offer consumers a clean, nutrient-dense, flavor-packed protein source made from 100% plants and 0% bull. NoBull Burger is available nationwide at Whole Foods Market and regional grocery stores and independent markets like Erewhon, Mom's Organic Markets, Wild By Nature, Heinen's, Mother's Market, Jimbos, Bristol Farms, New Seasons, and more.

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KEKOA FOODS

BEYOND THE BIB

THEO’S MATS

BEGIN HEALTH

Begin Health is a kids' microbiome company that makes high-quality, gentle supplements to nourish toddlers’ and kids’ developing microbiome. As an evidenced-based gut health brand, Begin Health empowers families to nourish and preserve the vitality of the gut microbiome, for a thriving and resilient microbiome for a lifetime. Their Growing Up Prebiotics product is an unflavored powder that can blend easily into any drink or food, made from high-quality fiber from chicory root and 2’-FL HMO (Human Milk Oligosaccharides).

Madeline Lauf is the founder and CEO of Begin Health. Madeline founded Begin Health to empower parents with the knowledge, products and tools to provide the best health beginnings for their kids — starting in the growing, little gut. Begin Health is a team of moms, nutrition scientists, pediatricians and dreamers, dedicated to being parents’ #1 ally and close the gap between convenience and long-term health.

Begin Health is proud to have transitioned thousands of kids off of laxatives for a gentler, preventative option. You can purchase their product on their wesbite.

BEST PLANT-BASED PRODUCT FINALISTS

GHOST TOWN OATS

REBEL CHEESE

SEEDUCTIVE FOODS

Growing up in an Italian-American household, founder Meghan Barbera has been a lifelong cheese lover. When she switched to a plant-based diet, the only animal product she really missed was cheese. So, she set out to create delicious, inclusive plant-based cheese in her parents’ kitchen, which led to the start of Seeductive Foods. Seeductive Foods makes seed-based alternatives that are free of top 9 allergens, oils, gums/starches, and flavors, using only wholesome and sustainable ingredients that go above and beyond the acceptable ingredient standards. Vegans, lactose-intolerant omnivores, and health-conscious parents alike all can enjoy cheese once again — with bold flavors and short ingredient lists.

Meghan Barbera’s journey in the food industry began from “the moment [she] turned on an Easy-Bake oven.” After earning a degree in Culinary Science from Drexel University, Meghan began her dream job as a product developer at a major food brand. Disillusioned by the quality and lack of transparency regarding how our food is made, Meghan recognized her calling to develop her own products based on wholesome ingredients and creative flavors.

To date, Seeductive Foods’ proudest accomplishment was scaling from homemade batches to meet growing demand — without many resources on how to make plantbased cheese at this level. You can purchase Seeductive Foods’ products directly from their website or at select independent natural grocers throughout the country.

BEST OIL/VINEGAR FINALISTS

SINGLE AND FAT

BELLEMILLE

SIDEYARD

Growing Sideyard Shrubs makes small-batch, fruit-inspired vinegars, initially with the help of trees in their very own “sideyard.” Operating under the belief that “good grows slow,” the team builds their business thoughtfully, organically, and through a small business approach.

Every bottle of Sideyard supports a small-scale, community-based, regionally-rooted farm in Southern California — and boasts the name of their farm partners proudly on the label. Dedicated to supporting regenerative farming practices and organic growers, Sideyard seeks out only the finest seasonal fruit and pairs it with organic apple cider vinegar (raw, cold-pressed and bottled with the mother) to make their high-quality vinegar shrubs. Their shrubs are full of probiotics and fresh fruit flavor, without any added sugar.

Founder Sarah Bourke formerly served as the assistant of Patagonia founder and environmental activist Yvon Chouinard, while the company built Patagonia Provisions. Sarah founded Sideyard Shrubs — while working full-time in marketing at Patagonia — to create demand for small farms and regional agriculture, while building community connections.

You can find Sideyard Shrubs on their website

BEST BEVERAGE WITH BENEFITS FINALISTS

CULTIVATE RECOUP WELLNESS

IMMOREL

ALL PHENOMS

All Phenoms is making its mark on the functional beverage space with its delicious, clean, and healthy organic-fruit-infused sparkling tonics that support your gut, body, and mind. Each of their drinks contains a unique blend of pre & probiotics, vitamins, minerals, botanicals, adaptogens, and nootropics crafted to bring wellness into your daily life. They offer three products, each with their own unique flavors and benefits. Daily, a mango pineapple daily wellness blend, Superboost, a blueberry mint beverage for immune health and hydration, and Motivate, a citrus ginger clean energy blend.

Co-founders and husband and wife duo Christian Gerloff and Cristina Kown, both self-proclaimed health junkies, were disappointed by the other  “healthy and natural” beverages they saw on the market. Many of the products were filled with artificial ingredients, sugar, and coloring, so they decided it was time to build something different and set out to make their own. They believe that getting clean, whole body benefits should be as simple as picking up a can, and they made All Phenoms sparkling tonics to do just that.

All Phenoms also partners with 1% For The Planet as they believe all businesses need to contribute to supporting responsible environmental practices. You can find All Phenoms on their website allphenoms.com, Bristol Farms, Erewhon, and other markets in Southern California.

BEST READY-TODRINK TEA FINALISTS

KINSHIP MILK TEA

Kinship Milk Tea is an Austin-based ready-to-drink vegan milk tea with a focus on tea-forward flavors and refreshing drinkability. While founder (and native Austinite) Catilin Cash was teaching English in central Thailand after college, she would buy a bottle of milk tea every morning on her way to school.  So when she moved back home to Austin, she missed the daily milk tea she’d consumed while abroad. She started tinkering with milk tea recipes in her home kitchen and handing off her newest iterations to friends. Those friends began taking Caitlin’s milk tea to the office where their co-workers started asking where they could get some, too, and, soon enough, Caitlin realized she had a business in her hands. She launched Kinship Milk Tea in 2019, and they now offer four flavors: Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Lapsang Souchong, and Wuyi Oolong. Their best-seller, Early Grey, is the perfect gateway to the brand with hints of lavender, orange peel, and shortbread cookies. Each 12 oz bottle has roughly one espresso shot’s worth of caffeine without the jitters, offering a refreshing alternative to an iced coffee

Kinship’s products are far from the watered-down, sugar-filled milk teas you may have tried before — with Kinship, tea is the star of the show. Kinship steeps its tea within an inch of its life to draw out all the flavor, which is what allows it to stand up to the oat milk and homemade simple syrup. This approach breaks from traditional tea brewing, but, Caitlin explains, “Tea culture can be pretty snobbish, and we aren’t that. We want to be approachable and playful.”

Kinship is currently only available in Texas (with a focus on local Austin businesses), but they were recently selected as 1 of 10 brands to participate in the Whole Foods Market 2023 Local and Emerging Accelerator Program, and they are eager to take advantage of this learning opportunity as they continue to grow.

BEST DIP/NUT BUTTER FINALISTS

ROOTED FARE

GROWEE

ONE TRICK PONY

One Trick Pony firmly believes that the world's best peanuts make the best peanut butter — and that's their one not-so-secret trick. Because peanuts are indigenous to South America, the Argentinian climate is perfect for cultivating naturally sweet peanuts. One Trick Pony’s peanut butter is made from Argentinian Córdoba peanuts, Patagonian sea salt, and absolutely nothing else. No oil, no sugar, or additives are found in this naturally sweet and creamy peanut butter.

Co-founders Andrew and Lucy grew up together in Washington, DC, while co-founder Dani grew up in Córdoba, Argentina. When Dani and Andrew got married in Patagonia, they discovered Argentinian peanuts and became obsessed. Bringing together their food backgrounds (Dani and Andrew run Call Your Mother deli in DC and Denver; Lucy previously worked at Blue Bottle Coffee), the family team founded One Trick Pony.

Since launching, their greatest accomplishment has been “not killing each other as a family,” shortly followed by their incredible launch in The Fresh Market.

One Trick Pony can be found in stores across the US, including The Fresh Market and Foxtrot.

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BAKE ME HEALTHY

SWEETKIWI

GODDESS MOUSSE

Goddess Mousse is filling a gap in the dessert market for fresh, creamy, and flavorful protein desserts by offering vegan, maple-sweetened chocolate mousse that not only tastes like its dairy equivalent but also provides complete plant protein.

When Goddess Mousse founder Kellan Nevarre went vegan at the age of thirteen, she became obsessed with perfecting vegan treats that were indistinguishable from their dairy counterparts. As her passion for wellness and nutrition grew, she developed a vegan chocolate mousse that was both healthy and indulgent, and an entrepreneurship course in college inspired her to turn her homemade recipe into a CPG product. Goddess Mousse uses tofu to mimic the creaminess of traditional mousse while simultaneously offering consumers a complete plant protein. They build rich, luxurious flavors with fruits, nuts, and pure extracts and currently offer six different flavors of their chocolate mousse base: dark chocolate, espresso, mint, orange hazelnut, peanut butter, and raspberry.

The mission of Goddess Mousse is to bestow nutrition and environmentally conscious eating to decadent desserts crafted from whole plant ingredients. Goddess Mousse is transforming the way people think about indulgence — from an occasional, unhealthy treat to a daily ritual of physical and emotional nourishment. You can find Goddess Mousse at New Seasons Market, Market of Choice, and Zupan's Markets in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington.

BEST BRANDING FINALISTS

SAVORLY

UP TO GOOD

GEEZ LOUISE

Geez Louise founders Carmen Douville and Lauren Jones met over a 10 years ago and immediately bonded over their curiosity and mutual love for tasty, healthy things. In particular, they both loved better-for-you drinks. As consumers, however, they found that the prebiotic beverages in the market were too sweet, had an unpleasant viscosity, were not carbonated enough, or were not genuinely prebiotic.

They wondered, “Why can’t something good for us also taste great?” And, “Can we create a beverage that is as good for your digestion as it is delicious?” From these questions, Geez Louise was born. Geez Louise is a functional sparkling water containing 5 g of prebiotic fiber per can (18% of your daily recommended fiber intake). Their multi-source, soluble, gut-loving blend was researched and developed by food and nutritional scientists to be gentle on the digestive tract and promote healthy gut microbes.

Geez Louise was founded on indigenous land, and while they are proud to acknowledge this, they also strongly believe that acknowledgment without action is empty. So, they offer regular donations to Indigenous-led organizations that work towards the Land Back movement in whatever capacity or way they see fit.

Geez Louise’s vibrant packaging is effortlessly playful, yet its contrasting colors and typeface echo the earnestness of their mission. With Geez Louise, contrast is celebrated and normalized beliefs are challenged: Gut-loving drinks can be delicious, and new businesses founded on indigenous land can recognize and give back to the land’s true roots.