PepsiCo announced yesterday the ten chosen food and beverage startups which will join their accelerator program, receive $20,000 in grant funding, and take part in a six month business optimization program. Out of the ten emerging companies which were chosen, six are vegan or plant-based.
The Nutrition Greenhouse program has been created to accelerate the growth of these startups and provide mentorship from some of their existing brands such as Quaker and Naked. On completion of the program, one startup will be awarded with another $100,000 and have the chance of a partnership opportunity.
“Nutrition Greenhouse was created with the intent of supporting change-making startups of the future,” said managing director of PepsiCo Ventures Group, Daniel Grubbs. “We are very excited to collaborate with, help grow, and learn from these incredible companies.”
The list of ten chosen participants include the following vegan and plantbased companies:
- Remedy Organics -Produces plant-based beverages made with superfoods, ayurvedic herbs, botanicals, proteins and probiotics.
- Rule Breaker Snacks – Offers bean-based treats that are vegan, non-GMO and free of gluten.
- Sophie’s Kitchen – Much-loved plant-based seafood alternatives that are gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO project verified and kosher.
- Torii Labs – Creates plant-based beverages to balance, build and brighten the body and mind.
- Yo Fiit – A plant-based company focused on clean, innovative meal solutions. The company has a patent-pending high omega-3 and gum-free chickpea milk alternative that offers 40 grams of protein per container.
Eugene Wang, Founder and CEO, Sophie’s Kitchen, said: “We believe there are tremendous opportunities for plant-based foods. Coming from a family where Buddhism and vegetarian food manufacturing are deeply rooted in our DNA, I knew the time was right for the world to have access to healthier and more sustainable alternatives to real seafood.We’re looking forward to collaborating with world class PepsiCo mentors to learn strategies for growing our business and making it more successful in North America, as well as globally.
Will Nitze, CEO, IQ Bar commented: “We are the only bar built for the brain, the only bar that hits the Keto + Paleo + Vegan trifecta, and the only bar that contains the brain-boosting Lion’s Mane Extract. While we have made strides in the past year, we stand to gain a great deal of knowhow from our PepsiCo mentor, especially in the fields of supply chain and operations.”
