The global sparkling water industry is valued at $29 billion with the majority of its customers under the age of 35. Given the rise of social media, taste alone is not enough to make it in this category. Brands have to appeal to the customer’s aesthetic with their packaging and branding. Co-Founder Salim Najjar, launched Sound, an organic sparkling water brand that caters to Millennials and Zoomers to provide them with a healthier alternative - no sweeteners and no fillers.
When you think of where to find the best Mexican food, you may not think of New York City. However, Santiago Perez and his business partner sought to change that. Since launching Cosme in 2014, Santiago has created multiple modern havens of some of the finest Mexican food and culinary experiences to have ever arrived in New York City.
The US mezcal market is worth over $400 million as of 2021. You might have noticed that most tequila drinkers are making the switch over to mezcal this summer as palettes mature and novelty is celebrated. However, the high adoption of commercialized mezcal in cocktail drinks has led producers within the industry to cut corners and remove traditions when growing the agave crop. In hopes to preserve Mexican culture, specifically from Oaxaca, Rafael Shin launched Agua Magica, a premium mezcal to sip with intention.
Healthy dairy alternatives are on the rise and it is anticipated that the market will reach over $35 USD billion by 2026. Almond and oat milk have seen increased popularity and interest, but there are other nut milks to discover as well. After traveling to Europe and being unable to get the right milk for her latte, Roxana Saidi launched Tache and is now paving the way with the latest milk alternative using a fan favorite nut: the pistachio.
Candy is arguably the most nostalgic impulse buy for most adults. Sticky-sweet, super sour, or indulgent and chocolaty, your favorite confection instantly takes you back (if you ever grew out of your sweet tooth in the first place!) As a proud candy connoisseur with a business background to boot, Mayssa Chehata founded Behave. Launched this August with guilt-free gummy bears, Behave brings the fun back into candy for millennial consumers, keeping them low in sugar, but high on sweetness.
The world expects a lot out of us humans, competing with machines. We strive to be better in every way but constantly need some sort of energy boost to keep up. Enter Proper Wild, a new line of clean energy shots by founder, Vincent Bradley. The shots, a newcomer in the rapidly growing nootropics market, estimated to be worth $5 billion by 2025 offer a healthier, cleaner, more sophisticated alternative to existing energy drink brands that are associated with music festivals and adrenaline junkies rather than meeting rooms.
A new trend is taking the beverage industry by storm: the non-alcoholic liquids. As chronic conditions surge and consumers become more focused on bio-hacking and wellness, a large white space has opened up for branding and product development. Enter Ghia, a non-alcoholic aperitif, with a goal to appeal to the masses, and make a drink that can be remembered in the morning.
Did you know that tea drinking dates back to 2732 BC when a Chinese emperor discovered the concept after some tea leaves blew into his boiling pot of water? It’s true. With a market size of $13 billion, tea is a global good today. But, the majority of teas do not provide customers with a unique experience, that of a flower blooming in your cup as you sip. Welcome, The Qi, an organic whole flower tea brand that is elevating the at-home drink.
In a recent study, more than 54% of the US population was reported to react positively to one or more allergens. As our population increasingly becomes more sensitive to what they are putting on and in their bodies, brands need to adapt and cater to new segments. Welcome, Sunscoop, a vegan, allergen-friendly ice-cream brand fulfilling your craving one flavor at a time.
Have you ever felt marginalized as a cat person? The DTC pet space is booming, with fresh and nutritious dog food options that look better than some menu items at Sweetgreen. Cats, however, have been notoriously left out of the special place dogs have in the mainstream - and they like it that way. Sick of cats being the underdogs, Matt Michaelson created Smalls to bring healthy, real food to our smarter (and harder to please) furry friends.
Put away your papers and pipes, people! If you’re ready to kick back with some THC, but aren’t feeling like you want to smoke that tumbleweed, perhaps a drink would be more your style? Looking to disrupt the THC category with new consumable formats, Artet is bringing the aperitif experience to a higher plane. Founded by Xander Shepherd with his cousins Max and Zach Spohler, this drink is on the high rise!
The nightlife industry caters to only one type of audience: the alcoholic. For those who like to get jiggy with it under a sober conscious, your options are limited. From high sugary drinks to soda water with bitters in a boring glass, the bartender might as well give you a dunce hat to wear (hi everyone, it’s me, yup, not drinking tonight, don’t I seem fun?). It was this exact mindset that led Jen Batchelor to start Kin, a euphoric beverage company.
America runs on Dunkin, or caffeine as most folks would refer to it as. In a sleep deprived world, 75% of Americans are dehydrated on a daily basis and resort to caffeine instead of water when they experience a headache, tiredness or need a mood boost. However, this is not the best solution for your body. We met up with our homeboys, John Sherwin and Jai Kim to discuss their journey leading up to the launch of Hydrant, an electrolyte powder for everyday use when water alone is not enough.
We all have that one friend, whom, when asked what product they can’t live without, say hot sauce! In a post Spice Girls world, consumers are often left to the big retailers when searching for the perfect hot sauce, but rarely stumble upon Grandma’s infamous recipe! Alas, meet the Heatonist, a curated natural hot sauce store, located in Brooklyn, New York, where small farmers and consumer interests intersect.
As an avid popcorn lover, there is nothing worse than getting one stuck in your teeth. We have all been there when the search for the toothpick is on! Alas, a pioneer is discovered. He who believes that no kernel shall get caught in the traps of the dentine. He goes by the name of Jeff Martin, and sails the entrepreneurial sea “salt” by the name of Pipcorn.
In an age of technology, never-ending plans and hard hustle, we are constantly looking to get away from the everyday madness. While some of us find this escape in running or reading a book or picnicking in the park, others find it within balsamic braised brussel sprouts. Yes, that is a dish and a former financier turned into a culinary entrepreneur after finding her mind, body and soul alignment through it. Meet the founder of Harvest & Revel and co-founder of Blind Seed, Sara Elise!
We live in a world full of innovation. Yet, certain categories have remained undisrupted since the early 1900’s. You might be wondering where this innovation could lie? Sometimes, it’s within a beating heart inside your stomach, waiting to be born. Co-Founder of Little Spoon, Lisa Barnett is disrupting the baby food industry by reinventing its ingredients because, well, your baby’s food shouldn't be older than your baby.
Besides Thai iced tea, delicious pad Thai and lavish destination weddings, there is a whole lot of Thai-ism that us, Westerners, are deprived of. To expose our taste buds to South East Asia and transport us worlds away, Vincent Kitirattragarn created Dang Foods, based on his mother’s recipe and love for one key ingredient: coconut. Best known for their tasty chips backed by Thai recipes and concocted with globally-inspired goodness, Dang Foods can be found everywhere.
There is something magical in meeting individuals who find their calling at an early age. While most of us experiment with different paths, these folks are the ones sprinting down the finish line, checking off their bucket lists and inspiring everyone around them, or as we like to say #radiching. We were lucky to be introduced to a chocolate maven and Founder of Tache Artisan Chocolate, Aditi Malhotra, who was not only listed on Forbes 30 Under 30, but was also the winner of Zagat’s 30 Under 30 Award. If you like spices and chocolate, then this story is for you. #Foodies
As a pet owner, you will notice certain buzzwords when it comes to choosing a good source of protein for your furry friend. Healthy coat, strong bones, and real chicken are phrases us, pet parents, are familiar with but do we really know the fluff behind them? On a mission to save pets nationwide and bring back the pro in protein, Jonathan Regev, co-founded The Farmer’s Dog to provide a clean, healthy way of eating for your pet, hassle-free.
Let’s make America healthy again! With obesity and diabetes on the rise, consumers have become victims of unhealthy snack options. On the flip side, what if healthy snacking could help you by introducing you to the fifth flavor, umami? Or as Karsten Ch’ien spices it up by saying Yumami.
There are stereotypes...we've all experienced them before and tried very hard to bust them. But there are some that just need to be owned. Danya Shults, a Jew by birth and a lover of all-things-Jew-ish by choice is doing that and more via Pop Up Shabbat, The Ish and soon to be launched, ARQ.
Co-Founder Daniel Yaghoubi is one of the masterminds behind the ever-so-famous Pop Bar or as we like to call it, magical goodness on a stick, located in the West Village of NYC. The joint was opened in May of 2010 and has been in the spotlight of ice-cream lovers ever since.
Red or white? In a world with so many liquor options, customers often find themselves confused and overwhelmed. Lo and behold, brands such as Glassful are making it easier for us to pick our favorite flavors and open new corks, through e-commerce and technology.
What if we told you that there was a way for you to explore the best city in the world one bar at a time? The trio, Catie Cole, Dae Lim and Harry Lee founded a new app called FROTH, First Round On The House.
On the beach, at a game, in the woods? Never get caught without a drink in your hand again. Meet TIQO, a premium tequila beverage and your alternative to the usual.
Founder, Stephanie Nass, has successfully combined food, art, love, friendship, and strangers to create Victory Club, a new kind of supper club.
A New Yorker brought up in a family of restauranteurs, Kirsten Schimoler, is a Flavor Guru at Ben & Jerry's. She is the creative food scientist behind some of our favorite flavors and the newly launched non-dairy line.