Kraft Heinz Reveals Second Incubator Class for Springboard Program
By Brett Dworski on Mar. 11, 2019CHICAGO —The Kraft Heinz Co. has revealed the second incubator class for its Springboard program, a platform that aims to nurture and develop disruptive brands in the food and beverage sector and track new ideas and consumer trends.
The first incubator class, revealed in May 2018, included meat snack producer Ayoba-Yo; sauerkraut manufacturer Cleveland Kraut; avocado sauce maker Kumana Foods; lemonade producer Poppilu; and egg-white chip company Poppilu.
“We had an incredibly competitive group of applicants,” said Kelly Reinke, Springboard incubator lead for Kraft Heinz. “All five companies in our second incubator class offer delicious products that cater to the better-for-you-offerings consumers are demanding. Springboard exists to help shape the future of food, and we are confident our next class does just that.”
The 16-week incubator program is designed to drive these brands into investment-ready businesses, according to Kraft Heinz. The selected companies will participate in a program composed of learning, funding, infrastructure access and mentorship in Kraft Heinz’s Chicago-based headquarters.
The five brands in this year’s class—four of which are snack companies—represent a variety of categories, such as natural and organic, specialty and craft, health and performance and experiential.
Here’s a look at each of the companies …
Blake’s Seed Based
Chicago-based Blake’s Seed Based produces snack bars and protein bars that are primarily made with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and flax seeds. The snack bars come in Raspberry, Pineapple and Chocolate Chip flavors, while the protein bars come in Mint and Mango. The bars are free of gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, milk and eggs. They are vegan and non-GMO.
Brami
Brami is a packaged Italian lupin bean snack that comes in four varieties: Sea Salt & Vinegar, Chili 7 Lime, Garlic 7 Rosemary and Hot Chili Peppers. The legume snack contains 50% more protein than eggs, 60% fewer carbohydrates than chickpeas, 80% less calories than almonds and 100% more fiber than edamame, according to the New York-based company. These snacks are keto- and paleo-friendly and are also Non-GMO Project verified.
Ka-Pop
Ka-Pop is a new chip product that is primarily made with sorghum, a grain crop that is full of healthy minerals, vitamins, proteins and antioxidants. Sorghum is also one of the few grains with an edible husk, which helps it retain many of the nutrients that are removed in other grains, according to Ancient Ingrained Snack Co., Erie, Colo., the manufacturer of Ka-Pop. These chips come in four flavors: Rosemary Garlic, Salt and Vinegar, Olive Oil and Sea Salt and Dairy-Free.
Origin Almond
Origin Almond is a cold-pressed almond juice and the only non-snack product named to Kraft Heinz’s new incubator class. The product was made to combat high-sugar fruit juices; it contains as low as 1 gram of sugar per bottle, according to the Magnolia, N.J.-based company. Origin Almond comes in five flavors: Lemon Ginger 360-Degree Cleanse, Thai Coconut Pina-Colada, Ginger and Turmeric Golden Mylk, Super Greens 4 and Iced Lemon Chai Spice. Each variety is keto-, paleo- and vegan-friendly and free of dairy, grains, soy, gluten and added sugar.
Tiny Giants
Tiny Giants is a new plant-based yogurt alternative made for children and specifically meant to boost immunity and improve stomach health, according to the Los Angeles-based brand. The yogurt comes in three flavors: Berry Fly, Mangood and Vanana Banilla, each of which come in a 3.4-ounce drinkable squeeze pouch. The product is non-GMO, USDA-certified organic, gluten-free and vegan.