Kraft Heinz has announced the five brands that are a part of its inaugural Springboard Incubator Program class. Launched by Kraft Heinz in March, Springboard’s mission is to help nurture and develop the next generation of food and beverage brands. The selected start-ups will participate in a 16-week program composed of learning, funding, infrastructure access, and mentorship in Chicago. The five selected companies are:
- Ayoba-Yo is the maker of a nutritious and delicious alternative to traditional beef jerky and meat sticks, known as Biltong & Droewors. Founders and South African native brothers, Wian and Emile van Blommestein, introduced their 400-year-old family recipe to the market in 2017.
- Cleveland Kraut is perfectly positioned to grow within the fermented foods market. The brand is dedicated to serving the great tasting healthy fermented foods at a fair price. The team is led by Drew Anderson who, along with his brother Mac and brother-in-law Luke, aim to be the kings of fermented foods by expanding from their kraut roots.
- Kumana, best known for its signature Venezuelan-inspired Avocado Sauce, is a Los Angeles-based company creating original sauces representing the diverse flavors from different regions of the worlds. The company was founded by Francisco Pavan, a Venezuelan native, and his partner Todd Vine.
- Poppilu is a Chicago-based antioxidant lemonade brand. Founder Melanie Kahn has developed a mouth puckering, high-antioxidant citrus beverage that features Midwest-grown aronia berries, one of the highest antioxidant fruits in the world.
- Quevos seeks to end the days of sinful snacking. Quevos are salty and crunchy egg-white chips that are low in carbs and fat and packed with protein. The brand was founded by University of Chicago students Nick Hamburger and Zach Schreier.
“Hundreds of applications were carefully reviewed to select authentic propositions and inspired founders within one of the four pillars shaping the future of food: Natural & Organic, Specialty & Craft, Health & Performance, and Experiential brands,” said Sergio Eleuterio, general manager, Springboard Brands. “We are excited to kick off our program with a group of great founders, amazing and purposeful products, that we wholeheartedly believe will succeed in the marketplace.”
Press release