SKU, the consumer product accelerator, announced the seven brands selected for its Spring '24 Track. Each of these brands was inspired by founders fueled by their desire to fill an unmet need in the market. These brands include a line of lightweight, packable meals created by an adventurer, a pet wellness brand developed by a veterinarian and a beauty brand born from the founder's personal struggle with psoriasis.
The SKU Spring '24 cohort includes Curation Beverage Co, Heather's Choice, I Love Micheladas, Kelsi's Kitchen, Ohh Foods, Sanara and Wellnergy Pets.
"We are thrilled to unveil our latest lineup of brands, each carefully selected from a pool of over a hundred applications," said SKU executive director Buff Greebe. "What sets these brands apart is not only their innovative products but also the undeniable passion that emanates from their founders. It's this combination of ingenuity and dedication that captured our attention and ultimately secured their spot in our curated SKU Spring 2024 track."
The 12-week program kicks off on March 5. The founders and mentors will celebrate the culmination of the track with a Showcase Pitch event in Austin on May 21, 2024, which brings together CPG leaders from around the country.
"We are looking forward to growing our brand through relationships and knowledge from our mentors," said Bricia Lopez, co-founder of I Love Micheladas. "We hope to build on what we've already created to find a path to growing our distribution channels and finding a more focused sales approach."
SKU empowers startups by providing the essential resources needed for their success. Throughout the 12-week program, emerging brands get support and connections to help them successfully scale. SKU's tailor-made curriculum covers a breadth of key topics, including operations, channel strategy, innovation, supply chain and fundraising.
While the curriculum is best in class, SKU's mentors are the special sauce. Each brand is matched with a team of CPG leaders, successful founders, subject-matter experts and investors tailored to meet their individual needs. They include people who have held leadership roles at iconic companies such as 7-Eleven, the Hershey Co. and Pepsico. The mentor teams all are united by a desire to help provide founders with the tools to successfully scale their brands.
"I'm most excited about the opportunity to connect and collaborate with visionary founders and industry experts, sharing our knowledge to disrupt categories, reshaping the retail landscape by fulfilling emerging consumer needs," says sales expert Katie DeVito, senior director of sales overseeing the Natural and Specialty Channels at Orgain.
SKU's track record speaks volumes and includes such brands as Siete Foods, EPIC Provisions, and DUDE Wipes. Of its impressive alumni lineup, over 80% are thriving to this day.
The seven Spring '24 Track brands are:
Curation Beverage Co.: Curation is on a mission to disrupt the alcohol space by curating premium beverage experiences. Founder Jake Buzaid saw an opportunity to bring the natural foods approach to bev-alc by focusing on the transparency and quality of their products' ingredients. Curation's collection of canned alcoholic beverages includes spirit-based craft cocktails, vodka hard seltzers, and wine spritzers, sold separately in 4-packs and together as the first-ever multi-category "Party Pack."
Heather's Choice: Heather's Choice makes tasty dehydrated meals, catering to the outdoor adventure market with an eye toward health and quality. Founder Heather Kelly believed there needed to be better options for people like her who enjoyed outdoor activities like backpacking and rafting. Heather's Choice offers products for every meal - from breakfast to dinner. One of its most popular offerings is a line of coconut-based cookies called Packaroons.
I Love Micheladas: Rooted in the heart of L.A.'s culinary scene, I Love Micheladas is the brainchild of the Lopez siblings - Paulina, Bricia, and Fernando - whose dedication to Oaxacan culture and cuisine has made it the city's go-to michelada brand. Their mission is simple: to share the joy of legit Mexican flavors through carefully crafted michelada mixes designed for convenience and exceptional taste, every time.
Kelsi's Kitchen: Kelsi's Kitchen makes delicious and better-for-you chocolate using only five core, nutrient-dense ingredients. Founded by Cassandra Hume and raw food chef, Kelsi Petersen, the Cacao Bites come in five different flavors, each one crafted to deliver mouth-melting, soul-satisfying flavor: Salted Peanut Caramel, Double Chocolate, Raspberry, Mint and Peanut Butter.
Ohh! Foods: Ohh! Foods is on a mission to make snacking safer and a lot sweeter by creating a line of snacks that are vegan, gluten-free, and free from the top 10 allergens. Founder Brittany Charlton was inspired to create Ohh! Foods because of her own tree nut and peanut allergy, which forced her to cut out many of the snacks she adored. Ohh!'s selection includes Snacking Bites, Cookie Dough and Frosting.
Sanara: Sanara, founded by Rebekah Jasso Jensen, offers luxurious mind and body care rituals crafted with indigenous Latin American botanicals for the spa + beauty markets. The name Sanara comes from the Spanish word, sanará which means "you will heal." Her TRANQUILA Collection is a thoughtfully curated assortment of body care that is used by Four Seasons, Omni and Auberge Resorts for their spa treatments.
Wellnergy Pets: Veterinarian Dr. Zonram Liao created Wellnergy Pets out of a desire to improve the lives of people and their pets by providing the best at-home pet care in the form of high-quality pet products and supplements. Wellnergy offers a unique line of premium preventive care and supportive care products for a wide range of ailments, including hip and joint care, skin care, dental care and gastrointestinal care.
