The group, announced Oct. 5, brings AccelFund’s portfolio to 26 food and beverage startups and also underscores the growing importance of plant-based protein and healthy children’s nutrition in American culture.
New additions focused on snacking include:
Lupine snacking bean company Brami, which promises consumers a “nutritional solution” to Americans’ over-reliance on animal proteins and a flavorful, low-calorie answer to “that daily question what is going to satisfy me without ruining my diet,” founder Aaron Gatti recently told FoodNavigator-USA. Gatti also will speak at FoodNavigator-USA’s upcoming Pulse Innovation Forum – a free, online 60-minute panel discussion about the power of legumes on November 2. Interested listeners can easily register HERE.
Skinless popcorn maker New Pop, which uses pressure to pop non-GMO corn without oil, butter or salt.
SkinnyDipped Almonds, which claims to have “transformed” chocolate-coated almonds into a better-for-you snack that is low in sugar and chemical free. The company dips its lightly salted almonds in a thin layer of dark chocolate and then dusts them cocoa, espresso or raspberry for a “wildly addictive” snacking experience, according to the company’s website.
Frozen snack and meal maker Kidfresh, which upgrades classic foods for children without compromising flavor by adding hidden fruits and vegetables for a nutritional boost. Snacks include Totally Rockin’ Tots that combine potatoes with cauliflower or yellow squash and pizza bites made with whole wheat crust and pureed vegetables in the tomato sauce. Kidfresh also makes frozen single- and multi-serve meals.
Other newcomers include:
Granola baker The Toasted Oat from Columbus, Ohio, which uses small batch baking techniques to blend whole ingredients into cereal that Accelfoods claims is reminiscent of freshly-baked oatmeal cookies.
Juice maker Mansi, which offers consumers a “new citrus experience” by using calamansi citrus from the Philippines to make a premium juice drink that is slightly sweetened with organic cane sugar and honey. The fresh squeezed, not from concentrate juice is packed with vitamin C and sourced directly from farmers in the Philippines, according to the company.