MINNEAPOLIS — Fourteen food and beverage brands were selected to participate in the third Target Forward Founders accelerator program, developed to provide education and resources to early-stage consumer packaged goods companies.
“The next eight weeks will include unmatched mentorship, collaborative cohorts and comprehensive coursework for these brands,” said Dana Paltao, who oversees accelerator program content and marketing for Target Corp., in a LinkedIn post.
The food and beverage brands selected for the Target Forward Founders program are:
50Hertz Sichuan Pepper, which offers Sichuan pepper oils and dried Sichuan peppers described as “not spicy” with a “delightful tingling numbing sensation”
A Little More Zest, a brand of seasoning blends and rubs
alternative OATS, a line of oatmeal pouches featuring flavors such as island spice, almond butter and jelly, and banana bread
Carolyn’s Krisps, a maker of plant-based snacks combining cookie and cracker textures
Heart Soul Heat, a producer of small-batch spicy honey
Joe’y, a lower-caffeine alternative to coffee formulated with adaptogenic herbs
MABÏ, a line of Caribbean-inspired, sugar-free herbal drinks
Navina, a maker of wine incorporating functional herbs and botanicals
Phreshly, a producer of canned cocktails
POKS Spices, a brand of West African-inspired seasonings
Sankofa Snacks, a producer of African-inspired plantain chips
Sippin Snax Gourmet Bar Snacks, a brand of seasoned peanuts and snack mixes designed to pair with wine, beer and cocktails
SYDPLAYEAT, a maker of black truffle hot sauces and seasoning salts
The Got Damn Sauce, a brand of hot sauce, barbecue sauce and more
“We are very humbled and excited about our selection to the Target Forward Founders cohort,” said Melissa Wallace, founder of Sippin Snax. “To know we were chosen out of thousands of entries for this opportunity really gives our concept a huge vote of confidence. Having been a pivot from the food and beverage crash of the pandemic, it really gives us validation and will help us create a strong foundation for building a competitive national brand. It will enable us to punch way above our current weight.”