PORTLAND, ORE. — Brazi Bites has named Date Better Snacks as the winner of its second annual Latino Entrepreneur Accelerator Program. The program was created in 2022 to help small Latino-own businesses scale.
As the winner of the program, Date Better Snacks will receive a $10,000 business grant and a 12-week mentorship with Brazi Bites co-founder and chief marketing officer, Junea Rocha, and her team in addition to support from partners in legal, public relations, creative, and R&D.
“After the wave of incredible applications we received for our inaugural program last year, we were not surprised at all by the array of uniquely talented businesses that applied for LEAP in 2023,” Rocha said. “While it is always a difficult decision, our entire team takes the time to thoroughly assess each application, sample each product, and come together to choose the winner with the care and thoughtfulness that each of the businesses deserves. We’re excited to work with Date Better Snacks as our winner this year and are looking forward to our business partners providing even more value to accelerate the brand’s growth.”
Date Better Snacks was founded by Michelle Valdez-Wilton in 2022 to offer consumers a better-for-you snack of nut butter stuffed dates and organic chocolate.
“I am thrilled to be chosen as the winner of this year’s Latino Entrepreneur Accelerator Program and cannot wait to begin working with Junea, the Brazi Bites team, and other business mentors,” Valdez-Wilton said. “Date Better Snacks shares many core values with Brazi Bites, including using simple ingredients that taste delicious, so we’re proud to be working with their team in continuing our efforts to bring our sweet snacks to consumers looking for a clean treat. I’m so proud of the work I’ve already accomplished with Date Better Snacks and am confident that this prize and mentorship will serve as the next step in our journey toward reaching our full potential.”
Two other finalists also were selected for their consumer packaged goods business strategies and products. Those included Hot Mama Salsa and Nico’s Ice Cream.
Hot Mama Salsa produces hot sauces, fresh salsas, Mexican-style chili oils, and tortilla chips using traditional ethnic cooking methods, whole peppers, and fresh local ingredients.
Nico’s Ice Cream is a New Zealand-style ice cream that uses Willamette Valley fruit with Oregon-made vanilla ice cream.
The program’s first-year winner was La Porteña Foods, a maker of small-batch chimichurri.
Founded in 2010, Brazi Bites began as a maker of Brazilian-style cheese bread inspired by Pão de Queijo. The company’s product line has since expanded to include a variety of pizza bites, empanadas andbreakfast sandwiches, all of which are clean label and naturally gluten-free.Enjoying this content? Learn about more disruptive startups on the Food Entrepreneur page.
