With an acronym standing for “avoid waste and season meaningfully,” AWSM Sauce has a patent-pending “powder to pour” product.

The product comes in three varieties: Chesapeake Fire Sauce, Classic Ketchup and Honey Hickory BBQ. A 1.8-oz packet gets shaken with one-third cup water. Starter kits sell for $22.50 and include two jars (for making the sauces) along with two three-packet boxes of a choice of sauces. Additional three-packs are $6. Other bundles are available. 

 Pearl millet is the key ingredient in Kanira, a new line of South Asian-inspired, gluten-free breakfast biscuits.

Mumbai native and business consultant Vishal Ramakrishnan created the brand in response to a rise in Eastern wellness ingredients such as turmeric, ghee, ashwagandha and chai in American diets. The products are formulated with a gluten-free blend of pearl millet, amaranth and almond flours, plus coconut sugar, coconut oil, flaxseeds and chia seeds. Flavors include chai spice, turmeric and ginger, and coconut and cardamom.

Kanira translates to “grain” in Sanskrit. A climate-smart crop, pearl millet is rich in prebiotic fiber, protein and iron, plus vitamins and minerals, including zinc, magnesium and potassium, according to the company, which sources the ingredient from smallholder farmers in Rajasthan, India.

Two Bay Area-based brands partnered to debut a gluten-free muffin mix formulated with upcycled ingredients.

Renewal Mill transforms the leftover pulp from plant milk production into “climate-friendly flours” and baking mixes. Its latest launch, a chai oat muffin mix, was developed in collaboration with specialty sweetener brand Just Date. The product is made with Renewal Mill’s upcycled oat milk flour and organic date sugar derived from dried and ground kentichi dates that previously were wasted.

The oat chai muffin mix taps into top trends compiled by Whole Foods Market, which forecasts growth in the use of dates and repurposed pulp in product formulations next year. The product is available to purchase online at renewalmill.com and justdatesyrup.com.

Candy brand Tidbits gummies seeks to expand the category with elevated, low-sugar offerings.

With its “welcome back to candy” tagline, Tidbits gummies are formulated with prebiotic fiber and fruit juice, while free from sugar alcohols, artificial sweeteners and artificial coloring. Available in a bag containing 4 grams of sugar, Tidbits gummies come in acai grape, tropical citrus and wild berry flavors.

Ready-to-drink smoothie brand Phyll launched its line of shelf-stable beverages featuring three servings of produce, 15 grams of plant protein and no added sugar.

The brand’s first recipe, called Greenfest, features kiwi, apple, mango, banana, kale, spinach and cucumber, plus pea protein for added nutrition. Additional formulations each feature the same blend of kale, spinach, cucumber and pea protein. A mixed berry variety adds strawberry, blueberry and blackberry, while a chocolate variety adds cocoa powder, strawberry and banana.  

The beverages are made using a clean-pressed process. After they’re blended, the smoothies are heated to a high temperature for just a few seconds to kill any potential microorganisms. They remain in a sterile environment as they’re bottled and packaged to ensure no other potential contaminants enter the system.

Step One’s nutrition-based approach to improve heart health aims to make eating the right foods as easy as taking medication. Instead of pills, users consume two servings of Step One products daily.

The formulations deliver four “heart health building blocks” in convenient formats like oatmeal, smoothies, pancakes and snack bars. Fiber from oat bran, flaxseed and dried fruit binds to cholesterol particles in the intestine and removes them from the body. Plant sterols found in nuts and seeds block cholesterol absorption in the digestive tract. Antioxidants from dark chocolate, berries and pecan prevent plaque from building up in blood vessels, while omega-3 fatty acids from chia seeds, walnuts and flaxseeds reduce inflammation and lower triglycerides.

Caffeine-free coffee brand Velty features gut-friendly botanicals through a formulation of lion’s mane and reishi mushroom for stress reduction and immune support. Inulin, a prebiotic fiber from such plants as chicory, leeks, artichokes and other fruits and vegetables, supports good bacteria in the digestive tract. Protein- and fiber-rich mesquite powder is a less common ingredient that offers antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Freeze-dried in single-serve sachets, Velty’s uncaffeinated coffee is available direct-to-consumer through the brand’s website.

Additional flavors are in the works. The brand plans to introduce a limited-edition spiced coffee variety made with ginger and cinnamon. Developing new ingredient combinations and new product formats geared toward digestive health is another area of focus.

Theo’s Plant-Based is turning to beets to replace meat-based jerky. Formulations feature organic ingredients, including red beets, avocado oil or toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, cane sugar, coconut aminos and natural hickory smoke flavor. Each package contains the equivalent of one large beet.

Chubby Snacks, a maker of frozen crustless sandwiches, teamed with tbh, the hazelnut cocoa spread brand founded by “Stranger Things” actor Noah Schnapp, to develop peanut butter and hazelnut cocoa sandwiches.

Described as “a premium yet practical choice for nostalgic, health-conscious consumers on the go,” Chubby Snacks features organic wheat bread filled with peanut butter or almond butter and specialty jams. A sandwich has 75% less sugar, 30% fewer calories and more protein and fiber than Smucker’s Uncrustables, according to the company. The new offering marks the startup’s first collaboration and limited-edition product. 

Sans Meal Bar, a maker of meal replacement bars, launched a limited-edition flavor exclusively at athletic apparel retailer Lululemon locations.

The Lulu’s Lemon Macadamia bar will be available to purchase in-store at Lululemon Fuel Space, the company’s experiential café concept located in Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis and Seattle, as well as online at sansmealbar.com.

Functional food startup You Again introduced a range of raw wildflower honey blended with herbs and botanicals to support digestive health and immunity. Packaged in single-serve pouches, Your Daily Honey expands the brand’s mission to incorporate ancient nutrition into modern lifestyles, said founder Priya Mulvihill.

Lentiful offers single-serve cups of instant lentils featuring savory or sweet flavors, including Thai coconut, Mexican green chili, French mirepoix and cinnamon apple. Founder Ben Bacon believes “our whole industry is sleeping on lentils,” which he described as a “gateway drug” to plant-based eating.

The instant lentils are packaged in single-serve paper cups and may be prepared by adding water, heating and stirring. Each serving provides 8 to 12 grams of protein and 6 to 7 grams of fiber, with potassium, iron and folate. The products are gluten-free and vegan.