From Farmers Markets to $1m+: DC Startup Week Showcases Union kitchen Member Success

This October, DC Startup Week launched its inaugural CPG Startup Showcase & Competition, bringing together 21 of the region’s most promising consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands. Hosted by CPG in the DMV Connect, the event served as a platform for emerging founders to sample products, pitch their businesses, and connect with industry leaders—including key players from the Union Kitchen ecosystem.

Union Kitchen Founder and CEO Cullen Gilchrist played a prominent role, serving as a judge for the competition and participating in a panel titled Scaling Your CPG Business to $5 Million. The panel, which featured Samy Kobrosly, founder of the nationally distributed brand Snacklins, and Margarita Womack, founder of Maspanadas, a frozen empanadas manufacturing company, emphasized the importance of building food businesses through a phased, profitable approach to growth.

The event highlighted Union Kitchen’s central thesis: food businesses that own their manufacturing, respond to market feedback, and scale in focused phases are better positioned for long-term success. The panel discussion drew from real case studies—like Snacklins and Maspanadas—which began with a single product and scaled nationally after refining its manufacturing, product, and retail strategy within Union Kitchen’s Accelerator.

This growth model is built on Union Kitchen’s four-phase roadmap, which guides founders from initial product development to regional and national distribution, combining operational infrastructure, go-to-market strategy, and access to buyers and capital.

Three Union Kitchen Accelerator brands also stood out among the 21 participating startups, demonstrating the results of strategic execution and market alignment:

• Myles Comfort Foods, founded by Myles Powell, was named Judges Overall Winner and received the award for Best Product Taste & Quality. Since joining Union Kitchen’s Accelerator in 2018, Powell has transformed his business from a single gluten-free mac and cheese into a line of elevated frozen meals. By leveraging in-house manufacturing, District Distribution, and customer feedback, Myles Comfort Foods now generates over $1 million in annual revenue and is sold in Target, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, and Safeway. The brand is distributed through UNFI and KeHE and has received over $1 million in investment, including capital from Whole Foods Market and the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC).

• Pop’s Praiseworthy Snacks, founded by Nicole Jones, received the Judges Best Innovation award for its clean-label reinvention of nostalgic snack flavors. The brand was built within the Union Kitchen ecosystem, where in-house production allowed for rapid product development and retail readiness.

• Aji Tea, founded by Aji Sunjaya, earned second place in the Audience Awards, reflecting strong consumer appeal and early brand traction.

These wins underscore Union Kitchen’s core belief: great food brands aren’t built overnight—they’re built through discipline, operational control, and market responsiveness.

The Showcase made clear that the Washington, D.C. region is home to a fast-growing community of ambitious food founders—many of whom are ready to move beyond farmers markets and small-batch production. Events like this, combined with the infrastructure and playbook provided by Union Kitchen, give these founders a clear pathway to scale.

For entrepreneurs seeking to grow from a handful of local stores to multi-regional distribution, Union Kitchen offers our ecosystem: manufacturing, distribution, retail access, and capital. Founders like Powell, Kobrosly, and Womack prove that this model works—and that with the right strategy, scaling to $1 million and beyond is not only possible, it’s repeatable.

Learn more about Union Kitchen and how it supports early-stage food businesses in building enduring, scalable brands → Explore Union Kitchen's Accelerator