Our 19th Accelerator Cohort is Officially Underway at Union Kitchen!
During the past few months we have had the opportunity to meet many talented and ambitious entrepreneurs looking to grow their food business with Union Kitchen. We selected 11 incredible food and beverage businesses for the 19th Accelerator Cohort! The cohort is hard at work mastering concept, technical execution, and preparing for launch. We are excited to introduce all of this cohort’s member brands as our partnerships are underway.
AHAV
Liam, founder of AHAV, was inspired to enter the dessert category after realizing it’s very difficult for health-conscious consumers to enjoy a dessert that tastes good but also provides nutrition. He also wanted his product to be transparent, with ingredients that are recognizable. The result is a cookie dough product made out of just six ingredients, providing a satisfying dessert that the consumer can feel good about.
BLYSS LLC (Juve)
Blyss LLC was founded by Na’Jee, Isaiah, and Kayla, aiming to help promote a healthy mental and physical lifestyle with their beverage. Their drink is a caffeinated sparkling water enhanced with several ingredients not only used to quench their thirst, but to also improve their health and mood. The team are college students and athletes, passionate about helping other college students through Juve.
Cumin Restaurant Group
The Cumin Restaurant Group team is comprised of Prayas, Suman, Roshan, and Raj. They operate two restaurants in Bethesda, Maryland. Their product is a delicious Indian and Nepalese-inspired moh moh,dumplings filled with meat or vegetables. They will launch their moh mohs for wholesale distribution, and are excited to continue growing the consumer demand with retail launch.
Eli’s Magic Kitchen
Eli’s Magic Kitchen was founded by Elijah, who resides on an organic farm. He started making unique blends of tahini-based condiments, aimed at enhancing any dish and making food more fun to eat. Eli’s Magic Kitchen has a goal of creating artisanal food that people can actually afford and enjoy, using quality and ethically sourced ingredients.
Ms. Helen’s Creole Kitchen is named after Michael’s (co-founder) mother. Michael grew up in Louisiana learning all about the world of creole cooking. Michael and co-founder Charon want to bring these flavors to the world while still keeping their options health-conscious. They create spices and seasonings meant for several different types of foods.
Alishia created Pecandy during the midst of the pandemic, when she started making candied nuts while being at home. After sharing with family and friends, her products quickly gained popularity. Her pecans are a great way to enjoy a sweet treat while still gaining valuable protein and fiber. They are also easily portable and come in several flavors to suit the taste of every consumer.
Regalty was founded by James and Dorothy, who share a passion for functional food and beverage. Dorothy, a health care professional,understands the impact of chronic disease on Americans today. Their product, POWERUP, is aimed at being used as a proactive and preventative measure against disease. As an herbal infusion beverage, it provides the consumer valuable benefits, which in turn will support the good health of all who drink it.
After Jheen, co-founder of Susosu, learned about a new type of water from his father after his trip to South Korea, he began to do further research into the features and benefits of drinking hydrogen-infused water. From there, he teamed up with co-founder Nadia and they created Susosu Water. Their unique water provides benefits like antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and energy boosting properties. They are currently selling at Dawson’s Market, David’s Natural Market, co-ops, and of course, Union Kitchen stores!
Terracosta Foods
Iban and Natalia started Terracosta Foods to bring premium Mediterranean ingredients to the American market. They value simplicity with their products because they found that the nut butter and snack sections at the store can be very confusing, with products claiming they are healthy or natural but adding extra sugars or oils. They are changing the status of the current nut butter landscape by offering the Spanish marcona almond, which offers a different flavor profile and eating experience than the common type of almond.
Life operates a skincare company that provides pure and natural skincare products. She had the desire to add CPG food products to what she could offer to consumers, and so Vegan Mia Apothecary was born. The products, including functional spice blends, functional chocolates, and loose tea blends, are natural and plant-based products with ingredients that are proven to be effective for your health. These are still beauty products, but simply in a different form to further provide support to the body’s wellness.