Spudsy, a California-based female-owned company that makes sweet potato puff snacks, has won PepsiCo’s second annual North America Greenhouse program, which is designed to support emerging entrepreneurs and brands in the food and beverage industry through personalized mentorship. The prize is a $100,000 grant, which Spudsy plans to use to grow its internal team and support key retailers.
"Our mentors really supported us in expanding our subscription business and overall strategy for expansion," said Ashley Rogers, founder of Spudsy, in a statement. "They also helped us navigate the changing consumer landscape during a tricky time.”
The six-month business program, which began in February as COVID-19 was starting to change the retail landscape, awarded 10 emerging food and beverage brands the opportunity to partner with PepsiCo as they looked to scale their businesses. Collectively, the 10 participating companies in this year's North America class were able to overcome challenges and grow their average revenues more than 240 percent over the course of the program.
Spudsy was chosen as this year's winner by a committee of leaders within PepsiCo. Initial finalists were selected based on their product and brand qualities, how they integrate purpose into their offering, and how they meet the needs of current and future consumers, communities, and/or the planet. The company's Save the Spud mission helps reduce food waste by upcycling imperfect sweet potatoes to create its sweet potato flour.
"We are so proud of all of the finalists in this year's Greenhouse program who persevered during a time that has forced companies big and small to rethink and adjust their business strategies," said Daniel Grubbs, vice president, PepsiCo Ventures Group, in a statement. "The Spudsy team was able to not only show tremendous growth in a few short months, but importantly was able to continue to build a strong purpose-driven brand. We look forward to seeing what they do with the grant.”
Related: PepsiCo Names North America Greenhouse Program Participants; Link Initiative Accelerates Supply Chain Innovation.
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