Dive Brief:
SnackFutures, Mondelez International's innovation and venture hub, announced the first nine startups participating in its recently launched CoLab, a program for early-stage well-being snack brands, the CPG giant said. Each brand will participate in a 12-week curriculum and receive a $20,000 grant.
The companies participating in the inaugural class include: Elite Sweets, a Keto doughnut brand run by founders who each lost more than 100 pounds; NuSkool low-sugar snacking platform; 12 Tides, a nutrient-dense snack made from kelp sourced from regenerative ocean farms; and the Better Bites Bakery allergen-free line, created by a founder whose son had life-threatening food allergies.
Big food companies, including PepsiCo, Danone, Chobani and General Mills, have started their own incubators to expedite their entrance into fast-growing trends in the food space such as better-for-you, natural, clean label, plant-based and functional.