KeHE has announced the 16 winners of its 2023 TRENDfinder event, which took place virtually May 1 to 12.
“Because the food distribution industry is so competitive, newly emerging brands find it difficult to break in,” said Rachelle Radcliffe, senior director of supplier sxperience at KeHE, in a statement. “KeHE’s TRENDfinder events are a great opportunity for small brands to get their products in front of a large audience to build brand recognition and tap into KeHE’s marketplace network.”
The event allowed 91 suppliers to hold one-on-one pitch meetings with KeHE’s category management team. Sixteen of these companies were selected as Golden Ticket Winners and added to KeHE’s product assortment. Brands were chosen based on their ingredients, innovation, taste, scalability, packaging, purpose, and passion.
The 16 Winners of the “Golden Ticket” Include:
Berhan Grains
Oomph! Sweets
Veneto Café
Scotch Boyz
Coffee Toppers
Whoa Momma! Gelato
All Phenoms
Rivera’s Salsa
Companion Candles
Side by Side
Mickelberry Gardens
Purana
Testa
Anihana
Yours
Yumi
By joining KeHE’s portfolio, the winning brands will gain exposure to over 30,000 retail locations and will support the distributor’s retail partners in bringing innovative new products to their customers. KeHE’s category managers will work closely with the 16 suppliers to provide guidance on market trends, consumer insights, and packaging requirements. The TRENDfinder winners also receive access to supplier promotional programs as further support to succeed in the market.
The next KeHE TRENDfinder event will take place in October. Applications for this event will open in late September.
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