PepsiCo reveals the ten finalists for its 2018 nutrition greenhouse

Brands of non-alcoholic wine and vegan-friendly drinks capsules are among the start-ups chosen to participate in the second class of PepsiCo’s health and wellness incubator in Europe.

First launched in 2017 to support the next generation of food and beverage entrepreneurs, the PepsiCo nutrition greenhouse programme offers each of the ten participating companies a €20,000 grant, and access to PepsiCo mentors and experts to take their business to the next level.

The incubator, which was announced earlier this year, focuses on nutrition food and beverage products aimed at European consumers with sales of €5 million or less. This year’s finalists were chosen based on their product quality and positioning, with a focus on health and wellness and scalable business model.

The brands in full

• A1C Foods (Israel) – Low-carbohydrate food products, such as chocolate and ice cream, using a formula designed to lower the glycemic index without use of artificial sweeteners.  
• Agrasys (Spain) – The company behind Tritordeum – a Mediterranean cereal made from a combination of durum wheat and a wild barley, with nutritional and agronomic benefits that is suitable for a wide range of cereal-based foods and beverages.
• Gryö (France) – Organic snacks made with alternative proteins – including algae and plant-based proteins.
• Le Petit Béret (France) – Non-alcoholic wine produced without fermentation, preservatives or sulphites.
• Nibble Protein (UK) – High-protein, gluten- and dairy-free bites made with less sugar. Suitable for vegan and diabetic diets. 
• Revolicious (UK) – Ready-to-eat dairy- and gluten-free smoothie bowls, made with a 100% natural ingredient base of coconut milk, banana and flax seeds.
• Rokit Pods (UK) – Organic, vegan-friendly drinks capsules compatible with a range of well-known coffee machines.
• The Sprouted Grain Company (Israel) – Easy-to-digest whole grains, legumes, flours, nuts and seeds, with a long shelf life. 
• Welldrinks (Bulgaria) – Creates Qwell, a new brand of functional beverages, made by combining hydrolysed collagen with vitamins and minerals for healthier hydration. 
• Yofix (Israel) – Clean-label vegan and soy-free fermented dairy alternatives. 

As well as receiving an initial €20,000 grant, the ten start-ups will collaborate with functional and brand experts from some of PepsiCo’s leading brands to help them achieve accelerated growth.

The programme includes a dedicated schedule of in-person workshops and virtual training, designed to address critical early-stage business issues and overcome immediate market challenges.

The company that demonstrates the most scalable and sustainable market approach by the end of the programme, will be awarded a €100,000 prize to continue its expansion.

The ten start-ups will collaborate with experts from some of PepsiCo’s leading brands to help them achieve accelerated growth.

David Schwartz, PepsiCo Europe & Sub-Saharan Africa director of innovation, said: “I’m delighted to welcome all ten of these exciting businesses to our programme. Last year’s class of finalists really proved their potential, so we can’t wait to see how we can help deliver a step change for the industry with our 2018 class.

“The nutrition greenhouse incubator is an important initiative for PepsiCo, as we continue to build on our 20-plus year legacy of anticipating and adapting to changes in the way consumers view nutrition and health and wellness.

“Together with the entire greenhouse team, we’re confident we can drive another successful year of sustainable growth for ten new breakthrough brands, harnessing the power of convenient, nutritious products in the process.”