Entrepreneurs enroll in Target’s first accelerator program
Target Corp. is bringing on more than thirty businesses to its first Forward Founders accelerator program.
Target’s accelerator team states that the program is designed to prepare previously underresourced innovators to become “the next wave of generational wealth building companies.” It seeks to democratize resources, knowledge, and access in the CPG industry by using the retailer’s size.
A cohort of firms across several product categories, including 14 food and beverage startups and a range of personal care, beauty, entertainment, home, and baby brands, participated in the program’s mid-July debut. The eight-week virtual program includes mentorship, speakers, a bespoke curriculum, and leadership from eminent founders.
The following 14 companies have been chosen to be a part of the Target Forward Founders program:
Jennifer Thai started Awesome Bites Co., an allergy-friendly firm. It provides a selection of sugar-free baked and frozen goods, such as ice cream, granola, bars, and muffins.
Andrew Cooper founded Buzz Lite, a company that produces gourmet coffee with a small amount of caffeine. 10% of the company’s Microdose Roast is caffeine-infused.
Jessica Taylor started the gourmet coffee company Ezra Coffee Co. It uses flavors like candied yams and toasted southern pecan to connect coffee, culture, and history.
Jessica Spaulding and Asha Dixon started the handmade chocolate firm Harlem Chocolate Factory. It uses its chocolate Brownstone Bars to try and capture the different cultural experiences of Harlem.
Sam Allonce started a small-batch spicy sauce company called spicy N Saucy. It makes strong, savory sauces like Sweet Potato N Habanero and Beet N Fresno with unusual ingredients.
Breanna Atkinson and Jared Golestani founded the coconut spread company Kokada. There are two types of the spread: classic and brownie. It resembles nut butters.
Dominique Tolbert developed the spice mixes firm Mesean Spices. It sells a variety of African Diasporan-inspired spice blends, such as Q-Spice and Coffee Cumin.
Mathew Thalakotur started the chewing gum company Mighty Gum. The gum contains reishi mushrooms, elderberries, astragalus, and ashwagandha among its constituents.
Chris Tran and Holly Paul founded MIZO Hard Seltzer, a hard seltzer firm. It has a range of flavors inspired by Asia, such as Asian Pear, Lychee, and Calamansi.
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Regina Trillo established the snack brand Nemi. The company produces crispy snacks made from cactus and seeds. Flavors include Chili Turmeric, Churro, and Smoky Chipotle are inspired by Mexican cuisine.
Sahtein by Soph is a snack nibbles manufacturer that was started by Sophie Sabbagh. These treats, which combine ground tahini with chocolate chips, almond flour, peanuts, and monk fruit, are influenced by Middle Eastern flavors.
Jocelyn Bryant and Kyle Gabriel founded the plant-based convenience food company SpinJoy, which offers high nutritional content. A wrap made with coconut flour is its main offering.
Dana DuFrane and Bina Motiram launched SugarRoti, an online spice retailer. It provides a large selection of premeasured, single-use spice blends with Indian inspiration.
Caleb Wang and Jennifer Liao launched the modern Chinese food company XCJ. The company creates handcrafted sauces and dumplings with the goal of bringing real Chinese street cuisine experiences into homes.