We’re starting off 2022 strong with retailer sourcing campaigns left and right, including KeHE’s TrendFinder event! If you aren’t familiar with KeHE, they are one of the largest and most respected grocery and natural product distributors in the United States, and they’re always looking for the next best trend and product in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry to share with their retail partners. Their need for product discovery is one of the reasons why they partner with RangeMe, to discover emerging brands and products for their assortment. Over the past two years, we’ve facilitated their yearly TrendFinder events, including KeHE DIVERSEtrade™, KeHEelevate™, CAREtrade®, and Next Generation Innovation.
Since 2019, KeHE has hosted six TrendFinder events to discover and announce their “Golden Ticket Winners,” and for this most recent TrendFinder event, brands were selected based on ingredients, innovation, taste, scalability, packaging, purpose, and passion. This event is starting with a bang: Out of 250 suppliers selected from RangeMe and given the opportunity to pitch one-on-one to KeHE’s Category Management team, 40 winners were awarded! Take a look below at each brand that will be added to KeHE’s product portfolio, gaining exposure to more than 30,000 retail locations and their retail partners.
Sauce/Salsa/Oil
- Sauce Bae – A hot sauce infused with pineapple habanero and made with turmeric, the super spice for anti-inflammation.
- Ancira Salsa – Authentic salsa made with the zeal of Hispanic Texas culture.
We liked how seamlessly the KeHE TrendFinder event was structured and how responsive KeHE was in communications. We’re very excited to work with KeHE’s robust sales and logistics operating platform to strategically assess our market capture and effectively enter numerous markets around the country.
Jesse Ancira III, Chief Marketing Officer, Ancira Salsa
- Fresh Vintage Farms – Cold-pressed, authentic, and sustainable nut oils that are crafted locally in the Central Valley of California.
Baking/Sweeteners
- Otherworld – Plant-based baking mixes stacked with superfoods that are good for you and the planet.
- Holy Hive – Dehydrated organic honey sweetener that maintains health benefits without the sticky mess.
- Extra White Gold – Premium gluten-free and keto baking mixes and flours that are free from 14 major food allergens (with the certifications to back it).
RangeMe gives us marketing tools to present our innovative products to the retail market in a professional way. We participate in the ECRM meetings as well and find them very useful.
Einat, Owner, Extra White Gold
Vitamins/Minerals/Supplements
- Neuro Gum – Functional gum and mints that deliver energy, clarity, daily health, and focus.
RangeMe has been the easiest way for a new brand to access big players in the space. Even when starting, we knew that we had a great product that just needed to be discovered—RangeMe showed us to the big leagues!
Kent Yoshimura, Co-founder and CEO, Neuro
- The Better Brand – Safe and efficacious lung health products that are enhanced with bioavailability and GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) ingredients.
- Feral Fungi – High-quality extracts from mushroom fruit bodies that are strong and inclusive of the purified mineral salts native to the mushrooms that help with cell absorption.
[insert quote] “I had heard about KeHE a couple of years ago as being a good distribution partner and when the TrendFinder event came about, I was really interested in putting up our company to see how it would be received. I was surprised, and excited, to be considered for the TrendFinder event and even more excited at how well our presentation was received. I pour my passion into my work and it seems like that made a huge difference in how the event went!” – Jason Scott, Founder/Owner, Feral Fungi
Frozen (trending in our 2021 Retail Recap!)
- Bumpin Blends – Functional smoothie cubes made from organic, whole-food ingredients that are safe and beneficial for all.
It was really great! My Category Manager is excited about Bumpin Blends and loves the product himself which makes me feel really at home and excited about working with KeHE. I’m most excited to break into retail from DTC!
Lisa Mastela, MPH, RD, Founder and CEO, Bumpin Blends
- Ging-ë-lems – Ginger and lemon drops made with organic, non-GMO raw ginger, and lemon that are individually wrapped for water or any beverage.
RangeMe has brought opportunity for ging-ë-lems by keeping our product visible to potential buyers. The ease in being able to submit our product page has been a time saver and makes connecting with buyers effortless.
Yurika Young, Owner, ging-ë-lems
- Gifted Breads – Gluten-free artisan bakery focused on crafting delicious gluten-free breads without all the artificial preservatives or chemicals that can alter taste.
- Gelato Festival – Award-winning gourmet gelatos from the Gelato Festival where competitors across 22 countries dream up mind-blowing gelato recipes for the chance to be brought into stores.
- Plant Based Foods – 100% plant-based, vegan, soy, and gluten-free products made with a superfood blend featuring hemp.
- Kula – Vegan and gluten-free ice cream on a mission to support equality in life, and in dessert.
- Secret Creamery – Small batch, artisan ice cream specializing in unique and high-end flavors like Ube Brownie and Blueberry Goat Cheese.
- Neale’s – Black-owned company that creates authentic Caribbean-flavored ice cream with Canadian dairy and real fruit.
- Buck – Buckwheat gelato that is dairy-free, slow-melt, and gluten-free.
Refrigerated Beverage/Dairy/RTD Beverage
- Vėida – Cold-pressed cucumber water that is a refreshing and nutritious plant-based hydration beverage with naturally occurring electrolytes and a low glycemic index.
[insert quote] “We use RangeMe to generate leads, keep up with the category review calendar, and submit products to prospective retail partners. All features are helpful but the favorites are Lead Tracker, Profile, and Industry Trackers.” – Jose Quezada, Founder/President, Vėida
- Ohh! Foods – Allergen-friendly, vegan, and gluten-free (and edible!) cookie dough made with real and plant-based ingredients.
- Thunder – Ready-to-drink coffee-milk that has 9g of protein and is made with just five ingredients: whole milk, sugar, cold brewed coffee, natural flavor, and coffee.
Household/Pet
- Bright Planet – 100% plant-based dog treats that taste and smell like real meat, plus creates 90% less carbon emissions and uses 68% less water compared to meat-based treats. And it doesn’t stop there, Bright Planet makes a donation to plant one tree for each bag of dog treats sold.
We use RangeMe to share our brand with potential customers we already know of and to learn about new retailers. We love the Limited-Time Submissions because it gives us an extra opportunity to present our brand in the context of innovation or being a local or diverse supplier.
Katherine Ellison, Founder & CEO of Bright Planet Pet
- Dispongeables – The world’s first disposable expanding kitchen sponges made from 100% biodegradable and compostable plant material.
Mexican/Indian
- La Villana – Authentic Mexican moles and salsas filled with crunchy sliced peppers and all the soul from Mexican sauce.
- La Milpa De Rosa – Corn chips made from Non-GMO ingredients in the traditional Nixtamal process resulting in a chip with superior flavor and texture compared to other corn flour chips.
- Pínole Blue – Tortillas and cookies made from Non-GMO, gluten-free, and USDA organic blue corn. A portion of sales is donated to the Tarahumara community in Chihuahua, Mexico.
We are excited to work with KeHE as our distributor to help get our products in retailers so we can continue our mission of sharing healthy products from organic blue corn while donating back to the Tarahumara community.
Eddie Sandoval, CEO/Founder, Pinole Blue
- Lyndy’s Foods – Lyndy’s green chile sauces come in three flavors; mild, medium, and hot, and all are vegan and gluten-free. Each sauce is chunky and bold, unique in its class.
- ¡Ya Oaxaca! – Authentic heat-and-serve mole sauces produced in Oaxaca with house-made chocolate, five types of dried and smoked chiles, and criollo corn. Each sauce is Non-GMO Verified, vegan, and gluten-free.
- Tierra Brava – Authentic Mexican sauces made with all-natural and clean ingredients. Each product is made with pure crushed pepper in oil and are gluten-, colorants-, and preservative-free.
Having the opportunity to pitch our company and products to KeHE has been an extraordinary experience and is showing the road to build more and better business. We are very excited to start delivering Tierra Brava salsas and hot sauce to KeHE, so everybody can enjoy the magic and extraordinary flavor of our products.
Pedro Pierdant de la Mora, CEO, Tierra Brava
- La Fondita – On-the-go meal bowls that are plant-based, Non-GMO, gluten-free, and preservative-free. Each bowl is purposefully crafted with 100% natural freeze-dried ingredients to nourish the body and soul.
- Masala Mama – Home-style small-batch sauces made with real, wholesome ingredients to make Indian cooking at home easy. Just follow the directions on the jar and prepare an exceptional dinner in 30 minutes or less.
- Jasberry – Organic superfood rice produced using sustainable and regenerative farming. Jasberry is a new variety of rice with 7x higher antioxidants than kale. It is dark purple and has a nutty flavor.
Fresh
- Hall’s – Snappy beer cheese made with aged Wisconsin sharp cheddar cheese and a bit of spice.
RangeMe has been invaluable to the growth of Hall’s Beer Cheese. We have been able to connect with grocer partners that would have taken months or even years to get a meeting. In today’s remote world, RangMe is the perfect solution for creators like Hall’s Beer Cheese.
Kerry Hollifield, National Sales Manager, Hall’s Beer Cheese.
- Grillies – Wholesome cheeses made with all-natural ingredients and a dedication to sustainable agriculture, animal welfare, and eco-friendly practices.
- Coro – All natural and shelf-stable specialty meats made with the finest ingredients and awe-inspiring flavors. Fun fact: Coro is the only Certified women-owned charcuterie producer in the United States!
Candy/Confections
- Bonito – Zero sugar chocolate drops made with organic cacao from Mexico and sweetened with monk fruit. For every product purchased, a lifesaving nutrition package is donated.
- Nuud – Did you know a regular piece of gum contains as much single-use plastic as a straw? Nuud is a plastic-free, plant-based, biodegradable, and naturally sugar-free chewing gum. Sustainably harvested from tree sap, they’re on a mission to rid the world of the plastic gum that sticks around to harm the planet.
We’re on a mission to rid the world of plastic gum, and launching in the USA with KeHE is a big step forward on that journey!
Keir Carnie, Founder, Nuud | Plastic Free Gum
- Numa – Naturally healthier taffy and peanut candies inspired by traditional Asian recipes and founded by Asian American mother-daughter duo. Numa candies contain 40% less sugar and 200% more protein than the standard candy bar.
- Karmalize.Me – Chocolate covered nuts and nut butters. Their chocolate covered nuts are coated with vegan, single-origin 70% dark chocolate, made in small batches, and include just six ingredients (excluding soy lecithin, confectioner’s glaze, shellac, and artificial flavors, dyes, and preservatives). Their nut butters contain 5g or less of sugar and are Kosher certified, vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO. They donate 50% of all profits to charities.
- Chocolita – Botanical plant-based chocolate that utilizes food-safe herbs, fruits, and spices to create chocolates with a unique variety and detectable flavors. Each batch is botanically crafted, certified organic, plant-based, raw, woman-owned, low-glycemic, with 100% recyclable packaging with compostable adhesives.
I am excited to work together with KeHE as I’ve heard nothing but great things about working with them and they are set up to be so supportive of growth for new brands.
Sarah Ann Lesslie, Owner/CEO, Chocolita`
Huge congratulations to all the Golden Ticket winners! We’re excited to continue working with KeHE to facilitate future discovery events through RangeMe. Learn more about KeHE’s next TrendFinder event at Expo West. Apply on RangeMe by February 18th!
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