PepsiCo reveals Greenhouse Accelerator Program: Juntos Crecemos Edition finalists

"We're excited to continue helping to fuel the growth of these Hispanic small businesses, not only through financial support, but also by providing them access to top-of-the-line mentorship and business resources,​" Esperanza Teasdale, VP and GM of the Hispanic business unit for PepsiCo Beverages North America, said in the announcement. "Through the Greenhouse Accelerator Program: Juntos Crecemos Edition, we're committed to helping even more businesses grow faster and sustain their long-term performance.​"

Supporting Hispanic-owned startups across the food, beverage supply chain

As part of the annual Greenhouse Accelerator Program, PepsiCo nominates ten food and beverage companies—from brands to those working across the supply chain—and provides them with $20,000 and personalized mentorship through a six-month accelerator program. One company will receive an additional $100,000 to further support its business.

This year, PepsiCo dedicated the Greenhouse Accelerator Program to supporting Hispanic-owned companies​, including start-ups spicing up the snack aisle to non-alcoholic beverage brands with a twist to companies using technology to find market opportunities and promote sustainability.

PepsiCo named the following food and beverage brands as finalists to this year’s Greenhouse Accelerator Program:

• Chuza​ ​is a spicy fruit and vegetable snack brand that uses a blend of 100% Mexican spices in its product and features Spicy Mango, Pineapple, Strawberry, Cranberry, Apricot, and Nopal snacks. 
• Date Better Snack​ ​is a Latina-owned candy bar brand that uses Medjool dates and rainforest alliance certified 85% organic chocolate in its vegan and gluten-free snacks. Its line of products include Cashew Lime Crisp, Peanut Butter Crunch, Almond Java Crunch, and Date Better x Cravers Hazelnut Praline.
• I Eat My Greens​ ​offers ready-to-eat plant-based soups made from whole-food ingredients and include Sweet Potato & Turmeric, Cilantro & Cauliflower, Ginger & Coconut, Basil & Coconut, Sunflower Seeds, and Chipotle & Cacao soups. 
• Katrina Brewing Co​ ​offers a non-alcoholic Mexican Brew malt beer and a chelada beverage with lime and salt flavors.  
• Pisqueya​ ​is a woman-owned hot sauce and seasoning brand aiming to fill the gap in Hispanic Caribbean representation in the CPG food and beverage world. Its product portfolio features Smoky Hot Sauce, Medium Buzz Hot Sauce, Spicy Sweet Passion Fruit, and Tamarindo BBQ sauces and an adobo seasoning.  
• Tia Lupita Foods​ ​is a food and sauce brand using cactus in its grain-free tortilla chips and tortillas, which the brand claims help reduce water waste and the overall carbon footprint of food manufacturing. ​
• True Spirit Beverage Company​ ​is a non-alcoholic beverage brand that offers Parch, an agave cocktail that's available in Spice Pinarita and Prickly Paloma.

PepsiCo also named three additional finalists in the area of food and beverage technology and sustainability, which include: 

• Dathic​ ​is a technology company that provides an AI-based platform for insight and analytics into the Hispanic market, which can be used to optimize distribution and find market opportunities. 
• FoodWare​ ​is a tracking system and impacts accounting platform with a mission of eliminating single-use food packaging through a collect and return program. 
• Hyfé​ ​is a company focused on repurposing food supply chain wastewater and the nutrients that are washed away in it for use in foods, materials, and chemicals.

"We are inspired by each of the finalists selected for this year's PepsiCo Greenhouse Accelerator cohort. Each company truly represents the Hispanic community's strong entrepreneurial spirit and ingenuity,​" said Antonio Escalona, senior VP & GM of Hispanic business unit at PepsiCo Foods North America in the announcement press release. "We look forward to seeing the progress made during each step of the six-month mentorship journey and setting each business up for long-term success.​"