2025 Shelfie Awards: Meet the WINNERS!
Drum roll please…announcing the 2025 Shelfie Award WINNERS!
After sampling over 1,800 products, our 5th annual Shelfies Awards were our most competitive yet. Our judges worked tirelessly to select the 31 winners -with some categories offering such wild competition that we couldn’t settle on just one winner! We are continuously amazed by all of the innovation in this community, and we are so grateful to all of the powerful brands who applied. We are endlessly grateful for your participation in the community and the industry as a whole!
But first…MAJOR shoutout to our sponsors for making the 2025 Shelfies possible – and the prizes finalists and winners can expect from them!:
- Social Nature is a product discovery platform for natural brands powered by over +1 million high-intent shoppers. Over +600 CPG brands use Social Nature to connect with their target customers, support key retail accounts and gain access to actionable shopper insights. Exclusive Offer for Shelfie Finalists: 500 free credits for any brands that are sold in over 100+ doors (excluding alcohol), valid for use within 6 months.
- Green Spoon is helping bring us our first-ever “Sustainability-First Shelfie”, is built on a mission to prioritize People and Planet above Prosperity and Profit. Take Root by Green Spoon is a dedicated team with a small portfolio, focused on providing early-stage brands the strategic guidance and extra attention. Exclusive Offer for Shelfie Finalists: Brands selected into their Take Root program will receive 1 free month of broker services!
- minisocial is a fully-managed platform that connects brands with micro-influencers who share your product(s) with their audience AND create high-quality fully-licensed UGC for you to use across your own marketing channels, like in ads, emails, organic social, your website and beyond! Exclusive Offer for Shelfie Finalists: A free UGC and micro-influencer strategy call with the minisocial team, we’ll chat about your current strategy, ways to scale up working with creators, and where you should be using UGC.
- Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, works with grocers and retailers to transform how people shop. With Instacart Ads, thousands of CPG brands – from category leaders to emerging brands – partner with the company to connect directly with consumers online, right at the point of purchase. Exclusive Offer for Shelfie Finalists: $300 in media credits or $300 match if an existing brand. Exclusive Offer for Shelfie Winners: Chance to participate in a 1:1 matching credit incentive, up to $1,000 per partner
- Vegan Copacker‘s mission is simple: to help brands grow with a facility that shares their values. They’re a bakery-specialized contract manufacturing and packaging partner with locations in Chicago and San Diego. Exclusive Offer a Shelfie Award Winner: $1000 cash prize towards your vegan brand and a Basic Product Photography & Videography Package (offered through Frost Venture).
- Cin7 is a StartupCPG partner and the leading provider of inventory management software (IMS) to CPG brands. Designed for SMBs, Cin7 provides the benefits you typically see in an ERP but in an easy to implement and use, cost effective IMS solution. Exclusive Offer for Shelfie Winners: Will receive 3 months free of Cin7 Core, Forbes’ #1 Inventory Management Software for 2025. (Offer not available to current Cin7 Customers)
Interested in becoming a sponsor for the 2026 Shelfie Awards? Reach out to partnerships@startupcpg.com
Now, let’s meet the winners!
ALCOHOL
Dokkaebier – Yuza Blonde Ale
This is one of the most complex beers we’ve ever tasted!
Dokkaebier is an Asian-inspired craft brewery based out of Oakland, California. They’re all about brewing creative flavors that combine unique and tasty ingredients with traditional beer styles, aiming to refresh the soul, foster togetherness, and delight people in unexpected ways.
BAKING
FROST Buttercream – Vanilla Bakery Frosting
FROST is unlike any product we’ve seen in this category – they’ve taken a complex process like creating buttercream and made it entirely accessible for novice bakers and professionals alike.
FROST brings a touch of sweetness & the reminder that life’s worth celebrating. They empower home-bakers with a gourmet shortcut to achieve bakery-quality results. By providing all-natural frosting without the hassle, you’ll spend less time prepping and more time celebrating.
BEVERAGES
Brause – Malt Beer
Brause’s proving that a great beverage doesn’t have to choose to live in an NA set or a soda set – it can be both, all at once! We love these authentic German beverages and can’t wait to pair them with our next meal.
Brause is proving you don’t have to settle for basic soda. Brause is German craft soda that’s complete with crisp, sharp bubbles and subtle sweetness that comes from apples and/or dates only.
BEVS WITH BENEFITS
RINGA – Lemon + Ginger
We love what RINGA is doing to incorporate Moringa into their products without losing the integrity of the plant – Moringa enhanced only with real, natural ingredients and no weird added flavors or added sugars needed.
RINGA creates delicious and nutritious beverages that inspire people to lead healthier and more mindful lives while remaining socially vigilant.
BREAKFAST
Soul Grain – Banana Pudding Granola
Woah. We’ve never had a granola like this before. The flavor. The texture. You’ve gotta get your snacking groove on with the Soul Grain.
Granola is generally considered boring, and much of it is not as nutritious as it is perceived to be, so the mission at Soul Grain is to produce granola that is flavorful and healthy for the mind, body and soul.
CANDY
Häppy Candy – Big Apple Gummy Hearts
Gummies like no other – drenched in juicy, fruity flavor – these are sure to leave you feeling like the name intended – happy!
Häppy Candy’s mission is to create truly better-for-you candy that helps their customers feel happier and live healthier.
Wild West Chocolate – Grizzly Oatmilk Chocolate Bar with Raspberry & Hazelnut
Chocolate sweetened with fruit! Yes! We don’t know about you, but we’re swapping our old chocolate bars for Wild West, no question. Pure ingredients, pure intention – these bars are on a mission – literally!
Wild West Chocolate is a women-led, mission-driven brand, is changing the game in the confectionery industry with its groundbreaking organic chocolate sweetened exclusively with whole, crushed fruit. Inspired by the spirit of the West, the love of wild places, a commitment to responsible food production and providing a better-for-you sweet tooth alternative.
COFFEE & TEA
Savorista – Yesso! Espresso
Decaf is queen – love espresso but don’t want the caff? Grab this. Decaf doesn’t need to be flavorless and Savorista is proving that!
Savorista’s mission is to craft astonishingly delicious decaf and half caf coffees that empower people to enjoy the ritual and flavor of coffee – without the negative effects of too much caffeine – so they can feel their best and savor life fully.
SPORT NUTRITION / PROTEIN
DEFI Snacks – Milk Chocolate Crispy Superfood Bite
Protein can be fun – DEFI is making it fun and delicious with poppable, addictive superfood bites that feel like a fun snack instead of a purely functional food.
DEFI Snacks offers gluten-free, 25g protein chocolate with clean ingredients like whey, casein and buckwheat. It donates 1% of profits to support female entrepreneurs, blending health and social impact.
PWR^UP – Chocolate-Flavored Dip with Collagen Peptides
Put a lock on your refrigerator because you’ll need to hide this from your family and maybe even yourself. PWR^UP is truly reimagining what protein can be. This chocolate dip can be a fun addition to a fruit plate or charcuterie board, eaten straight up, or drizzled into your favorite beverage. The ways to PWR^UP are endless!
PWR-UP is a category-disrupting brand offering clean, high-protein, low-sugar snacks and beverages. Made with premium, non-GMO ingredients, it’s gut-friendly, Dr.-endorsed, and multi-use. Designed for all ages, PWR-UP fuels better energy while eliminating sugar overconsumption. Smarter, cleaner nutrition – anytime, anywhere
DIPS & SPREADS
Almond Delight – Dulce Nut De Leche
Almond Delight was flooding us with childhood memories. You have to taste it for yourself – it’s too good to put into words. All we can say is: Auntie Anne’s dupe, but waaaaay better.
Almond Delight creates clean, almond-based products that are delicious, dairy-free, and accessible, helping people enjoy better food without compromising on taste, quality, or health.
FROZEN FOOD
Loopini – Bianca al Tartufo Pizza
You’ve never had pizza like this. It’s a spiritual experience. Trust us. You’ll never look at pizza the same way again.
Loopini is reinventing pizza; elevating taste, upgrading ingredients, and revolutionizing nutrition. Powered by lupini, their protein-packed recipe makes pizza better for you, so you can enjoy it every day and feel good about it.
FROZEN SWEETS
Sabai Creamery – Pandan Coconut Ice Cream
Creamy, refreshing, and standout flavor profile – if you see this on a shelf, grab it!
Sabai Creamery celebrates Asian heritage and culture through premium, all-natural ice cream, while spreading joy along the way.
HEALTHY SNACKS
Ulu Foods – Rosemary & Thyme Breadfruit Bites
Our first experience with breadfruit did not dissapoint! Very innovative and totally delicious. A fruit that functions like bread? Sign us up.
Ulu Foods is dedicated to transforming food security and advancing the sustainability of global food systems by replacing carbon-intensive grains with breadfruit, a remarkable, versatile, and highly sustainable superfood.
HOT SAUCE
Pisqueya – Spicy Sweet Passion Fruit Hot Sauce
A hot sauce with a fruity punch! We’re confident even hot sauce haters will love the passionfruit forwardness of Pisqueya.
Pisqueya offers a premium selection of hot sauces and seasonings that capture the vibrant flavors of the founder’s childhood. Crafted with fresh, ethically sourced ingredients from regenerative farms in the Caribbean, their all-natural products are free from fillers, artificial ingredients, and added sugars, ensuring you savor the true essence of our flavors.
HOUSEHOLD
DTOCS – Palm Leaf 5″x7″ Oval Party Plate Set
We love a brand with a great story – DTOCS’ story and products are interwoven with each other and it comes through in the products – when you purchase DTOCS, you’re getting a piece of the story.
DTOCS’ mission is to provide stylish, sustainable, and compostable palm leaf tableware as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic and paper disposables.
KIDS
Jubilee’s – Chocolate Chip Cookie Organic Whole Milk
If your kid won’t drink regular milk – try this – it might just be the antidote for picky eaters in your life – it has been for us! No added sugar and fun flavors that adults will love too.
Jubilee’s mission is to relieve the stress 70% of parents experience everyday fighting their kids to eat healthy by offering a convenient, dessert-flavored functional milk packed with vitamins, protein and hidden veggies.
MIXERS
Quincy – Dirty Martini Brine & Olives
We love what Quincy’s doing – no artificial ingredients and full flavor – in gorgeous packaging, too! Martini lovers rejoice! You finally have a perfect dirty brine option with some olives, too!
Quincy is a premium line of cocktail mixers & garnishes rooted in high-quality ingredients, innovative products, and creative community engagement redefining what it means to make cocktails at and outside the home.
NON-ALCOHOLIC
OOSO Sparkling Tea – Hibiscus Ginger Currant
Finally! A sparkling tea that we can sip on like we would wine – we love this one especially for its bitter bite and no caffeine – and of course, no alcohol!
OOSO Sparkling Tea elevates the non-alcoholic experience with bold flavors, functional ingredients, and premium design – empowering you to embrace your most authentic self while making healthier choices, without the need for alcohol.
PASTA & SAUCES
Ciao Pappy – Creamy Calabrian Marinara Sauce
Correctly named – the creaminess in this sauce matched with the flavor will help you craft the perfect pasta dish – or even just use it as a dip! We love that the creaminess doesn’t mean heavy – we’d eat this any time of day.
Ciao Pappy crafts clean-label sauces inspired by the bold flavors of Italy and the fresh vibrancy of the California coast. Made with premium ingredients and no added sugar, their chef-driven sauces elevate pantry staples with a modern, West Coast twist.
PERSONAL CARE
BEJOU – Hydrating Dew Moisturizer
BEJOU is offering clean beauty for customers who are looking for a gentle moisturizer that will go to battle for your skin without blocking your pores and breaking your skin barrier! We love how we feel and look after using BEJOU!
BEJOU is sensitive skin and hyperpigmentation-first skincare, featuring the first Latin American natural retinol alternative to smooth, brighten, and even skin tone. They bridge the gap between hyperpigmentation and sensitivity – because everyone deserves a healthy, radiant complexion without compromise.
PET CARE
Brutus Broth – Probiotic Meal Topper
If you’re not adding a meal topper to your dog’s food, what are you even doing? We have seen first hand how hydrating your pup’s food with Brutus Broth will take their wellness to the next level. 10/10 recommend!
Brutus Broth’s mission is to nourish your pet while giving back to the community.
PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVES
MILKish – Unsweetened Original Watermelon Seedmilk
We couldn’t believe it either – WATERMELON SEED MILK? In a world full of alt milks containing allergens – MILKish is definitely a standout for us – great flavor and versatility – this is a perfect option for retailers and consumers alike seeking a new alt to dairy milk or nut milks.
MILKish is on a mission to empower healthier lives and a thriving planet through the power of a hidden superfood: watermelon seeds.
SAUCES & CONDIMENTS
Masala Gossip – Chana Masala Sauce
Masala Gossip has made preparing a delicious Indian meal at home a breeze. This sauce is full of flavor, perfectly balanced, and wrapped in beautiful packaging.
Masala Gossip’s mission is to bring the vibrant flavors of Indian home cooking to every table, making real and flavorful meals easy, fun, and accessible for all.
SEASONINGS & OILS
DIME – The OG Everyday MSG Seasoning
A brand that is delicious and educational? Yes, please! We learned something from DIME, and we know the world can too.
DIME is flipping the narrative about MSG with an everyday seasoning that delivers bold, simple umami.
SAVORY SNACKS
EL NACHO – ¡Yo Piña! Pineapple BBQ Tortilla Chips
These need to come with a warning label – you might black out while eating them and wonder where your bag went.
El Nacho crafts chef-developed tortilla chips using in-house nixtamalized regenerative white corn and avocado oil. With bold flavors like Ms. Mango and Yo Pina, they deliver fearless, flavorful snacks that celebrate individuality and spark joyful connection.
Keya’s Snacks – Bombay Spice Potato Chips
Unbelievably tasty. Not greasy. Out of this world branding. We’re waiting for a bigger bag to launch because we can’t get enough of Keya’s.
Keya’s is built on culture and backed by flavor – Indian American potato chips!
SUMMER ESSENTIALS
Lottie’s Meats – The Lottie
High quality, serious flavor. This is meat done right. A fan favorite for kids and adults alike.
Lottie’s Meats is a new, sister-founded pork sausage brand bringing chef-crafted, all natural pork products back to consumers in a new & meaningful way.
SUPPLEMENTS
A.I.M. Nutrition – Sleep MeltinStrips
We love the format that A.I.M. is delivering their supplements in – a melting strip! Goodbye to classic pill formats and hello to A.I.M. – we also love the compact nature of the packaging – no clinking around – it helps make taking your favorite supplements easy and discreet – no water needed.
AIM Nutrition is all about combining science with simplicity. They envision a world where wellness is effortless. A world where you don’t have to choose between results and convenience.
SUSTAINABILITY WITH GREEN SPOON
Roaring Fork Mill – Rye Flour
All of Roaring Fork Mill’s grains are grown by Colorado farms using organic and regenerative practices. They have a strong bias to ancient and heritage wheat varieties that require fewer inputs and protect the topsoil of nutrients, and all of their grain is non-GMO.
SWEET SNACKS
Evie’s Snacks – Cinnamon Churro Pecans
The freshest pecans we’ve ever tasted – matched with an undeniably delicious coating. It doesn’t get better than Evie’s – they grow their own pecans!
Evie’s Snacks is on a mission to make better-for-you snacking irresistibly delicious. Woman-owned and sourced from family farms in South Texas, they craft lightly sweetened, perfectly roasted pecans with 1/3 total sugar, while supporting regenerative farming for a healthier planet and future.
All Comments