ANNOUNCING THE 2026 SHELFIE AWARD FINALISTS!
THE BIGGEST FREE AWARDS PROGRAM IN CPG IS NOW EVEN BIGGER, WITH OVER 2,000 ENTRIES!
The moment we’ve all been waiting for: the finalist selections for the 2026 Startup CPG Shelfie Awards are here!
Our mission at Startup CPG is to elevate emerging consumer brands. Since the inception of the Shelfies in 2020, we have been wildy attentive to the unique challenges that small emerging CPG brands face. Among these challenges is the cost and labor barrier to nominating products for big-name awards — so we created our own to recognize the best-of-the-best emerging CPG brands. After trying over 2,000 products IN ONE WEEK. Now, it’s time to meet the finalists who stood out among the crowd!
But first…MAJOR shoutout to our sponsors for making the 2026 Shelfies possible – and the prizes finalists and winners can expect from them!:
WISECODE™ SPONSOR & PRIZE ⭐
WISEcode is the Food Intelligence Platform powered by 174 scientists at the NIH, USDA, and universities worldwide. Our intelligence goes ingredient by ingredient across the entire packaged food supply, giving emerging CPG brands the verification and visibility they need to win shelf space and earn shopper trust.
- Know exactly where your products stand on UPF
- Get verified and carry the signal shoppers are already looking for
- Turn ingredient quality into a competitive advantage on shelf
- Reach health-conscious consumers who are already scanning your products
Exclusive Prize for Non-UPF Category Shelfies Winner: Your full product portfolio verified as Non-UPF at no cost for 12 months, plus a co-produced brand documentary and a professional co-branded commercial shoot.
Exclusive Prize for Shelfies Non-UPF Category Finalists: Up to 10 SKUs verified as Non-UPF at no cost for 12 months, plus a featured social media video that puts your brand in front of the audience already looking for products like yours.
Exclusive Offer for All Other Shelfies Finalists: 1 SKU verified as Non-UPF at no cost for 12 months. Know where your product stands and carry the verification that gives shoppers a reason to choose you.
LIQUID DATA GO® SPONSOR & PRIZE ⭐
Official Syndicated Data Partner of The 2026 Shelfie Awards
Circana’s Liquid Data Go is a turnkey, affordable insights platform for emerging CPG brands, delivering actionable insights in under 24 hours. With 15% broader coverage across major U.S. retailers, it provides instant visibility into category performance, shoppers, pricing and competition, without the cost or complexity of traditional analytics.
- Win, grow and keep shelf space
- Know your category and consumer
- Find & target the right buyers
- Identify new growth levers
Exclusive Liquid Data Go Offer for Shelfies Winners: 25% off your first-year subscription, or a 25% off any additional report bundle if you’re already a Liquid Data Go customer.
Exclusive Liquid Data Go Offer for Shelfies Finalists: 10% off your first-year subscription, or a 10% off any additional report bundle if you’re already a Liquid Data Go customer.
Circana transforms complexity into clarity. It is a leader in providing technology, AI, and data to fast-moving consumer packaged goods companies, durables manufacturers, and retailers seeking to optimize their businesses.
RHO SPONSOR & PRIZE ⭐
Official Banking Partner of the 2026 Shelfie Awards
Rho is the all-in-one banking platform for startups and the accountants who support them. With banking set up in minutes, 2% cashback cards, and powerful tools for managing spend, paying bills, and closing the books, Rho helps high-growth startups move fast and stay focused – with support that goes to the ends of the earth to help customers win.
Exclusive Offer for Shelfie Winners & Finalists:
Winners will receive
- $1600 Statement Credit
- Free Times Square billboard plus a free LED ad truck
- Featured shoutout on Linkedin amplified by the Rho team
Finalists will receive
- $1600 Statement Credit
- Free Times Square billboard
Terms & Conditions Apply for all items
Rho is a fintech company, not a bank. Checking and card services provided by Webster Bank, N.A., member FDIC; savings account services provided by American Deposit Management Co. and its partner banks. Investment management and advisory services provided by RBB Treasury LLC dba Rho Treasury, an SEC-registered investment adviser and subsidiary of Rho. See eligibility and complete Rho Cashback Rewards Program terms and conditions here.
CIN7 SPONSOR & PRIZE ⭐
Cin7 is a Startup CPG 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. Cin7’s mission is to make it cheaper, faster, and easier for businesses to get their products into their customer’s hands.
Cin7 helps growing CPG brands:
- Manage suppliers, inventory, orders, and warehouses
- Connect to ecommerce and big box retail sale channels
- Optimize stock levels with advanced reporting & AI-powered forecasting
- Scale with zero-touch automations and native integrations to business-critical apps such as QuickBooks, Shopify, Amazon, and Square
Exclusive Offer for Shelfie Winners: Will receive 3 months free of Cin7 Core, Forbes’ #1 Inventory Management Software for 2026. (Offer not available to current Cin7 Customers)
MINISOCIAL SPONSOR & PRIZE ⭐
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!
minisocial worked with over 1,000 CPG brands to help them create content for their marketing channels and get new eyes on their products.
Exclusive Offer for Shelfie Winners: Brands selected as Shelfie Winners can redeem a free UGC and micro-influencer strategy call with the minisocial team, they’ll chat about your current strategy, ways to scale up working with creators, and where you should be using UGC. This offer is valid for use within six months.
Let them help you build a community of super fans around your product!
FB SOLUTIONS GROUP SPONSOR & PRIZE ⭐
FB Solutions Group (FBSG) is the strategic partner for beverage entrepreneurs, providing end-to-end development, production, and sourcing solutions. Through its specialized divisions—BevSource and AlcSource—FBSG offers the operational expertise and infrastructure needed to optimize supply chains and accelerate growth for emerging brands.
FBSG is so convinced pilot runs are a best practice for successful beverage brands that it wants to help founders experience the benefits firsthand. Pilot runs help:
- Fix Issues Early: Identify potential formulation or production hurdles before a full-scale run
- Optimize Production: Transition seamlessly to co-packers with detailed blend notes and data
- Impress Buyers: Showcase your beverage with commercial-grade prototypes for presentations and tastings
- Determine Shelf Life: Establish critical data required by retailers and for quality control
- Validate Your Product: Samples for consumer focus groups and trade shows
Exclusive Offer for Shelfie Winners: $6,000 credit toward a first pilot production run, PLUS free standard QA packaging testing and accelerated shelf-life testing. (Valid for 12 months).
Plus Forty connects CPG founders with qualified, pre-vetted offshore talent, while handling the admin, compliance, and ongoing support behind the scenes. Plus Forty takes care of sourcing, vetting, contracts, payroll, benefits and more, so founders can offload execution and focus on growth.
Plus Forty places talent across:
- Operations, supply-chain and inventory management
- Marketing – influencer outreach, social media management, and more
- Customer service, admin, and executive support
- Sales support & account management
- Graphic design, video editing and all things creative
Exclusive Offer for Shelfie Winners: Make your first offshore hire through Plus Forty and we’ll cover an entire month of their work. Plus 20% off your second placement invoice when you’re ready to scale.
Exclusive Offer for Shelfie Finalists: Make your first offshore hire through Plus Forty and get 20 free hours from day one.
CALIFORNIA WALNUTS SPONSOR & PRIZE ⭐
The California Walnut Board (CWB) represents more than 3,700 California walnut growers and approximately 70 handlers, grown in multi-generational farmers’ family orchards. The CWB, established in 1948, promotes usage of walnuts in the United States through publicity and educational programs. The CWB also provides funding for walnut production, food safety, post-harvest research and food and beverage innovation.
Exclusive Offer for Shelfie Winners: Shelfie Winners can schedule a 30-minute innovation strategy call. During this session, the team will review the brand’s current product line, explore how walnuts can be incorporated, and share tailored insights on relevant trends and product categories. The call must be scheduled within six months.
Interested in becoming a sponsor for next year’s 2027 Shelfie Awards? Reach out to partnerships@startupcpg.com
⭐ ⭐ AND ONE LAST THING: DON’T MISS THE SHELFIES LIVE WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT ON 8/24 AT 1PM ET! ⭐ ⭐
Join our VP of Marketing and Events, Patricia Menegoto and our Managing Editor, Caitlin Bricker as they announce the 2026 Shelfie Winners LIVE on YouTube — register now so you don’t miss out on the live announcements! (add to your calendar)
AND THE 2026 FINALISTS ARE…
ALCOHOL
Do Asian Cocktails
Yuzu Lemon Vodka Cocktail
Real fruit. Real Flavor. Rooted in Asia. Made in Florida.
KLEOS Mastiha Spirit
The Mastiha Spirit
Greek aperitif made from the ancient Greek superfood – mastiha. Good for the gut.
Original Henry Lambert’s Beer
Mid-Strength Lager
Lambert’s Mid-Strength Lager. 2.5% ABV. 77 Calories. 0 Sugar.
BABY/KIDS
Babylife Organics
Peach, Pear, Strawberry, Banana & Watermelon
Babylife Organics – Stage 2 Regenerative Organic Certified Purees.
BARI
Japanese Veggie Curry
Nutritious entrées for babies with diverse ingredients & authentic Asian flavors.
Benni Pops
Strawberry Mint
Organic, dairy-free pops blending nostalgic flavor with a functional twist.
BAKING
ChickyDough
Confetti Cake Chickpea-Based Cookie Mix
ChickyDough Chickpea-Based Cookie Mix. Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, makes 12 Cookies.
Cho’s Bakeshop
Chewy Fudgy Brownie Mix
Premium, chef-crafted baking mixes for bakery-quality results at home
Cravings by Chrissy Teigen
Sweet & Sticky Carrot Cake Kit
Heavenly Coconut Key Lime Cake Mix – The perfect blend of tangy lime and velvety coconut cake Sweet & Sticky Carrot Cake – Richly spiced cake with caramel glaze and cream cheese frosting. Strawberry Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix – Strawberry mochi mix for fluffy, gluten-free pancakes and waffles.
Oh So Easy!
Miso Caramel Brownie mix
BEVERAGE
Alive & Well Kombucha
The Carpenter: Palo Santo Kombucha
Kombucha reimagined—clean, calm, and designed to fit everyday life.
Black Beverly Hills
Blueberry Spirulina Sea Moss Lemonade
Organic sea moss lemonade with real functional benefits
Purple Drop
Craft Brewed Purple Corn Peruvian Super Drink
Peru’s iconic purple corn chicha morada, reimagined for modern wellness
BEVERAGE WITH BENEFITS
Chlorophyll Water
Chlorophyll Water
Tart
Original Cherry
Tart is a healthy lifestyle beverage focused around tart cherry & mineral water.
BREAKFAST
aziz
Tahini Cacao Granola
Luxury granola rooted in Iranian heritage: saffron, rose, cardamom, tahini.
Dawnbreaker Oats
Apple Cinnamon Protein Oatmeal
High-protein, low-sugar instant oatmeal made from clean ingredients.
Good Grains
Organic Cinnamon Puffs
Organic cereal with simple ingredients, great taste, and Non-UPF certification
CANDY
GingerGems
Candied Ginger with Toasted Sesame Seeds
Candied Ginger Root with Lemon, Turmeric , or Sesame Seeds
CHOCOLATE
Disco Cow
Chocolate Whipped Cottage Cheese
Clean-ingredient, high-protein whipped cottage cheese dips and spreads
Gigantic
ZAZ
Brown Chocolate Pistachio Chocobar
Clean Swiss chocolate bars with creamy centers and bold flavors.
COFFEE
COMPLEX FLAVOR – SAUCE
Elephant Green Chili Chutney
Elephant Green Chili Chutney
Zesty, Sweet and Spicy – Bold global green chili chutney made with simple clean ingredients.
West Indies Peppa Sauce – WIPS
Yellow Scotch Bonnet Peppa Sauce
WIPS Scotch Bonnet pepper sauces in two flavors: citrusy, tangy.
DIPS & SPREADS
Cotto
Buffalo Whipped Cottage Cheese Dip
Whipped cottage cheese dips, naturally high protein, with simple ingredients.
Yaya’s Greek Almond Dip
Original Garlic Greek Almond Dip
Crave-worthy Greek almond dip. Simple, fresh ingredients
FROZEN FOOD
Jennie’s House
Handmade focaccia with organic heirloom grains, ready in minutes.
PAPA’s Rice
Diri Djon Djon (Mushroom Rice)
Fully cooked Afro-Caribbean rice, authentic flavor, ready in minutes.
FROZEN TREAT
Nina’s Noms
Guava Dream – Brazilian Cheese Bread
Crispy outside, chewy and cheesy, delicious fillings, naturally gluten-free.
Rivo Protein Ice Cream
Green Mint Chip Protein Ice Cream
Rivo is an all natural, indulgent protein ice cream brand
TruCrumb
Premium frozen, gluten free doughs – breakfast, dessert, snack – place & bake.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Lucille
A real-food ingredient, high-protein, high-calorie complete nutrition shake in chocolate and vanilla.
MPG
Sour Watermelon Performance Gummies
Great-tasting sports fuel gummies with carbs and electrolytes for energy.
Wellious
Almond Protein Powder – Real Vanilla
Clean, plant-based protein for better taste and better digestion.
HEALTHY SNACK
Gato Dates
Pistachio Butter Dark Chocolate Covered Dates
Dark chocolate covered, nut butter stuffed Medjool dates.
Jöey Nordic Seed Crisps
Rosemary & Black Pepper Seed Crisps
Gluten-free, No Seed Oil All-organic 7-seed-crisps
Valley Walnut
Walnuts Without the Bitterness – Skinless Raw Walnuts
Skinless walnuts and black sesame walnut butter
HOT SAUCE
Cantina Royal Hot Sauce
Tamaulipeka Sweet Tamarind & Smoky Chile Hot Sauce
Boldly complex hot sauce.
MOTO
Calabrian Chili Hot Sauce
HYDRATION
N-2 Water
Strawberry Lemonade Mineral-First Hydration Mix
Mineral-focused hydration that adds essential minerals back to your water.
INTERNATIONAL FROZEN FOOD
Agi’s Caribbean
Chicken Curry Samosa
Guyanese Chicken Curry/Vegan Samosas with Tamarind Sauce, Guyanese Pepper Sauce
LuLu Asian Kitchen
Ginger Chicken Dumplings
All natural frozen Asian American entrees and dumplings.
KITCHEN COMPANION
BRISCA
Arbequina & Picual Extra Virgin Olive Cooking Oil
Premium Spanish extra virgin olive oil, bold and vibrant.
ONOIN
Original – Chopped Onions in 100% Olive Oil
Pre-Chopped and Flavored Onions in 100% Olive Oil.
Si Salt
Fleur De Sel – Sun-Blessed Mexican Sí Salt
Unrefined sea salt with superior texture for everyday use.
NON-UPF – PRESENTED BY WISECODE
Mama Teav’s
Spicy Hot Garlic All Natural Chili Crisp
All natural chili crisp. Seven simple ingredients. Bold, Umami, Spicy.
Willa’s Organic
Organic Kids Chocolate Oat Milk with Protein
Kids & Kids Chocolate: Clean, 8g protein, 50% less sugar than dairy. Chocolate: Delicious hot or cold, with or without coffee.
NON-ALCHOLIC
FABRIC
Low-dose citrus THC infused hop water. Zero Calorie, Zero Sugar.
Nouvie
Sparkling De-Alcoholized Spanish White Wine (750ml Bottle)
Premium dealcoholized wines that actually tastes like wine.
PASTA & SAUCE
Harry’s Famous Sauce
Lemon Pepper Dill Sauce
Delicious, chef-crafted sauces made with real, nutritious ingredients for easy meals worth savoring.
Hotpot Queen
Spicy Thick Cut Hotpot Noodles
Bold, authentic Sichuan noodles inspired by iconic street flavors.
Pastacraft
Aglio E Olio Pasta Sauce Starter
Pastacraft + butter/olive oil + pasta water = restaurant-quality organic sauce.
The Sunday Sauce Company, LLC
Original 76 Beef Bone Marrow-Infused Tomato Sauce
Beef Bone Marrow Infused Tomato Sauce
PERSONAL CARE
Aerchitect
Focus Cognitive Reset Mist
Fine functional fragrance for nervous system regulation: Calm, Focus, Ground.
Efpy Beauty
Calm Micro-Dose Lip Balm
Micro-dose lip balm delivering daily wellness support through trusted actives
Fluency Beauty
I Am Brave Vegan Cream Blush Palette for Cheeks & Lips
The Blush Palette is a high-pigment cream formula colored exclusively with regeneratively farmed superfoods and vegetables. It provides multi-use application for cheeks and lips.
HiBAR
Cleanse – Solid Face Wash
Solid (plastic-free) anhydrous products made with premium ingredients that are safe for people and planet.
PET CARE
HOLY CAP
Calm & Chill Creamy Lickable Treats – Mackerel, Mushroom & Turkey
Functional mushroom and superfood lickable treats for cats and dogs.
Wiggle Whip by GreenLine Pet Supply
Barkin Blueberry – Freeze-Dried Dog Ice Cream
Wiggle Whip Freeze-dried Dog Ice Cream
PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVE
PROTEIN
Samsāra Nutrition
Masala Peanut Protein Bar
South Asian-inspired protein bars: 15g protein, 7g fiber.
Tuff Pops
Double Dutch Cocoa Soft & Creamy Frozen Protein Snack
High-Protein Ice Cream Bars. 12 grams of protein pop.
SAUCES & CONDIMENTS
Alchemy of Food
Creole Honey Mustard
Zippy, Golden, Punchy.
Creole mustard blended with honey and warm spices creates a zippy, flavorful mustard with heat, sweetness, and depth. Sharp, smooth, and highly versatile.
Use on sandwiches, pretzels, chicken, seafood, or as a base for dressings, marinades, and glazes.
Nan Yang Delight
Spicy Acar – Malaysian Pickled Vegetables
Sweet, tangy Malaysian pickled vegetables with vibrant crunch
Simrancooks
The Mother Mix – Spanish Sofrito Cooking Base
The Mother Mix: A rich Spanish sofrito simmer sauce for effortless, flavorful meals. The Red Drizzler, Mild: Smoky, garlicky mojo rojo with bold flavor and gentle heat. Red Hot Honey Drizzler: Sweet heat with smoky spice for drizzling, dipping, glazing.
The Cumin Club
Paneer Tikka Masala Sauce
Freeze-dried Indian meals – Cumin Rice, Paneer Tikka Masala, Korma Sauce
SAVORY SNACK
Croots
Sesame Hot Honey Snacking Croutons
Croots are sourdough snacking croutons made with bold flavors and clean ingredients.
Little Latke
Garlic Parm Potato Crisps
Modern potato crisps inspired by latkes, clean ingredients, craveable crunch.
Local Style Chips
Hot Giard Kettle Cooked Potato Chips
Kettle-cooked potato chips that taste like Chicago famous foods.
Tozi Superfoods
Blue Corn Totopos
Clean, authentic tortillas and chips made with Mexican ancient grain amaranth.
SKINCARE
Eithio
Calm Rush Oat and Adaptogen Soothing Mask
Calming, hydrating face mask for irritated, vulnerable, or post-pick skin.
Evre
Wake Me Up Watermelon & Rose Hydrating Face Mist
Super Nice Mānuka Honey & Vitamin E Face Moisturizer
SWEET SNACK
Byte’m Brownie Bites
Cookies N’ Cream Brownie Bites
Tasty Brownie Bites based on homemade flavor with real toppings.
French Squirrel
French Toast Bisous
Healthier sweet snacks (nut butter-stuffed dates, cereal clusters), protein bites, and nut butters (almond & peanut).
Grammies Crackers
The “OG” Graham Crackers
Wholesome artisan graham crackers in nostalgic, elevated flavors.
Nut Just a Cookie
Lemon with Hints of Cardamom
Simple ingredients. Real sugar. Crunchy almond cookies that actually deliver.
SWEETENER
Gusto and Co
Sea Salt Caramel Date Syrup
Naturally sweet organic date syrup, no refined sugar, no additives.
Honey Department
100% Raw Thick Honey
Thick Honey – 100% raw honey, thickened and squeezed from a tube.
YAY NOVELTY
Wild Honey – Straight from the Native Forest
Wild Honey, Unsweetened Dried Mango 2 oz and 1 LB.
TEA
Beck’s Broth
Protein Matcha Latte
Delicious bone broth beverages with 15g protein for daily nourishment.
Nusa
Javanese Spice Indonesian Jamu Drink Mix
Instant Indonesian jamu, bold spiced herbal drink, hot or iced.
Shinzo Matcha
Honey Matcha
Matcha sodas – fun, fizzy sodas with matcha; Flavored matcha – matcha in delicious flavors.
WOMEN’S HEALTH & WELLNESS
Iris + Arlo
100% Organic Cotton Pads – Regular
Sustainable period care brand combining innovation, safety, design and impact.
Mom Aid
Boob Aid – Nipple Ointment (Tallow Formula)
All-natural nipple ointment made with highly effective ingredients.
Syren Spreads
Chocolate Hazelnut Beauty Supplement
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FINALISTS!
Huge thank you to all brands that participated in this year’s awards – we encourage you to apply again next year – stay in the know via our newsletter, Slack, and social media where we will announce the opening of the 2027 Shelfie Awards next year!
DON’T MISS THE SHELFIES LIVE WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT ON 8/24 AT 1PM ET!
Join our VP of Marketing and Events, Patricia Menegoto and our Managing Editor, Caitlin Bricker as they announce the 2026 Shelfie Winners LIVE on YouTube — register now so you don’t miss out on the live announcements!
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