Minneapolis-based Target Corp. has released a Valentine’s Day gift guide featuring products made by its accelerators' alumni companies.
With the holiday coming up next week, Target Accelerators highlighted several products from its past accelerator classes, ranging from artisan chocolate truffles to makeup for men.
The retailer offers two accelerator programs for consumer-packaged goods brands. One is the Target Forward Founders, catered to early-stage companies, and another, Target Takeoff, is for more mature companies that are ready to scale.
The application period for 2023’s programs has now closed, but Target recommends signing up for notifications to know when the next open application period takes place.
Here are some gift ideas for Valentine’s Day from products of Target Accelerator alum (see the gallery below this list for pictures of some of them):
- Cocktail dice – Houston-based Adventurous Bartender sells novelty gifts about cocktails. With the toss of a dice, a patron would be given a unique cocktail recipe (Forward Founders 2022)
- Artisan truffles and bars – New York City-based Harlem Chocolate Factory makes artisan chocolate from the Striver’s Row district of Harlem (Forward Founders 2021)
- Botanical- and herb-crafted wine – California-based Navina makes low-alcohol, low-calorie herbal wines (Forward Founders 2022)
- Ready-to-drink cocktails – Atlanta-based Phreshly sells canned cocktails (Forward Founders 2022)
- Honey and beeswax candles – New York City-based Zach & Zoe Sweet Bee Farm produces flavored honey and honey-based items (Takeoff Food and Beverage 2021)
- High-end candles – Oro Valley, Ariz.-based Desert Moonlight makes luxurious candles infused with essential oils and inspired by the four elements (Forward Founders 2022)
- Sugaring hair-removal products – Austin, Texas.-based Sugardoh makes at-home products for sugaring, a hair-removal technique using sugar paste (Takeoff Beauty Alum 2022)
- Hand-painted nail designs – Vancouver, Wash.-based Smitten Tips offers stick-on nail strips and accessories (Forward Founders 2022)
- Makeup for men -- New York City-based Mattias makes makeup products like concealer and tinted moisturizer (Forward Founders 2022)
- Unisex skin and body care – Venture, Calif.-based Ralphie & Alice creates personal care products, like vegan and organic lip balms (Forward Founders 2022)
