The spotlight this week is on D.C.'s foodies, as two local startups take major steps toward national recognition.
Snack makers Ayoba-Yo and Snacklins both are participating in competitions this week that may propel their brands to new heights.
Rockville, Md.-based Snacklins, which makes vegan pork rind snacks – yes, you read that correctly – is appearing on ABC's 'Shark Tank' on Sunday in search of an investment deal.
The company's co-founder, Samy Kobrosly, will pitch the company’s low-calorie mushroom- and yuca-based chip during the fourth episode of the shows 11th season.
“Having the chance to be in the room with some of America's most prominent investors and to share our product with a national audience is surreal," he said in a statement. "I still can’t believe it happened, I'll be anxiously tuning in on the 20th so I can stop pinching myself.”
Founded in 2015, Snacklins began as a joke between friends to create a vegan pork rind. After a move to the D.C. area and five years as morning radio personality Samy K on "The Kane Show," Kobrosly struck out to develop his idea at D.C.-based food startup accelerator Union Kitchen.
This summer, the startup named Kevin Blesy as its new CEO after his stint as head of strategy at fast-growing D.C. pizza chain &pizza. Blesy said in August he will focus on establishing scalable production and supply chain systems, as well as attracting and developing employees on both the production and corporate sides of the brand.
Snacklins recently opened a new production facility in Rockville, and it was rated among the top food trends of 2019 by Whole Foods. It's currently available on Amazon and at Whole Foods in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, some Walmart stores, Thrive Market and several 7-Eleven stores in Los Angeles.
But what about a meatier snack?
Ayoba-Yo, a South African-style meat snacks company based in Fairfax, was announced as a finalist for Amazon's first-ever Small Business Spotlight Awards.
Co-founded by brothers Wian and Emile van Blommestein, who grew up in South Africa, Ayoba-Yo makes an alternative to traditional beef jerky with air-dried meat snacks known as biltong and droewors. The high-protein snack is made with beef that is air-dried for two weeks, rather than cooked like regular jerky, resulting in a product with less sugar and artificial ingredients.
The Small Business Spotlight Awards program was established this year to honor small businesses selling in Amazon’s stores. More than 1,300 U.S. small businesses were nominated, and finalist selections were based on startups' origin story and company vision, customer centricity and product innovation, selection and value. Amazon customers can vote for Ayoba-Yo in the Small Business of the Year category, which has six finalists.
If it wins, the 4-year-old meat snack startup will receive account management services, advertising credits and a trip to Amazon’s Seattle headquarters. The recognition follows Ayoba-Yo going through the inaugural incubator class for Kraft Heinz Springboard last year.
