KeHE Reveals Latest Round of Golden Ticket Winners

TrendFinder event discovers emerging brands for distributor’s portfolio

3/25/2022

Golden Ticket recipients gain exposure to more than 30,000 retail locations in KeHE's distribution network, receive assistance from KeHE experts on navigating distribution, and take part in promotional programs at no charge.

KeHE Distributors LLC has unveiled its most recent list of Golden Ticket winners from the company’s recent TrendFinder event, the second such event held this year and the first one held in person since the pandemic.

At the event, which took place live on March 9 at Natural Products Expo East, almost 60 brands pitched their products live to KeHE’s category management team. Each brand had 30 minutes to show KeHE why their products and business should be part of the distributor’s expansive portfolio.

Scoring brands on their ingredients, innovation, taste, scalability, packaging, purpose and passion, KeHE presented 21 brands with a Golden Ticket, meaning that each will advance in the distributor’s onboarding process. Each Golden Ticket recipient will gain exposure to more than 30,000 retail locations in the KeHE distribution network, receive assistance from KeHE experts on navigating distribution, and take part in promotional programs at no charge. TrendFinder also gives brands exposure to retailers of all sizes for potential marketing and sales opportunities.

The new Golden Ticket Winners included Lively Harvest Oat Pancake and Waffle Mix, made with high-quality ingredients that are Certified Gluten Free, non-GMO and kosher; Moodify Instant Oatmeal, featuring all-natural mood-boosting ingredients such as berries, bananas, chocolate, coffee, nuts and probiotics; Two Spoons Creamery Keto Ice Cream, a handcrafted, locally sourced, tummy-friendly super-premium low-carb/keto ice cream that’s spoon-soft in the freezer and stuffed with mix-ins; and Naked Life Non-Alcoholic Cocktails, which artfully distill botanicals with quality ingredients.

“We launched our TrendFinder events several years ago in person because we felt a need to connect one-on-one with innovative brands and hear their stories,” noted Rachelle Radcliffe, director of brand development at Naperville, Ill.-based KeHE. “As a next-generation distributor, we understand the importance of foraging for innovation and bringing that innovation to our retail partners. We can do that through our TrendFinder events.”

Applications are now open for KeHE’s next TrendFinder event, which is scheduled for May 2-6. The first 2022 TrendFinder event took place in February.

A Certified B Corporation with more than 6,800 employee-owners, KeHE is the largest pure-play distributor of natural and organic, specialty, and fresh products to more than 30,000 natural food stores, chain and independent grocery stores, e-commerce retailers, and other specialty retailers throughout North America.