US: Snacks brands merge to launch Awakened Food Crafters

  • 2 April 2021
Awakened Food Crafters offers private label and co-manufacturing capabilities to snacks brands
Photo as seen on Awakened Foods website

Ka-Pop! Snacks, makers of sorghum grain popped chips and puffs, and Bubba’s Fine Foods, makers of paleo and keto-friendly snacks, granolas, and private-label goods, have merged their businesses and formed Awakened Foods. The new venture competes in the fastest-growing food trends in the $110 billion global healthy snacks market and the $38 billion global cereal and granola markets.

“The combination of two companies at this early trajectory is extraordinary – it’s rare to find such a perfect fit in culture, capabilities, products, and innovation,” said Dustin Finkel, founder of Ka-Pop! Snacks and chief executive of Awakened Foods. “This merger allows us to simultaneously accelerate our top and bottom line, building on an already strong gross margin foundation and 2020 growth rates of over 200%,” 

Based in Colorado, Finkel started Ka-Pop! after years of running CPG brands. His career includes roles at General Mills, WhiteWave Foods, and Famous Brands International.

As part of the merger, Awakened Foods launched Awakened Food Crafters, a new division offering private label and co-manufacturing.

“In a recent survey we conducted, we found that well over 50% of natural food brands were dissatisfied with their current co-manufacturer,” said Finkel. “Often it’s because their co-manufacturing is unable to work with high growth brands with rigorous standards.”

Finkel argued that’s not the case with Awakened Food Crafters. “We are branded business owners living that same experience. We have designed our entire team and manufacturing facility around the belief that we need to accelerate capabilities in health, taste, and quality for fast-growing partners.”

Awakened Food Crafters

From left: Dustin Finkel and Jeff Schmidgall, Awakened Foods

Awakened Food Crafters is headquartered in Loveland, Colorado and brings together a leadership team with more than 70 years of CPG and food manufacturing experience to the table with a wide variety of production and innovation capabilities.

“Our philosophy is that making and sharing food is a sacred privilege,” said Jeff Schmidgall, co-founder of Bubba´s Fine Foods and chief operating officer of Awakened Foods. “We take that responsibility incredibly seriously, and we bring that same commitment to our co-manufacturing and private label clients,”

Bubba’s Fine Foods began in 2014, positioning itself in the natural health food segment with smart, healthy choices that meet big, bold flavours.

Schmidgall noted the company’s capabilities for natural food brands, big and small, are unique in the industry. “Additionally, our central location and top-tier food safety and quality standards make Awakened Food Crafters a fantastic solution for so many in the better for you industry,” he added.

Awakened Food Crafters meets rigorous certification requirements, including SQF Level 2 certification, and offers gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO project, nut-free, and kosher certifications.

The company also provide clients full R&D support, strategic consulting, and broad production capabilities across snacks, granolas, extruded products, banana chips, and popped chips.