SnackFutures, the Mondelēz International, Inc. innovation and venture hub, announced the nine start-ups selected to participate in its third cohort of CoLab. 

The start-up engagement program, which launched in 2021, was designed to help build a portfolio of disruptive brands and venture pipeline for the global snacking leader. This year CoLab sought start-ups taking a unique approach to making snacks delicious, focusing on those that can strengthen Mondelēz International’s core businesses, as well as offer the potential to explore new categories.

The nine participants are:

- CocoTerra is an entrepreneurial personal chocolate maker. The CocoTerra machine enables chocolate lovers to simply and easily create their own dark, milk and white chocolate right in their own kitchens.
- DreamPops was created by ice cream & confection lovers who dreamed of enjoying iconic flavors in simple, non-dairy treats but couldn’t find any that satisfied their standards or sweet tooths. Their aim is for everyone to be able to enjoy plant-based, clean label frozen pops, bites and shelf stable candy crunch.
- Freezcake delivers small bites of fresh and creamy cheesecake that can be enjoyed with a cup of coffee or in the car. Crafted by a skilled pastry chef, every batch is prepared from scratch and ultra-dried at the height of its freshness.
- Incredible Eats allows consumers to treat themselves just a little longer with edible spoons and straws, which provide an alternative to single-use plastic utensils. They come in sweet and savory options, function for about an hour in cold foods and replace the use of single use plastics and dirty silverware.
- Legally Addictive gives consumers a sweet and salty experience all-in-one bite with its cracker-based cookies. The cracker base is topped with chocolate, handmade salted toffee and comes in a variety of flavors.
- Mezcla delivers a delightful combination of PUFF-CRISPY texture and plant protein in a crunchy snack bar experience. Each bar contains plant protein in unique flavor profiles.
- New Gem aims to make wrapping a serving of fruit / vegetable into your daily routine as easy as making a sandwich wrap or sushi.  These plant-based wraps use innovative technology that makes them alternatives to bread, tortillas and seaweed.
- Steiner’s Coffee Cake of New York prides itself on bringing fresh ideas to coffee cake – using ingredients that make it so delicious and yet gluten free. Created by a New York grandmother who was diagnosed celiac, Steiner’s still uses its original family recipe.
- Whoa Dough is a shelf-stable cookie dough bar created for health-conscious consumers. This ‘on-the-go’ version of the iconic kid bowl-licking experience is plant-based, gluten free and vegan.

Participants of CoLab receive a 12-week curriculum of virtual and hands on sessions, networking opportunities and a $20,000 grant.

www.snackfutures.com