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Stacy's Rise Project

Stacy’s is continuing to change the course of “herstory” by announcing the

2024 STACY’S RISE PROJECT WINNERS!

MEET THESE AMAZING FOUNDERS

Essie Bartels

About: Vegan, small-batch cooking sauces, condiments, and spice-blends from West Africa with world flavor that delivers fresh and new flavors with simple and clean ingredients.
Company: EssieSpice
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Adar Nadler and Sariel Brummer

About: LADY BABKA is all about spreading love, joy & comfort with our handmade, all-natural, pillowy and melt-in-your-mouth babka. Our signature mini babkas are the perfect grab & go snack next to your coffee.
Company: LADY BABKA
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Julie Butcher

About: The Vegan Knife offers a line of gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-friendly baking mixes that are both safe and indulgent, so no one has to miss out on a sweet treat again.
Company: The Vegan Knife
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Melanie Fabbri

About: Amici is a pizzeria and restaurant built on decades of tradition, sharing their love of food with every guest that is treated like family.
Company: Amici
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Katrina Golden

About: Lil Mama's Sweets and Treats is a veteran-owned artisan bakery dedicated to handcrafted desserts using treasured family recipes. We passionately bake everything from scratch, aiming to infuse a comforting sense of nostalgia into every treat.
Company: Lil Mama's Sweets and Treats
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Elisa Lyew

About: Elisa’s Love Bites is a gluten-free cookie company founded by Panamanian-born, NYC-based chef Elisa Lyew, creating better-for-you treats made with real ingredients, no refined sugar, and all the indulgence of a classic cookie.
Company: Elisa's Love Bites
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Deborah Mitchell

About: Lancaster Hummus Co. is a family business delivering unique hummus flavors to local grocery stores and farmers' markets.
Company: Cool Specialty Foods, LLC
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Jenny Murray

About: Jenny Murray is the founder of TEA + FLOWERS, a unique brand that blends the beauty of botanicals with the serenity of tea, creating thoughtful products and experiences that inspire connection and well-being.
Company: Tea + Flowers
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Markie Darling

About: Daddy’s Girl BBQ stands out with flavorful, salt-free Southern BBQ crafted for health-conscious clients. Using our signature DGB Seasoning, we create heart-friendly meals without compromising taste.
Company: Daddy's Girl Catering
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Linda Pruitt

About: Mrs. Pruitt's Gourmet CHA CHA is a gourmet relish, condiment and sauce company. CHA CHA is plant based, gluten-free, keto-friendly, and uses ingredients that you can trust.
Company: Fall Harvest Urban Farms, LLC
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Katie Becker

About: Tasty Good Toffee is a small-batch, handmade indulgence crafted in Nebraska - inspired by Grandma B’s famous recipe and blossoming into a nationwide sensation, winning hearts (and tastebuds) everywhere since 2013!
Company: Tasty Good Toffee
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Mary Bass

About: Good Dough Kolache Bakery is a female run bakery that brings our community together with homemade kolaches in fun, funky flavors and playful names that make every bite a celebration.
Company: Good Dough Kolache Bakery
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Layla Bitoy-Dillon

About: Bitoy’s Sweet Treats is a Chicago-based luxury dessert brand crafting premium, small-batch indulgences with clean ingredients and bold flavors—honoring heritage, building legacy, and creating meaningful community impact with every bite.
Company: Bitoy's Sweet Treats Inc.
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Darnesha Bowman

About: Black Coffee Northwest is a community-centered coffee shop and cultural space that empowers young adults through leadership, liberation, and unapologetic celebration of Black culture.
Company: BLACK COFFEE NORTHWEST
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TeQuion Brookins

About: MotorCity Mimosa is a women-led food and beverage brand with a line of elevated, wellness-forward food and beverage offerings designed to honor the beauty and complexity of Black foodways while promoting rest, ritual, and community care.
Company: MOTORCITY MIMOSA
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Ofelia Ponce

About: Abogados Café is the first Latina-owned coffee shop in the Twin Cities. They specialize in Latin American coffee, offering organic, direct-trade or fair-trade, and single-origin options that highlight the richness of Latin America coffee culture.
Company: Abogados Café
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Michelle Castillo

About: Lola Sally’s Kusina—“Grandma’s Kitchen” in Tagalog—is a catering company in Palm Springs, CA that celebrates legacy, culture, and the joy of gathering through Filipino cuisine. We offer fresh, made-from-scratch classics and popular plant-based options.
Company: Lola Sally's Kusina
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Karneisha Christian

About: With every cup, Karneisha Christian leads Pucker Up Lemonade Company as Chief Lemon Squeezer, pouring up bold flavors bursting with joy, inspiration, and legacy to serve her community.
Company: Pucker Up Lemonade Company LLC
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Anna Cobb

About: Anna Cobb is the founder of Rejuvenation Beverage Co., a plant-powered wellness brand offering clean energy drinks and functional beverages made with fresh-pressed juice and real ingredients to support inner wellness and sustained energy.
Company: Rejuvenation Beverage Co.
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Lauren Daniels

About: Southern Charm Bistro offers dine-in lunch service, hosts intimate dinner parties, and provides off-site catering. We’ve proudly served the Fort Myers community for over 7 years.
Company: Southern Charm Bistro and Bakery
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Chanel Fields

About: Sweet Fields creates vegan treats that never sacrifice taste—Cinfully Delicious cinnamon rolls that are rich, nostalgic, and completely dairy-free, making plant-based indulgence easy and irresistibly flavorful for every household.
Company: Sweet Fields
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Weiya Han

About: Weiya, a former data analyst turned café owner, blends her analytical mindset, cultural roots, and passion for community to bring the nostalgic flavors of Hong Kong to life at her NYC café, Sing NYC.
Company: MORSUM INC
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Jamie Kim

About: Jamie’s Farm makes award-winning granolas that delivers indulgent, gourmet flavor with wholesome balance. Unlike other granolas that bake with oils, we uniquely bake ours with ghee and organic ingredients to offer a flavorful yet nourishing indulgence for food lovers who refuse to compromise on taste or quality.
Company: Jamie's Farm
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Rebecca Mitchel

About: STUF'D is a NYC based food truck catering business founded by Rebecca Mitchel, a Vendy Award-winning sandwich enthusiast known for turning French toast savory and customizable bites into unforgettable eats for guests of all ages.
Company: STUF'D
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Sarah Nathan

About: Sarah Nathan is the founder of NOOISH, a modern Jewish comfort food brand and inventor of the world’s first instant matzo ball soup-Just add water.
Company: NOOISH
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Diana Rios Jasso

About: Jarabe Gourmet Pops is a small-batch manufacturing company, based in Washington, D.C., that specializes in handcrafted Mexican ice pops - paletas. 
Company: Jarabe Gourmet Pops
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Jaime Schwartz

About: Starry Lane Bakery is a dedicated top 10 allergen-free bakery and baking mix company committed to creating safe, inclusive, and delicious treats for individuals with food allergies and dietary restrictions nationwide.
Company: Starry Lane Bakery
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Melissa Smith

About: Hale Bone Broth crafts collagen-rich, integrity-driven broth that fuels strong bodies, seeking daily strength, gut health, and vitality through pure, powerful nutrition.
Company: HALE Bone Broth
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Nissa Smith

About: Passionate restaurant owner and dedicated president of a mental health nonprofit, committed to serving her community.
Company: 4 One 2 Distillery
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Grit Rambusch

About: Crumbles and Cream is the home of happy calories.
Company: Crumbles and Cream Kaffeehaus
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Monica Sunny

About: For us Chai is more than just a drink, it is a part of our culture and heritage. Experience the best with The Chai Box premium small-batch ethically sourced Chai blends and concentrates.
Company: The Chai Box
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Jessica Taylor

About: Ezra Coffee is a specialty coffee brand that brings people together through community, culture, and history. With ethically sourced, freshly roasted beans and innovative flavored blends, we offer something for everyone.
Company: Ezra Coffee
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Sierra Thomas

About: Tropink is a premium non-alcoholic functional beverage with a swell of real tropical juice, light bubbles, and feel-good vibes. Crack one open and get transported to a tropical state of mind—that sweet spot of chill vibes, connection, and carefree living.
Company: Tropink
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Theresa Thompson

About: Gluten-free ice cream sandwiches and scoops made with housemade mix-ins and bold, seasonal flavors—Blithe Creamery began on a freezer trike and now brings joy daily from our cheerful walk-up scoop shop in the Texas Hill Country.
Company: Blithe Creamery
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Ana Valdemoros

About: Argentina’s Best Empanadas—voted among the Best of Utah—offers Argentina in a bite through fresh, handcrafted Argentine-style and fusion empanadas made entirely from scratch using locally sourced ingredients.
Company: Argentina's Best Empanadas
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Kylie Vonnahme

About: Kylie Vonnahme created Unsupplements with 
Unbooze as the debut product—a doctor-formulated herbal supplement for the wellness-conscious drinker. Simply take one pack after your last drink and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle your day.
Company: Unsupplements Inc
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Chanazi Washaya

About: I am the Founder of Sweet Quip, a Zimbabwe-based food equipment company and EmpowerHub, empowering African entrepreneurs—especially women—with the tools, training, and equipment they need to grow sustainable food businesses.
Company: Sweet Quip
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Tinetta Wilson

About: Netta’s Hibachi LLC is a hibachi & soul food adventure that quickly grew from a personal passion into a community-favorite culinary experience known for bold flavors, engaging presentations, and top-tier service.
Company: Netta’s Hibachi LLC
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What is Stacy’s
Rise Project®?

Since 2017, Stacy’s® has connected thousands of women entrepreneurs
and provided over

$1,000,000 in funding

in addition to resources and mentoring to elevate the leaders that help our communities thrive.

We invite entrepreneurs in the food and beverage consumer packaged goods space to take part in this groundbreaking program. It's made possible by our partnership with Hello Alice — a free platform that supports small business owners looking to learn and grow.

Winners receive:

  • $25,000 in business grants
  • 4 months of 2:1 PepsiCo executive mentorship
  • increased visibility through Stacy’s brand platform
  • a peer network with other women entrepreneurs
  • a spotlight feature on our FoundedByHer.org business directory
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Stacy’s® is proud to work with our partners

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