Success stories: 7 brands that were incubated by retailers
June 18, 2018
Willy Street Co-op
Clint Freund, a partner at a supplier farm for Willy Street Co-op who has a passion for plant breeding and seed production, asked the retailer if they’d be interested in selling a line of seeds marketed toward home gardeners. “Though we've sold a small amount of garden seeds and quite a few plant starts over the years, we felt a bit nervous about this proposition,” said Purchasing Director Megan Minnick. So she proposed trying out the seeds in the co-op's Retail Ready Lab. Cultivating the Commons seeds were featured in the Retail Ready Lab in April 2018. Freund developed some packaging that showed off the beauty of his seeds, and even constructed three seed racks for the co-op, which was able to sell though everything he'd grown for the year’s sales in one month, giving both parties the real reassurance that the seeds are indeed a viable retail product.
The name says it all—these smoothies are packaged as frozen juice cubes. Customers just put them in a jar with a splash of hot water and shake. Bright Greens was incubated at Glen's Garden Market in Washington, D.C.
“By the entire team taking interest in new accounts and educating the Nana Joes Granola staff, I was able to reach a broader spectrum of consumers who truly cared about the way their food is produced,” said founder Michelle Pusateri of the team at Bi-Rite, which helped the company navigate the growth process, as well as several rebranding efforts and new product launches.
A vegan take on pork rinds, made from mushrooms. Glen's Garden Market founder Danielle Vogel said she was wholly uninterested in the sound of the product at first, but was won over as soon as she tried it. “It was amazing,” she said. The company now has distribution with UNFI.
Chef Thony’s sauces is a line of tropical condiments that a local restaurant chef had popularized through his food cart and then at farmers markets. The sauces were successful in Willy Street Co-op's Retail Ready Lab, and they are now selling briskly from the co-op’s shelves. “This is a great example of how we could help a local entrepreneur make the next step for his business, and also get the benefit of being the premier retailer of an extremely popular local product,” said Purchasing Director Megan Minnick.
Glen's Garden Market was an early retailer for this juicing company started by friends as a way to divert “ugly produce” from landfills. It's now expanding rapidly in areas along the East Coast.
Founder Mariko Grady said Bi-Rite was the first store to carry her line, which built confidence. “We loved Bi-Rite before we began selling there and are proud to have them be our first markets,” she said. “Thank you, Bi-Rite! ”
Founder Mariko Grady said Bi-Rite was the first store to carry her line, which built confidence. “We loved Bi-Rite before we began selling there and are proud to have them be our first markets,” she said. “Thank you, Bi-Rite!”
Retailers who serve as a springboard for small vendors say there are benefits for everyone involved—the retailer gets access to exciting new brands that can help differentiate its product assortment, while brands get an early opportunity to get their products in front of customers. (Read more about how retailers are taking on the role of incubator in this article.)
Here, Glen’s Garden Market in Washington, D.C.; Willy Street Co-op in Madison, Wisc.; and Bi-Rite Market in San Francisco share some success stories of brands that have taken advantage of their incubator-like services.
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