PepsiCo announced ¡Ya Oaxaca!, a company that makes artisanal mole sauces and marinades, as the winner of the ninth class of the Greenhouse Accelerator Program. This year marks the second year of the Greenhouse Accelerator Program: Juntos Crecemos Edition, which aims to elevate high-potential startups in the consumer packaged goods food and beverage industry that are inspired by Hispanic flavors and culture and are better for people and the planet. ¡Ya Oaxaca! products, with ingredients sourced and made in Mexico, capture the diverse flavors of Oaxaca, making it easy to prepare authentic, natural, chef-crafted Mexican dishes for any occasion. ¡Ya Oaxaca! will receive a $100,000 grant and other resources to scale its operations and grow its business.
The announcement follows a competitive judging process and a five-month PepsiCo mentoring program. Founded by Susana Trilling and her children Kaelin Ulrich, Jesse Ulrich-Trilling, and Azul Couzens, ¡Ya Oaxaca! was selected from eight promising finalists by the PepsiCo Selection Committee for applying mentoring learnings to increase revenue by 350%, expand retail distribution by 200%, and improve operational efficiency to boost product gross margins. Throughout the accelerator program, each finalist received a $20,000 grant and personalized mentoring from PepsiCo experts in research and development, supply chain, design, and other key areas. This support was customized to help finalists address business-specific business challenges, including building brand awareness, marketing strategies, supply chain issues, and other specialized needs.
“I am inspired to see how the eight finalists leveraged PepsiCo resources and mentorship to elevate their businesses to impressive heights, from revenue growth to innovation in new categories within the food and beverage industry, among others,” said Antonio Escalona, senior vice president of emerging businesses, PepsiCo Foods North America. “Ya Oaxaca! stood out for its commitment to transforming supermarket aisles with bold flavors and new product variations. The company’s outstanding results show great potential to evolve the food and beverage industry.”
PepsiCo Greenhouse Accelerator
Since its expansion to North America in 2018, the PepsiCo Greenhouse Accelerator, led by PepsiCo Ventures Group, has evolved to help entrepreneurs tackle challenges such as sustainability and unmet consumer needs. This year’s edition of Juntos Crecemos continues with the same fundamental goal: fostering the growth of entrepreneurs.
“We are so honored to have been selected as a winner of the Greenhouse Accelerator Program: Juntos Crecemos Edition,” said Azul Couzens, co-founder of ¡Ya Oaxaca! “This program and the mentorship from the PepsiCo team have been invaluable in supporting our business goals. With this $100,000 grant, we will be able to continue our mission of sharing the flavors of Oaxaca through our line of mole sauces, marinades, and salsas.”
Source: basto
