16 Must-Watch Food and Beverage Companies in Denver
The City of Angels may be known as health-conscious, but their ecosystem of emerging food companies is so much more than that. Check out 15 up-and-comers.
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Denver has long been known for its outdoorsy, active, and healthy lifestyle but in the past few years, the Mile High City and its neighbor, Boulder, have been fertile ground for start-ups as well.
While comparisons have been made to Silicon Valley, Denver's entrepreneurs have been doing things differently than California by focusing on building relationships, sharing knowledge, and even emphasizing wellness.
And the food and beverage start-up scene in Denver is no different, even as everyone pivots to adapt with life in the time of COVID-19. Whether it be spicy snacks, alcohol-free bevvies, clean energy bars or homemade nut butters, these Mile High Makers are enthusiastic hustlers with a passion for both their product and their communities.
From keeping their production facilities are safe, to keeping their employees healthy, and keeping up with new ways to spread the word, Denver makers are rising up to the current challenges we all face.
So who should you be following in the Denver area? Below is our curated hot list of emerging F&B companies, complete with a handy little map. Read about 'em, get to know 'em, and hit 'em up when you see 'em. Know of an Denver F&B company we should be watching, let us know.
Are you a food and beverage maker in Denver, or elsewhere? Become a Foodboro Member and get insights, intelligence, connections, exclusive deals and opportunities to strengthen your F&B business.
Please click to enlarge. Created in March 2020 by Foodboro staff and friends.
(Note: We looked at new food & beverage of all shapes and sizes in the greater Denver area, specifically those who were pushing boundaries, innovating, and taking advantage about the unique ecosystem Denver offers.)
HopLark's HopTea is a tea brewed like beer, using whole leaf tea and flowers, but without alcohol and placed in PBA-free cans. The cold bubbly beverage was the winner of the Best New Beverage Award at Expo West last year and is sold on Amazon and in Whole Foods stores across the U.S. (along with other retail spots.) While HopTea's Brewery Taproom in Boulder is temporarily closed, the company will begin hosting virtual happy hours to keep everyone connected.
Telos is the Greek word for "purpose" or "goal" and for Telos Foods, their purpose and goal is to create "good for you food." Started by Penny Sparks, a holistic nutritionist, Telos Foods makes Collagen Boosters with non-GMO collagen peptides and coconut creams that can be added to beverages, smoothies, hot cereals, and soups. Similarly, the Telos collagen lattes are made with organic medium roast Arabica beans, collagen peptides, and coconut milk. With health and nutrition at the forefront of everyone's minds, Telos is offering their products through Amazon and on their website.
Hot sauces have never been hotter right now and Merfs Condiments have seven kinds in their line-up, all made with local, natural ingredients without preservatives or extra additives and equally spicy names like electric lime, hand grenade and peaches and scream. Oh and some of these pack some real heat like the Cooyan SuperHot sauce made with 6,000,000 Scoville capsaicin extract. Merfs also make a beer mustard. Everything is made in-house and sold in King Sooper's across Colorado as well as several spots on the East Coast.
Mortal Kombucha is an all-natural, caffeinated kombucha drink made with organic fruit, natural enzymes, adaptogenic herbs, B-vitamins, probiotics and L-Theanine. The result is a product that is meant to help you focus, feel energized and as Mortal Kombucha says, "win at life." There are about five flavors (including one named Marg Simpson) and you can find them in Whole Foods, although Mortal Kombucha just started offering "Booch-to-Porch" direct delivery. The high-powered drink also has a high-powered website design and bold marketing using the hashtag, #BeGutsy.
When Brad Brown decided to harvest his own concord grapes one season, jam-making was the obvious product from this endeavour, but what wasn't so obvious were the types of jam. Brad specializes in spicy jams by adding jalapeno to a variety of fruit jams, as well as churning out fun flavors like orange zest orangecello, blueberry lemon basil, and peach bourbon. Of course, Brad B Jammin' has some OG flavors like mixed berry and peach as well. But as Brad recently told us, "If you're going to be socially distanced from those you love, those you work with, etc...why not enjoy some unique jam?"
Inspired by childhood trips to her family's hometown in Mexico, Damaris Ronkanen sought to create a chocolate bar that honored the history and cultures of where cacao originated, but also one that had greater transparency, sustainability and accessibility. Introducing Cultura Chocolate. From large to mini bars, along with drinking chocolate and truffles, Cultura packs a sense of identity and purpose in each product. (Watch Cultura's bean-to-bar process here.) While Cultura has a well-rounded online shop, the company also has its own cafe and factoria in Denver as well.
Garlic is an essential cooking base but Prohibited Provisions has found a way to elevate it with their tasty garlic mixes that work well as a sautee, marinade, dip and spread. Perhaps most importantly right now, these mixes are shelf-stable and elevate your at-home cooking experience. Flavors include Italian Herb, Vindaloo Curry, Cilantro Jalapeno and Rosemary Thyme, all made with organic extra virgin olive oil. If you're unsure how to use or when to use, Prohibited Provisions has a detailed list of ways to use the mixes. The garlic mixes are available at small grocery stores in the Denver area but online as well.
The Real Dill is the real deal when it comes to putting out delicious pickle concoctions such as Habanero Horseshoe dills, Jalapeno Honey dills, and Caraway Garlic Dills. They also make Bloody Mary Mixes (actually one of their most popular products) and a Green Chile Hot Sauce. The makers, Justin and Tyler, started The Real Dill as a lark but what started out as a fun side project has grown into a full-time business. Aside from stand-out dills and mixes, The Real Dill is also a zero-waste company that puts about 30,000 pounds of foods in the hands of a local nonprofit compost partner. The dills are sold in Natural Grocers, some liquor and specialty stores, and of course, online with delivery to within 20 miles of 80223.
On Tap Kitchen makes crunchy flavorful pretzel snacks using sunflower oil and organic flours grown and processed in Colorado that go perfectly with craft beer, dips, charcuterie plates, and more. There's the original salted flavor but On Tap has put a twist on the usual pretzel flavors with Sea Salt & Vinegar, Honey Mustard, Sour Cream and Onion, Sriracha and more. There's even a special small-batch edition of Dill Pickle pretzels. Yum. On Tap Pretzels can usually be found in distilleries, tap houses, bars, cafes, and grocery stores but they also deliver via Amazon, directly through their website, and if you live in the Denver area, you can even pick them up from their kitchen.
Patterbar prides itself on creating energy bars with 100% real, whole food. There are no preservatives, no additives, fillers, extracts, boosters, powders or anything artificial. Instead, these clean energy bars (there are three different flavors) have proteins made from seeds and nuts, vitamins, minerals, fruit, fiber, organic virgin coconut oil, gluten-free oats, organic flax seeds, whole ancient grains and more. Fittingly, this all-natural product has a naturally soothing packaging design and an equally clean and soothing website too. Patterbar is available direct for individual and wholesale orders, as well as at Natural Grocers and in smaller retail shops.
A Good Foods award winner in 2019, PB Love is churning out small-batch, nut butters made with locally sourced foods. Flavors range from salty peanut to crunchy and cinnamon almond, all available for one-time orders through their website, in stores like Natural Grocers, or as a subscription service (nut butter delivered on the regular? Sounds heavenly.) Equally important to PB Love is its social responsibility, which permeates all aspects of the operation from packaging to hiring. There's a lot of PB Love to spread around, literally.
Described as a "hard seltzer for when you're out and about", O&A is a craft seltzer made by hand with real ingredients in a facility that runs on 100% solar power. Flavors of the canned bubbly drink include mango, lime, passionfruit and black cherry. Their website is at once fun and happy, but also slick and interactive, making it easy to see the boldly designed product, and put it on your party list. Available on Drizly.com, O&A is also sold at local retail shops and liquor stores in Colorado.
Buttered popcorn, move over. Here comes Oogie's Popcorn in a bunch of outrageous flavors such as Spicy Cheddar, Caramel Chipotle and Smoked Gouda. Ok, there's a buttered version too, but it's Movie Time Butter so you know it's dripping with flavor. Even better, the popcorn is gluten-free, non-GMO, made from natural ingredients and is 40-43 calories a cup. Oogie's is available in King Sooper's across Colorado as well as smaller retail shops across the U.S. They also sell their products, including special popcorn seasonings, online. As for who Oogie is, there's a story about that. Whether you believe it or not is up to you!
This is not your parent's non-alcoholic beer or even your fun aunt's prosecco. Gruvi's mission is to give you a craft, non-alcoholic drink that tastes great, has a low-calorie count and allows you to be social without going overboard. Gruvi produces a prosecco (made with chardonnay wine grapes but no alcohol) and a beer, the latter of which is brewed through arrested fermentation, which means the brewing process is stopped before alcohol is produced. Health is wealth but Gruvi lets you have it with some style.
Peregrine Nutrition (named after the bird of prey falcon) developed high-fat paleo bars in two unusual flavors—matcha green tea and dark chocolate chili lime. Both bars are free of gluten, dairy, soy, grains, preservatives, IMO syrups, GMOs and other common ingredients in snack bars. The bars came about when makers, Rudy and Katherine, were stuck finding good keto-paleo food with them on their outdoor adventures. Production is unclear at this point but here's hoping they can bring back these much-needed bars to the market.
Did you know? Finding the right dressing for your salad is actually bit like wine pairing—different flavors work better for different lettuces. Bloombox Foods make it easy for you to pick out the best dressing for your greens whether it be kale (a honey sherry vinaigrette) spinach (smoked paprika vinaigrette) or arugula (cumin coriander vinaigrette). Opt for the original 8oz. bottle or grab a couple of Bloombox's new 2oz to-go pouches.
*= Foodboro members.
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[et_bloom_locked optin_id="optin_12"]
Denver has long been known for its outdoorsy, active, and healthy lifestyle but in the past few years, the Mile High City and its neighbor, Boulder, have been fertile ground for start-ups as well.
While comparisons have been made to Silicon Valley, Denver's entrepreneurs have been doing things differently than California by focusing on building relationships, sharing knowledge, and even emphasizing wellness.
And the food and beverage start-up scene in Denver is no different, even as everyone pivots to adapt with life in the time of COVID-19. Whether it be spicy snacks, alcohol-free bevvies, clean energy bars or homemade nut butters, these Mile High Makers are enthusiastic hustlers with a passion for both their product and their communities.
From keeping their production facilities are safe, to keeping their employees healthy, and keeping up with new ways to spread the word, Denver makers are rising up to the current challenges we all face.
So who should you be following in the Denver area? Below is our curated hot list of emerging F&B companies, complete with a handy little map. Read about 'em, get to know 'em, and hit 'em up when you see 'em. Know of an Denver F&B company we should be watching, let us know.
Are you a food and beverage maker in Denver, or elsewhere? Become a Foodboro Member and get insights, intelligence, connections, exclusive deals and opportunities to strengthen your F&B business.
Please click to enlarge. Created in March 2020 by Foodboro staff and friends.
(Note: We looked at new food & beverage of all shapes and sizes in the greater Denver area, specifically those who were pushing boundaries, innovating, and taking advantage about the unique ecosystem Denver offers.)
HopLark's HopTea is a tea brewed like beer, using whole leaf tea and flowers, but without alcohol and placed in PBA-free cans. The cold bubbly beverage was the winner of the Best New Beverage Award at Expo West last year and is sold on Amazon and in Whole Foods stores across the U.S. (along with other retail spots.) While HopTea's Brewery Taproom in Boulder is temporarily closed, the company will begin hosting virtual happy hours to keep everyone connected.
Telos is the Greek word for "purpose" or "goal" and for Telos Foods, their purpose and goal is to create "good for you food." Started by Penny Sparks, a holistic nutritionist, Telos Foods makes Collagen Boosters with non-GMO collagen peptides and coconut creams that can be added to beverages, smoothies, hot cereals, and soups. Similarly, the Telos collagen lattes are made with organic medium roast Arabica beans, collagen peptides, and coconut milk. With health and nutrition at the forefront of everyone's minds, Telos is offering their products through Amazon and on their website.
Hot sauces have never been hotter right now and Merfs Condiments have seven kinds in their line-up, all made with local, natural ingredients without preservatives or extra additives and equally spicy names like electric lime, hand grenade and peaches and scream. Oh and some of these pack some real heat like the Cooyan SuperHot sauce made with 6,000,000 Scoville capsaicin extract. Merfs also make a beer mustard. Everything is made in-house and sold in King Sooper's across Colorado as well as several spots on the East Coast.
Mortal Kombucha is an all-natural, caffeinated kombucha drink made with organic fruit, natural enzymes, adaptogenic herbs, B-vitamins, probiotics and L-Theanine. The result is a product that is meant to help you focus, feel energized and as Mortal Kombucha says, "win at life." There are about five flavors (including one named Marg Simpson) and you can find them in Whole Foods, although Mortal Kombucha just started offering "Booch-to-Porch" direct delivery. The high-powered drink also has a high-powered website design and bold marketing using the hashtag, #BeGutsy.
When Brad Brown decided to harvest his own concord grapes one season, jam-making was the obvious product from this endeavour, but what wasn't so obvious were the types of jam. Brad specializes in spicy jams by adding jalapeno to a variety of fruit jams, as well as churning out fun flavors like orange zest orangecello, blueberry lemon basil, and peach bourbon. Of course, Brad B Jammin' has some OG flavors like mixed berry and peach as well. But as Brad recently told us, "If you're going to be socially distanced from those you love, those you work with, etc...why not enjoy some unique jam?"
Inspired by childhood trips to her family's hometown in Mexico, Damaris Ronkanen sought to create a chocolate bar that honored the history and cultures of where cacao originated, but also one that had greater transparency, sustainability and accessibility. Introducing Cultura Chocolate. From large to mini bars, along with drinking chocolate and truffles, Cultura packs a sense of identity and purpose in each product. (Watch Cultura's bean-to-bar process here.) While Cultura has a well-rounded online shop, the company also has its own cafe and factoria in Denver as well.
Garlic is an essential cooking base but Prohibited Provisions has found a way to elevate it with their tasty garlic mixes that work well as a sautee, marinade, dip and spread. Perhaps most importantly right now, these mixes are shelf-stable and elevate your at-home cooking experience. Flavors include Italian Herb, Vindaloo Curry, Cilantro Jalapeno and Rosemary Thyme, all made with organic extra virgin olive oil. If you're unsure how to use or when to use, Prohibited Provisions has a detailed list of ways to use the mixes. The garlic mixes are available at small grocery stores in the Denver area but online as well.
The Real Dill is the real deal when it comes to putting out delicious pickle concoctions such as Habanero Horseshoe dills, Jalapeno Honey dills, and Caraway Garlic Dills. They also make Bloody Mary Mixes (actually one of their most popular products) and a Green Chile Hot Sauce. The makers, Justin and Tyler, started The Real Dill as a lark but what started out as a fun side project has grown into a full-time business. Aside from stand-out dills and mixes, The Real Dill is also a zero-waste company that puts about 30,000 pounds of foods in the hands of a local nonprofit compost partner. The dills are sold in Natural Grocers, some liquor and specialty stores, and of course, online with delivery to within 20 miles of 80223.
On Tap Kitchen makes crunchy flavorful pretzel snacks using sunflower oil and organic flours grown and processed in Colorado that go perfectly with craft beer, dips, charcuterie plates, and more. There's the original salted flavor but On Tap has put a twist on the usual pretzel flavors with Sea Salt & Vinegar, Honey Mustard, Sour Cream and Onion, Sriracha and more. There's even a special small-batch edition of Dill Pickle pretzels. Yum. On Tap Pretzels can usually be found in distilleries, tap houses, bars, cafes, and grocery stores but they also deliver via Amazon, directly through their website, and if you live in the Denver area, you can even pick them up from their kitchen.
Patterbar prides itself on creating energy bars with 100% real, whole food. There are no preservatives, no additives, fillers, extracts, boosters, powders or anything artificial. Instead, these clean energy bars (there are three different flavors) have proteins made from seeds and nuts, vitamins, minerals, fruit, fiber, organic virgin coconut oil, gluten-free oats, organic flax seeds, whole ancient grains and more. Fittingly, this all-natural product has a naturally soothing packaging design and an equally clean and soothing website too. Patterbar is available direct for individual and wholesale orders, as well as at Natural Grocers and in smaller retail shops.
A Good Foods award winner in 2019, PB Love is churning out small-batch, nut butters made with locally sourced foods. Flavors range from salty peanut to crunchy and cinnamon almond, all available for one-time orders through their website, in stores like Natural Grocers, or as a subscription service (nut butter delivered on the regular? Sounds heavenly.) Equally important to PB Love is its social responsibility, which permeates all aspects of the operation from packaging to hiring. There's a lot of PB Love to spread around, literally.
Described as a "hard seltzer for when you're out and about", O&A is a craft seltzer made by hand with real ingredients in a facility that runs on 100% solar power. Flavors of the canned bubbly drink include mango, lime, passionfruit and black cherry. Their website is at once fun and happy, but also slick and interactive, making it easy to see the boldly designed product, and put it on your party list. Available on Drizly.com, O&A is also sold at local retail shops and liquor stores in Colorado.
Buttered popcorn, move over. Here comes Oogie's Popcorn in a bunch of outrageous flavors such as Spicy Cheddar, Caramel Chipotle and Smoked Gouda. Ok, there's a buttered version too, but it's Movie Time Butter so you know it's dripping with flavor. Even better, the popcorn is gluten-free, non-GMO, made from natural ingredients and is 40-43 calories a cup. Oogie's is available in King Sooper's across Colorado as well as smaller retail shops across the U.S. They also sell their products, including special popcorn seasonings, online. As for who Oogie is, there's a story about that. Whether you believe it or not is up to you!
This is not your parent's non-alcoholic beer or even your fun aunt's prosecco. Gruvi's mission is to give you a craft, non-alcoholic drink that tastes great, has a low-calorie count and allows you to be social without going overboard. Gruvi produces a prosecco (made with chardonnay wine grapes but no alcohol) and a beer, the latter of which is brewed through arrested fermentation, which means the brewing process is stopped before alcohol is produced. Health is wealth but Gruvi lets you have it with some style.
Peregrine Nutrition (named after the bird of prey falcon) developed high-fat paleo bars in two unusual flavors—matcha green tea and dark chocolate chili lime. Both bars are free of gluten, dairy, soy, grains, preservatives, IMO syrups, GMOs and other common ingredients in snack bars. The bars came about when makers, Rudy and Katherine, were stuck finding good keto-paleo food with them on their outdoor adventures. Production is unclear at this point but here's hoping they can bring back these much-needed bars to the market.
Did you know? Finding the right dressing for your salad is actually bit like wine pairing—different flavors work better for different lettuces. Bloombox Foods make it easy for you to pick out the best dressing for your greens whether it be kale (a honey sherry vinaigrette) spinach (smoked paprika vinaigrette) or arugula (cumin coriander vinaigrette). Opt for the original 8oz. bottle or grab a couple of Bloombox's new 2oz to-go pouches.
*= Foodboro members.
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[et_bloom_locked optin_id="optin_12"]
Denver has long been known for its outdoorsy, active, and healthy lifestyle but in the past few years, the Mile High City and its neighbor, Boulder, have been fertile ground for start-ups as well.
While comparisons have been made to Silicon Valley, Denver's entrepreneurs have been doing things differently than California by focusing on building relationships, sharing knowledge, and even emphasizing wellness.
And the food and beverage start-up scene in Denver is no different, even as everyone pivots to adapt with life in the time of COVID-19. Whether it be spicy snacks, alcohol-free bevvies, clean energy bars or homemade nut butters, these Mile High Makers are enthusiastic hustlers with a passion for both their product and their communities.
From keeping their production facilities are safe, to keeping their employees healthy, and keeping up with new ways to spread the word, Denver makers are rising up to the current challenges we all face.
So who should you be following in the Denver area? Below is our curated hot list of emerging F&B companies, complete with a handy little map. Read about 'em, get to know 'em, and hit 'em up when you see 'em. Know of an Denver F&B company we should be watching, let us know.
Are you a food and beverage maker in Denver, or elsewhere? Become a Foodboro Member and get insights, intelligence, connections, exclusive deals and opportunities to strengthen your F&B business.
Please click to enlarge. Created in March 2020 by Foodboro staff and friends.
(Note: We looked at new food & beverage of all shapes and sizes in the greater Denver area, specifically those who were pushing boundaries, innovating, and taking advantage about the unique ecosystem Denver offers.)
HopLark's HopTea is a tea brewed like beer, using whole leaf tea and flowers, but without alcohol and placed in PBA-free cans. The cold bubbly beverage was the winner of the Best New Beverage Award at Expo West last year and is sold on Amazon and in Whole Foods stores across the U.S. (along with other retail spots.) While HopTea's Brewery Taproom in Boulder is temporarily closed, the company will begin hosting virtual happy hours to keep everyone connected.
Telos is the Greek word for "purpose" or "goal" and for Telos Foods, their purpose and goal is to create "good for you food." Started by Penny Sparks, a holistic nutritionist, Telos Foods makes Collagen Boosters with non-GMO collagen peptides and coconut creams that can be added to beverages, smoothies, hot cereals, and soups. Similarly, the Telos collagen lattes are made with organic medium roast Arabica beans, collagen peptides, and coconut milk. With health and nutrition at the forefront of everyone's minds, Telos is offering their products through Amazon and on their website.
Hot sauces have never been hotter right now and Merfs Condiments have seven kinds in their line-up, all made with local, natural ingredients without preservatives or extra additives and equally spicy names like electric lime, hand grenade and peaches and scream. Oh and some of these pack some real heat like the Cooyan SuperHot sauce made with 6,000,000 Scoville capsaicin extract. Merfs also make a beer mustard. Everything is made in-house and sold in King Sooper's across Colorado as well as several spots on the East Coast.
Mortal Kombucha is an all-natural, caffeinated kombucha drink made with organic fruit, natural enzymes, adaptogenic herbs, B-vitamins, probiotics and L-Theanine. The result is a product that is meant to help you focus, feel energized and as Mortal Kombucha says, "win at life." There are about five flavors (including one named Marg Simpson) and you can find them in Whole Foods, although Mortal Kombucha just started offering "Booch-to-Porch" direct delivery. The high-powered drink also has a high-powered website design and bold marketing using the hashtag, #BeGutsy.
When Brad Brown decided to harvest his own concord grapes one season, jam-making was the obvious product from this endeavour, but what wasn't so obvious were the types of jam. Brad specializes in spicy jams by adding jalapeno to a variety of fruit jams, as well as churning out fun flavors like orange zest orangecello, blueberry lemon basil, and peach bourbon. Of course, Brad B Jammin' has some OG flavors like mixed berry and peach as well. But as Brad recently told us, "If you're going to be socially distanced from those you love, those you work with, etc...why not enjoy some unique jam?"
Inspired by childhood trips to her family's hometown in Mexico, Damaris Ronkanen sought to create a chocolate bar that honored the history and cultures of where cacao originated, but also one that had greater transparency, sustainability and accessibility. Introducing Cultura Chocolate. From large to mini bars, along with drinking chocolate and truffles, Cultura packs a sense of identity and purpose in each product. (Watch Cultura's bean-to-bar process here.) While Cultura has a well-rounded online shop, the company also has its own cafe and factoria in Denver as well.
Garlic is an essential cooking base but Prohibited Provisions has found a way to elevate it with their tasty garlic mixes that work well as a sautee, marinade, dip and spread. Perhaps most importantly right now, these mixes are shelf-stable and elevate your at-home cooking experience. Flavors include Italian Herb, Vindaloo Curry, Cilantro Jalapeno and Rosemary Thyme, all made with organic extra virgin olive oil. If you're unsure how to use or when to use, Prohibited Provisions has a detailed list of ways to use the mixes. The garlic mixes are available at small grocery stores in the Denver area but online as well.
The Real Dill is the real deal when it comes to putting out delicious pickle concoctions such as Habanero Horseshoe dills, Jalapeno Honey dills, and Caraway Garlic Dills. They also make Bloody Mary Mixes (actually one of their most popular products) and a Green Chile Hot Sauce. The makers, Justin and Tyler, started The Real Dill as a lark but what started out as a fun side project has grown into a full-time business. Aside from stand-out dills and mixes, The Real Dill is also a zero-waste company that puts about 30,000 pounds of foods in the hands of a local nonprofit compost partner. The dills are sold in Natural Grocers, some liquor and specialty stores, and of course, online with delivery to within 20 miles of 80223.
On Tap Kitchen makes crunchy flavorful pretzel snacks using sunflower oil and organic flours grown and processed in Colorado that go perfectly with craft beer, dips, charcuterie plates, and more. There's the original salted flavor but On Tap has put a twist on the usual pretzel flavors with Sea Salt & Vinegar, Honey Mustard, Sour Cream and Onion, Sriracha and more. There's even a special small-batch edition of Dill Pickle pretzels. Yum. On Tap Pretzels can usually be found in distilleries, tap houses, bars, cafes, and grocery stores but they also deliver via Amazon, directly through their website, and if you live in the Denver area, you can even pick them up from their kitchen.
Patterbar prides itself on creating energy bars with 100% real, whole food. There are no preservatives, no additives, fillers, extracts, boosters, powders or anything artificial. Instead, these clean energy bars (there are three different flavors) have proteins made from seeds and nuts, vitamins, minerals, fruit, fiber, organic virgin coconut oil, gluten-free oats, organic flax seeds, whole ancient grains and more. Fittingly, this all-natural product has a naturally soothing packaging design and an equally clean and soothing website too. Patterbar is available direct for individual and wholesale orders, as well as at Natural Grocers and in smaller retail shops.
A Good Foods award winner in 2019, PB Love is churning out small-batch, nut butters made with locally sourced foods. Flavors range from salty peanut to crunchy and cinnamon almond, all available for one-time orders through their website, in stores like Natural Grocers, or as a subscription service (nut butter delivered on the regular? Sounds heavenly.) Equally important to PB Love is its social responsibility, which permeates all aspects of the operation from packaging to hiring. There's a lot of PB Love to spread around, literally.
Described as a "hard seltzer for when you're out and about", O&A is a craft seltzer made by hand with real ingredients in a facility that runs on 100% solar power. Flavors of the canned bubbly drink include mango, lime, passionfruit and black cherry. Their website is at once fun and happy, but also slick and interactive, making it easy to see the boldly designed product, and put it on your party list. Available on Drizly.com, O&A is also sold at local retail shops and liquor stores in Colorado.
Buttered popcorn, move over. Here comes Oogie's Popcorn in a bunch of outrageous flavors such as Spicy Cheddar, Caramel Chipotle and Smoked Gouda. Ok, there's a buttered version too, but it's Movie Time Butter so you know it's dripping with flavor. Even better, the popcorn is gluten-free, non-GMO, made from natural ingredients and is 40-43 calories a cup. Oogie's is available in King Sooper's across Colorado as well as smaller retail shops across the U.S. They also sell their products, including special popcorn seasonings, online. As for who Oogie is, there's a story about that. Whether you believe it or not is up to you!
This is not your parent's non-alcoholic beer or even your fun aunt's prosecco. Gruvi's mission is to give you a craft, non-alcoholic drink that tastes great, has a low-calorie count and allows you to be social without going overboard. Gruvi produces a prosecco (made with chardonnay wine grapes but no alcohol) and a beer, the latter of which is brewed through arrested fermentation, which means the brewing process is stopped before alcohol is produced. Health is wealth but Gruvi lets you have it with some style.
Peregrine Nutrition (named after the bird of prey falcon) developed high-fat paleo bars in two unusual flavors—matcha green tea and dark chocolate chili lime. Both bars are free of gluten, dairy, soy, grains, preservatives, IMO syrups, GMOs and other common ingredients in snack bars. The bars came about when makers, Rudy and Katherine, were stuck finding good keto-paleo food with them on their outdoor adventures. Production is unclear at this point but here's hoping they can bring back these much-needed bars to the market.
Did you know? Finding the right dressing for your salad is actually bit like wine pairing—different flavors work better for different lettuces. Bloombox Foods make it easy for you to pick out the best dressing for your greens whether it be kale (a honey sherry vinaigrette) spinach (smoked paprika vinaigrette) or arugula (cumin coriander vinaigrette). Opt for the original 8oz. bottle or grab a couple of Bloombox's new 2oz to-go pouches.
*= Foodboro members.
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