She Bootstrapped a Brand From Her Kitchen to 3,500 Walmarts

Katie Lefkowitz, founder and CEO of “superfood-infused” sweet bar firm Harken Sweets, was a self-proclaimed “Snickers fanatic” for many of her life. Nonetheless, when well being points and a colon cancer scare “flipped [her] world the other way up,” she began contemplating food as medicine — and experimenting with the idea in her kitchen.

“I wished to recreate these traditional sweet bars, however in a method that they had been really more healthy so that you can eat,” Lefkowitz tells Entrepreneur, “and that is precisely why I began Harken.”

Lefkowitz was well-positioned to discovered a better-for-you meals model. After graduating with a bachelor’s within the organic foundation of human habits and shopper psychology from the College of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Harvard Business School, she went on to function COO, then senior advisor, at Caulipower, the corporate behind a line of frozen, cauliflower-based merchandise.

Associated: People Underestimated Her ‘Sweet’ Idea, and She Took Advantage of It — All the Way to $125 Million in Annual Sales and a $360 Million Exit

So, in 2022, Lefkowitz rolled that experience into Harken. She named the corporate for what it means to “harken again to these good previous days when you could possibly get pleasure from all of the sweet that you just wished and never really feel like whole hell afterward,” she says.

“We see ourselves as this third wave inside chocolate confection, [where] there are useful advantages to sweet bars.”

In keeping with Lefkowitz, the chocolate confection area has remodeled over time, and Harken strives to evolve with it.

“You had classics, just like the Snickers of the universe,” she explains. “Then it developed into the extra pure model, so possibly they took out the corn syrup, however they did not actually change the nutritionals drastically. And so we see ourselves as this third wave inside chocolate confection, [where] there are useful advantages to sweet bars.”

^{Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Harken Sweets}

Lefkowitz needed to strive “numerous completely different variations” of the product that may turn out to be Harken’s customary in her kitchen — incorporating dates to make her very best bar. “We take the dates [and] macerate them in such a method that it creates that gooey, caramelly texture,” Lefkowitz says. “We’re not utilizing butter, sugar or the traditional caramel elements, and you continue to get that style and texture.”

However Lefkowitz notes that it is one factor to nail the right recipe in your house kitchen — and one other totally to copy it at scale. It was a big problem, she admits, however focusing diligently on the product and the best way to make it throughout numerous manufacturing amenities helped Harken overcome it.

At the moment, Harken affords its plant-based, high-fiber bars in a number of flavors, retailing for $39.99 for a 12-pack: The Nutty One, The Crunchy One and The Gooey One, all that includes the date caramel.

Associated: These Co-Founders Who Bet Big on Foodies Raised $133 Million to Fund Their Innovative Idea — and It’s Helping Restaurants Nationwide

“We took this to various completely different retailers, and we introduced on Walmart very early on.”

Though Harken started with a direct-to-consumer strategy, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than it caught fireplace. The corporate acquired a flood of constructive suggestions through e mail, Lefkowitz says, explaining that folks had been excited to have a nutritious deal with that tastes good — “which is at all times exhausting to return by.” So, Lefkowitz thought of different pathways for progress and growth.

“I nonetheless see retail as an enormous focus for all meals manufacturers,” Lefkowitz says, “so we took this to various completely different retailers, and we introduced on Walmart very early on. [It] was our first nationwide retailer.”

To at the present time, Lefkowitz hasn’t taken any exterior funding, preferring to bootstrap the brand.

“It is uncommon for folk on this area,” she says. “[But] it has been essential to me to be sure that I run the enterprise the best way I feel it must be run in these early phases. That is to not say we can’t ever raise money, however I be ok with the place that we’re in and [proving] the idea with out ever needing to do a traditional funding spherical.”

Associated: His Side Hustle Made $20,000 in 2 Weeks After Catching Beyoncé’s Attention — Now This 26-Year-Old Is Aiming for $1 Million Revenue

“Innovation is totally core to who we’re right here at Harken, and [we’re] seeking to broaden into further merchandise.”

Now, Harken is accessible in 3,500 Walmarts nationwide. The corporate, which boasts 50 occasions quarter over quarter progress, additionally has its merchandise in KeHE, UNFI, ShopRite, Fairway, Connoisseur Storage, McCaffrey’s, PopUp Grocer and Higher Well being Markets, and Albertsons and the Recent Market will inventory them quickly, Lefkowitz says.

“I have been amazed by the groundswell among the many retailers,” Lefkowitz provides. “[It] has proven how there’s such a necessity for a product like this within the checkout aisle.”

^{Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Harken Sweets}

Lefkowitz appears ahead to Harken’s continued progress and innovation — noting there’s nonetheless a variety of white area out there.

“Innovation is totally core to who we’re right here at Harken,” Lefkowitz says, “and [we’re] seeking to broaden into further merchandise [and] product traces to proceed to present our prospects merchandise that match the event for which they’d like to get pleasure from a more healthy deal with.”

Associated: These Sisters Who Just Struck a Major Deal on ‘Shark Tank’ Reveal How They Caught Producers’ Attention During the Application Process

“To achieve this area, it is about placing the nostril to the grindstone, actually hustling it out day by day.”

Evidently, “the facility of the date superfood” was not solely the key ingredient for Harken’s first wholesome deal with but in addition laid the muse for a rising model constructed across the useful advantages Lefkowitz sees because the business’s future.

Lefkowitz encourages aspiring entrepreneurs eyeing the better-for-you meals area to experiment of their kitchens and discover their very own key to success — as a result of “you would be amazed by what you are able to do with even a handful of selfmade samples.” Then, simply hit the bottom operating.

“Get it in entrance of individuals as quickly as attainable,” Lefkowitz says. “Begin testing, begin iterating. And if you happen to really feel in your intestine you’ve got a winner, it is extra seemingly than not that you just do. To achieve this area, it is about placing the nostril to the grindstone, actually hustling it out day by day door to door, and you may make an enormous distinction.”