Katie Lefkowitz, founder and CEO of “superfood-infused” sweet bar firm Harken Sweets, was a self-proclaimed “Snickers fanatic” for many of her life. Nevertheless, when well being points and a colon most cancers scare “flipped [her] world the wrong way up,” she began contemplating meals as drugs — and experimenting with the idea in her kitchen.
“I wished to recreate these basic sweet bars, however in a method that they had been truly 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 Enterprise Faculty, she went on to function COO, then senior advisor, at Caulipower, the corporate behind a line of frozen, cauliflower-based merchandise.
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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 take pleasure in all of the sweet that you just wished and never really feel like complete hell afterward,” she says.
“We see ourselves as this third wave inside chocolate confection, [where] there are useful advantages to sweet bars.”
In accordance 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 advanced into the extra pure model, so perhaps 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 will develop into Harken’s customary in her kitchen — incorporating dates to make her supreme 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 basic caramel components, and you continue to get that style and texture.”
However Lefkowitz notes that it is one factor to nail the proper recipe in your house kitchen — and one other totally to duplicate it at scale. It was a big problem, she admits, however focusing diligently on the product and easy methods to make it throughout varied manufacturing amenities helped Harken overcome it.
At this time, Harken presents 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.
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“We took this to a lot of completely different retailers, and we introduced on Walmart very early on.”
Though Harken started with a direct-to-consumer method, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than it caught hearth. The corporate obtained a flood of optimistic 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 laborious to come back by.” So, Lefkowitz thought-about 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 a lot of 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 model.
“It is uncommon for people on this area,” she says. “[But] it has been essential to me to make it possible for I run the enterprise the way in which I feel it must be run in these early phases. That is to not say we can’t ever elevate cash, however I be ok with the place that we’re in and [proving] the idea with out ever needing to do a basic funding spherical.”
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“Innovation is completely core to who we’re right here at Harken, and [we’re] trying to broaden into extra merchandise.”
Now, Harken is out there 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 Contemporary 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 whole lot of white area out there.
“Innovation is completely core to who we’re right here at Harken,” Lefkowitz says, “and [we’re] trying to broaden into extra merchandise [and] product strains to proceed to offer our prospects merchandise that match the event for which they’d like to take pleasure in a more healthy deal with.”
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“To achieve this area, it is about placing the nostril to the grindstone, actually hustling it out on daily basis.”
Evidently, “the ability 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 trade’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 do-it-yourself samples.” Then, simply hit the bottom working.
“Get it in entrance of individuals as quickly as doable,” Lefkowitz says. “Begin testing, begin iterating. And for those who 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 on daily basis door to door, and you can also make an enormous distinction.”
