Hello hello!
If you have spent literally any time on the internet this week, you’ve almost certainly seen jetty, the new hydration brand from Poppi co-founder Allison Ellsworth…and you have probably seen as many opinions about it
The discourse has been all over, from LinkedIn to TikTok to pretty much every CPG group chat we’re in. Some of it’s excitement, but plenty of it is people asking whether the world needs another hydration brand and why a founder who sold her last company to PepsiCo for nearly $2 billion would want to do it all over again.
So we sat down with Allison the day after the public launch to find out more. We tried to have a different conversation than the ones you have already read across many other publications. We talked about why she missed the build enough to come back 18 months after a great exit, how she feels watching Poppi from the sidelines, and why she describes the brand as vibes over function.
Wherever you land on jetty, this is a very interesting launch, and one with a lot more nuance to it than the internet would have you believe. You can watch or listen to the full episode here, and I’d love to hear what you think once you do.
Let’s get into our picks of the week →
Nate’s Pickup:
Little Latke
This one is a fun one for me because Little Latke is one of the brands Ive had the pleasure of know since before they launched. While I was in Chicago for a trip, I actually met up with the founder, Taylor Blue, to try the product early, which is easily the best perk of this job. I was so excited when I first heard about it because latkes are just the best beautiful little fried treats, so why not make them somehow even better? Plus, with Hanukkah coming up in a few weeks, latkes are very much on the mind, which makes this the perfect brand to talk about right now. Also, keep an eye on their IG feed because Jenna and I might show up there soon too.
Quick Facts: Little Latke makes shelf-stable potato latke crisps, which are to a traditional latke what a bag of pretzels is to a soft pretzel. They’re baked from shredded potatoes, they’re kosher, gluten-free, and vegan, and they come in three flavors (The Original, Garlic Parm, and Spicy Honey Dijon).
Reasons to love:
That crunch. Oh man, that crunch is absolutely perfect. Because they’re made from shredded potato, you get all the little craggy edges that are the best part of a real latke, which means every bite has that same satisfying snap. They’re also not too thick and not so thin that they fall apart, so they hold up to sour cream, applesauce, or whatever dip or sauce you want to pile on top.
Tastes like a little latke. The flavors are incredible, and as a Jewish boy who’s had many, MANY latkes over my 30 years on this earth, I can tell you these taste like all the best latkes I’ve had. Every bite feels like a nostalgia explosion of perfect fried potato flavor. The flavors outside of the original are also really good, and my favorite other than the original might just be the Spicy Honey Dijon, which tastes JUST like the honey mustard pretzels from Snyder’s.
Innovative snacking. There are plenty of snacks out there, with countless pretzel, chip, and cracker brands that are all great, but I’m always looking for something slightly different to add to my snacking lineup. These are the perfect mix of salty, crunchy, and potato-y, they’re not quite a chip and not quite a cracker, and they’re simply so fun.
Where to buy: Online, at select Targets, and select retailers nationwide
Jenna’s Pickup:
Good Journey - Mapley Donuts
I’ve been a fan of Good Journey Donuts before they even (officially) launched. In my first job at Startup CPG, a community for emerging CPG brands, I connected with the co-founder Kristoffer and he generously sent me some donuts to try. That was still an early iteration, and it’s been so rewarding to see how much the brand has evolved since then.
Now, Good Journey makes a few different donut flavors (and cookies!) all with the same philosophy: low-carb, low-sugar, gluten-free donuts that anyone can enjoy. They recently came out with my new favorite flavor: Mapley. I cannot think of a more perfect Autumn flavor, and the delivery is just as delightful. This is officially my favorite Fall treat.
Quick Facts: Maple-glazed, gluten-free cake donuts with only 2g sugar and 4g net carbs.
Reasons to love:
The taste!! Good Journey has nailed the taste and texture of these donuts. They are soft and cakey, the kind that sticks to your fingers (in the best way). They’re frosted with a generous glaze, similar to real icing with its crackable shell and melt-in-your-mouth creaminess. The Mapley flavor is really something special; it tastes like real maple syrup and pancakes.
A treat (not cheat) without the sugar crash. If you’re looking for a real donut—full sugar, full-fat, the ingredients you typically recognize in a donut—this is not that. Good Journey donuts taste very similar to the real deal, but they’re made for those looking to manage their blood sugar or reduce carb intake. I still see these as a treat (definitely not a health food, nor a “cheat”), but I love having these as an option for my insatiable sweet tooth that don’t hit me with a sugar crash or sit heavily in my stomach.
Good Journey is sweetened with allulose, which is one of my favorite sweetener options (see my rant about it here). Allulose tastes much more like real sugar than other artificial sweeteners (and is found naturally in figs!), but it doesn’t raise blood glucose or insulin levels, which makes these products friendly for diabetics.
Warning: These contain a LOT of fiber (19g); soluble fiber is the first ingredient. Like other low-carb, high-fiber products (see: Hero Bread), I wouldn’t overdo it. Though the fibermaxxing community will tell you otherwise, too much fiber can absolutely disrupt your digestion, too.
Where to buy: online and select retailers
In case you missed it… 🎧
And in case you missed it, the other week on our podcast we tackled a big question: when did “acquisition” become such a dirty word in CPG?
Catch that episode below 👇