Brazi Bites announces second annual Latino Entrepreneur Accelerator Program winner

The brand also revealed the program's two finalists.

courtesy of: Brazi Bites

Brazi Bites today announced Date Better Snacks as the winner of its second annual Latino Entrepreneur Accelerator Program (LEAP). Chosen for the brand’s outstanding product, thoughtful ingredients, and inspiring founder Michelle Valdez-Wilton, Date Better Snacks will receive a $10,000 business grant and a 12-week mentorship with Brazi Bites Co-Founder and CMO Junea Rocha and her team. Additionally, Date Better Snacks will receive support from Brazi Bites' valuable partners in legal, public relations, creative, and R&D, totaling a value of $66,500.

When Valdez-Wilton’s two restaurants in Eagle Rock, CA shut down during the pandemic, the Date Better Snacks founder and CEO began experimenting with medjool dates and organic chocolate in her home kitchen. With her background as a pastry chef, she set out to bring natural, clean-ingredient sweets to the CPG landscape, filling a gap for healthy, indulgent treat alternatives to candy bars.

“I am thrilled to be chosen as the winner of this year’s Latino Entrepreneur Accelerator Program and cannot wait to begin working with Junea, the Brazi Bites team, and other business mentors,” said Valdez-Wilton. “Date Better Snacks shares many core values with Brazi Bites, including using simple ingredients that taste delicious, so we’re proud to be working with their team in continuing our efforts to bring our sweet snacks to consumers looking for a clean treat. I’m so proud of the work I’ve already accomplished with Date Better Snacks and am confident that this prize and mentorship will serve as the next step in our journey towards reaching our full potential.”

In addition to Valdez-Wilton, two finalists were selected for their CPG business strategies and incredible products, including:

Hot Mama Salsa – producer of hand-crafted hot sauces, fresh salsas, Mexican-style chili oils, and tortilla chips using traditional ethnic cooking methods, whole peppers, and fresh local ingredients
Nico’s Ice Cream – creator of New Zealand-style ice cream blending fresh Willamette Valley fruit with Oregon-made vanilla ice cream for a smooth and irresistible treat

“After the wave of incredible applications we received for our inaugural Program last year, we were not surprised at all by the array of uniquely talented businesses that applied for LEAP in 2023,” said Junea Rocha, co-founder and CMO of Brazi Bites. “While it is always a difficult decision, our entire team takes the time to thoroughly assess each application, sample each product, and come together to choose the winner with the care and thoughtfulness that each of the businesses deserves. We’re excited to work with Date Better Snacks as our winner this year and are looking forward to our business partners providing even more value to accelerate the brand’s growth.”

Following the success of last year’s inaugural program, Rocha decided to make 2023’s Program even bigger by expanding the scope of strategic partners, allowing the winner to take full advantage of the resources provided. Latino-owned businesses continue to face challenges due to lack of funding and difficulty in connecting with the right people. Rocha created LEAP to help minority entrepreneurs overcome these challenges, and this year’s Program expansion will further uplift entrepreneurs by providing critical aid from partners who can help make a difference across various facets of the business.

To read further about LEAP and the winners, click here. To learn more about Valdez-Wilton, visit datebettersnacks.com. To view Brazi Bites’ products and to read Rocha’s story, visit brazibites.com. Brazi Bites products, including Brazilian Cheese Bread, Gluten-Free Waffles, Pizza Snacks, and Empanadas are available at more than 17,000 natural, conventional, and club stores nationwide, including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Costco, Wegmans, Publix, Kroger and more, as well as online at brazibites.com and Amazon.

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Liz Parker Kuhn is the senior editor of Candy Industry and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, and has worked at BNP Media since 2012. She has written for CBS Detroit as well as for her own blogs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Liz can be contacted at (248) 839-7156 or at parkere@bnpmedia.com.