Food Startup

How Much Money Do Food Startups Make? (2024)

Pat Walls

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Updated: June 23rd, 2024

TL;DR:

Based on our data, food startups can make between $2,000-$3,000,000 per month.
The average revenue for a successful food startup is $185K per month.
The highest grossing food startup in our records makes over $36,000,000 per year.
Food startup owners salaries can vary wildly depending on industry, niche, and size of the business

So you're thinking about starting a food startup?

And now you're wondering how much food startup owners actually make...

Well, let’s dive in!

Here are example of real food startups and how much money they make - as reported by the founders themselves:

1. Love Good Fats ($36M/year)

Suzie Yorke, a CPG marketing executive and fitness enthusiast, came up with the idea for Love Good Fats after shifting to a high-fat, low-carb, low-sugar diet and struggling to find convenient snacks that fit her new lifestyle. Recognizing a gap in the market, she developed a line of delicious, healthy, and keto-friendly bars. Since its launch, Love Good Fats has achieved rapid growth, generating over $120 million in cumulative sales and expanding to over 10,000 stores in North America.

How much money it makes: $36M/year

2. Frag Out Flavor ($1.5M/year)

Patrick Flynn, founder and CEO of Frag Out Flavor, came up with the idea for his spice blends and BBQ rubs after returning home from a deployment to Afghanistan. His passion for great food and BBQ, combined with his desire to reconnect with the veteran community, led him to create a lineup of high-quality blends that have been loved by family and friends. With a strong focus on customer loyalty and giving back to the veteran community, Frag Out Flavor has grown to generate around $125K/month in revenue.

How much money it makes: $1.5M/year

3. Urban Smokehouse ($1.5M/year)

Andrew Buehler, founder of Urban Smokehouse, came up with the idea for his business after noticing the growing market trend and opportunity for online delivery of perishable items during the COVID-19 lockdown. As a foodie with a background in financial services, Buehler saw the rising demand for BBQ, a food that tastes great but is often inconvenient to make, and decided to create a digitally native BBQ brand that offers pre-cooked and sauced ribs that can be easily prepared at home in under 20 minutes. He launched Urban Smokehouse as a Kickstarter project and quickly surpassed his goal, raising over $30,000 in pre-orders.

How much money it makes: $1.5M/year

4. Ka-Pop! Snacks ($1.2M/year)

Dustin Finkel, the creator and CEO of Ka-Pop! and Awakened Foods, came up with the idea for his snack business after realizing the lack of genuinely authentic and delicious snacks in the market. As a certified personal trainer and nutritionist, Finkel wanted to create snacks that were both healthy and tasty, leading him to develop the Ka-Pop! line using 100% Ancient Grains and natural seasonings. Since its launch, the business has experienced impressive growth, with over 300% annual growth and projected annual sales of nearly $10 million by the end of 2021.

How much money it makes: $1.2M/year

5. ChipMonk Baking ($1.08M/year)

The founders of ChipMonk, David Downing and Jose Hernandez, came up with the idea for their low carb, gluten-free dessert business after Jose, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, baked his own low carb chocolate chip cookies. Realizing the opportunity to fill a market gap, they started selling their cookies at local farmer's markets before scaling up production and launching their website. They have since raised $350,000 and are focused on building their own bakery and warehouse space to support future growth.

How much money it makes: $1.08M/year

6. Jaju Pierogi ($960K/year)

Jaju Pierogi, founded by sisters Casey and Vanessa White, started as a side project selling pierogi at farmers' markets and pop-up events. With a background in the corporate world and a love for their Polish heritage, they saw a gap in the market for high-quality, handmade pierogi. Fast forward to August 2022, Jaju Pierogi is now in multiple grocery chains and over 650 specialty independent stores, with a monthly revenue of $80,000-$100,000.

How much money it makes: $960K/year

7. Kyra's Bake Shop, LLC ($768K/year)

After realizing the benefits of a gluten-free diet for her own health, Kyra decided to pursue her passion for baking and attended pastry school. She honed her skills and developed delicious gluten-free recipes, eventually starting her own bakery with a small investment of $62,000. Through strategic PR and saying yes to every opportunity, Kyra's Bake Shop gained a loyal following and continues to attract and retain customers, with an average monthly revenue of $120,000.

How much money it makes: $768K/year

8. The House of Leaf & Bean Inc. ($360K/year)

After being diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and experiencing the transformative power of a healthy diet, Wen decided to launch House of Leaf & Bean, an organic restaurant and cafe. With a mission to make healthy living and healthy dieting accessible and affordable for everyone, Wen and her team started by experimenting with making fresh soymilk and tofu, and eventually expanded to offer a range of delicious organic plant-based dishes. The business has seen steady growth, with 80% of sales coming from drive-thru and in-store purchases, and plans are underway to establish an organic production facility and expand into wholesale and retail markets.

How much money it makes: $360K/year

9. ABS Protein Pancakes ($300K/year)

Ashley Drummonds, creator of ABS Protein Pancakes, came up with the idea while working as a personal trainer and wanting to provide a healthy and convenient meal option for her clients. After crafting her own protein pancake recipe, she began sharing it with her clients, who loved it and spread the word. With a passion for breakfast food and a desire to make a bigger impact, Ashley turned her recipe into a business, starting with taking orders manually and eventually finding a manufacturer to produce her product. Through social media marketing and a big boost from appearing on Shark Tank, ABS Protein Pancakes gained nationwide exposure and experienced significant sales growth. Ashley continues to attract customers through social media strategies, collaborations, and a focus on connection, story, and quality rather than seeing competition.

How much money it makes: $300K/year

10. Peaceful Fruits ($180K/year)

After serving in the U.S. Peace Corps and realizing he wanted to start a sustainable business, Evan Delahanty decided to launch Peaceful Fruits. He identified a lack in premium fruit snacks, focused on creating a product with a strong backstory, and started prototyping and manufacturing the snacks using a small dehydrator and commercial kitchens. Through digital sales and a successful Kickstarter campaign, Peaceful Fruits experienced steady growth, culminating in an appearance on Shark Tank.

How much money it makes: $180K/year