From a sugar-free cereal subscription service to sustainably sourced Vietnamese pour-over coffee, the entrepreneurial food scene in the United States is diverse. Companies across the country are constantly and creatively changing how we find, share, and eat our food. This is our list of must-watch makers.  

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The food industry is evolving fast, and everyone is trying to keep up. A confluence of forces are behind this massive change in what we eat and how we find our food. The advent of smart kitchens, digital natives, and the public’s insatiable thirst for unique food experiences has given rise to a new set of entrepreneurs in food & beverage.

These new food makers are former corporate attorneys, bartenders, professors, long time food entrepreneurs, and others. They have found, or are looking for, a niche to call their own in this golden age of food choice.

Unlike tech startups, or movie creators, these food & beverage makers don’t congregate around one singular geographic location. We set out to identify must-watch F&B makers in every state to watch, listen to, learn from, and hopefully, some day feast upon!

Please click to enlarge. This list and map was created in November 2018 by Foodboro staff and friends.

(Note: As we built this map, we looked at food and beverage makers of all sizes, who were growing their businesses in innovative ways – no matter what stage their company was. Alcohol companies, wholesale food providers, small makers, shared kitchen tenants, and bigger, established food companies all were considered. From there, we chose one must-watch food startup from each state (and DC), except for California – where we chose one company each from SoCal and NorCal.)

STATE :: COMPANY :: INSTAGRAM

Alabama :: Ice Box Coffee :: @iceboxcoffee

Alaska :: Barnacle Foods :: @barnaclefoods

Arizona :: Snow Time :: @snowtimeaz

Arkansas :: Cinnalightful :: @cinnalightful

California (NorCal) :: Nona Lim :: @nonalim

California (SoCal) :: Copper Cow Coffee :: @coppercowcoffee

Colorado :: Love The Wild :: @i.lovethewild

Connecticut :: Rise Brewing Co :: @risebrewingco

Delaware :: Dogfish Head :: @dogfishhead

District of Columbia (DC) :: Snacklins :: @eatsnacklins

Florida :: Salt Water Brewery :: @saltwaterbrewery

Georgia :: Chuice :: @lovechuice

Hawaii :: Wow Wow :: @wowwowhawaiianlemonade

Idaho :: Snacktivist Foods :: @snacktivistfoods

Illinois :: Simple Squares :: @simplesquares

Indiana :: Sochatti:: @sochatti

Iowa :: Wake Up Iowa :: @wakeup_iowacoffee

Kansas :: Hilary’s  :: @hilaryseatwell

Kentucky :: Grateful Grahams :: @gratefulgrahams

Louisiana :: New Orleans Ice Cream :: @neworleansicecream

Maine :: Good To Go :: @goodtogofoods

Maryland :: Rethink Water :: @rethinkwater

Massachusetts :: IQ Bar :: @eatiqbar

Michigan :: Banza :: @eatbanza

Minnesota :: Sota :: @sotahotandcold

Mississippi :: Easy Kale :: @easykaleshaker

Missouri :: Crispy Edge :: @crispyedge

Montana :: Glacier Distilling :: @glacierdistilling

Nebraska :: Snowshoe Candy Co :: @snowshoecandyco

Nevada :: Lucky Jack Coffee :: @luckyjackcoffee

New Hampshire :: Port City Pretzel :: @portcitypretzel

New Jersey :: Eat Pops :: @eatbrands

New Mexico :: Zia Energia :: @zia_energia

New York :: Catalina Crunch :: @catalinacrunch

North Carolina :: Big Spoon Roasters :: @bigspoonroasters

North Dakota :: Lucid Bakery :: @lucidbakery

Ohio :: Skinny Piggy Kombucha :: @skinnypiggykombucha

Oklahoma :: Okie Dough :: @okie_dough

Oregon :: Red Duck Foods :: @redduckfoods

Pennsylvania :: The Better Box :: @thebetterboxllc

Rhode Island :: Beautiful Day :: @beautifuldayri

South Carolina :: The New Primal :: @thenewprimal

South Dakota :: Intoxibakes :: @intoxibakessd

Tennessee :: Dinner Belle Nashville :: @dinnerbellenashville

Texas :: Malk Organics :: @malkorganics

Utah :: Boisson :: @craveboisson

Vermont :: Venetian Ginger Ale :: @venetianbeverages

Virginia :: Ames Hot Southern Honey :: @ameshotsouthernhoney

Washington :: Ayako and Family :: @ayakoandfamily

West Virginia :: Elevate Elixirs :: @elevateelixirs

Wisconsin :: Press Waffles :: @presswaffles

Wyoming :: Jackson Hole Pop :: @jhpopcorn

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