This article showcases our top picks for the best Kentucky based Food and Beverage companies. These startups and companies are taking a variety of approaches to innovating the Food and Beverage industry, but are all exceptional companies well worth a follow.
We tried to pick companies across the size spectrum from cutting edge startups to established brands.
We selected these startups and companies for exceptional performance in one of these categories:
- Innovation
- Innovative ideas
- Innovative route to market
- Innovative product
- Growth
- Exceptional growth
- Exceptional growth strategy
- Management
- Societal impact
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Top Kentucky Food and Beverage Startups
Data sourced from Crunchbase and SemRush.
Nowadays
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Nowadays is a plant-based meat startup that develops plant-based chicken nuggets made up of just 7 ingredients.
KFC
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Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is a chicken restaurant chain popular for its original recipe that makes use of 11 secret herbs and spices.
Brown-Forman Corp.
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Brown-Forman is one of the American-owned spirits and wine companies.
Pro Mach Group
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Pro Mach is an automated packaging solutions provider serving manufacturers of all sizes and geographies in the industrial industries.
Martie
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Martie diverts perfectly good surplus pantry staples from going to landfills and delivers them directly to customers.
FreshFry
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The FreshFry Pod extends the life of your frying oil.
ZoomEssence
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ZoomEssence designs and produces custom powder flavors that burst with taste and aroma for leading food and beverage brands.
Thrive365
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Thrive365 is a nutritional meal scoring platform that focuses on diabetes, health coaching, and technology-driven preventative medicine.
Frozen Foods Partners
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Frozen Foods Partners is a consumer products company established in the production, distribution and marketing of frozen skillet meals.
Angel’s Envy Bourbon
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There’s bourbon. And then there’s divine inspiration painstakingly crafted into a spirit so sublime you’ll want to share it with the world.
Braxton Brewing
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Braxton Brewing operates a craft brewery and taprooms providing fresh handmade beer.
Yum!
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Yum! is a quick-service restaurant brand that primarily operates the likes of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell.
EZ Chow
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Branded Digital Ordering SaaS Platform, focused on Point-of-Sale Integration for the Restaurant and Hospitality Industry
Sword Performance
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Sword Performance is a producer of hydration products to fight dehydration and fatigue.
Beyond Zero
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Beyond Zero is a corporation that has invented a machine that freezes most liquor into ice.
Rooibee Red Tea
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Rooibee Red Tea offers adventure seekers with information about accommodation, food, and traveling kits.
Cooper Tea
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Cooper Tea Company produces black teas and green teas specializes in iced brew tea, hot tea, tea pods and tea brewing machines.
Hollison Technologies
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Hollison Technologies provides solutions for ensuring and maintaining food safety and security.
Chef Space
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Chef Space helps entrepreneurs start their food business with location, workspace, equipment.
Revival
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Revival sells vintage spirits, tasting experiences, and provide unique member opportunities.
Commonwealth Brands
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Commonwealth Brands manufactures and distributes tobacco products for adult smokers.
Algood Food Company
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Algood Food Company is a packer of private label peanut butter, jellies, and preserves.
What Chefs Want!
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What Chefs Want is a wholesale food distributor delivering meats, gourmet food items, paper goods, dairy, and restaurant staple items.
Houchens Industries
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Houchens Industries owns and operates supermarkets.
Kona Ice
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Kona Ice serves shaved ice that attracts kids and adults alike with its colorful and eye-catching truck.
Baqua
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Baqua is bringing healthy drink options to consumers.
Bluegrass Ingredients
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Bluegrass helps leading brands and flavor houses concept, test and produce the custom flavors and formulations they need to stay ahead.
Blue Run Spirits
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Blue Run Spirits provides distinctive Kentucky bourbon for bold and distinctive whiskey drinkers.
HJI Supply Chain Solutions
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HJI Supply Chain Solutions is a third-party logistics firm.
Laurel Grocery Company
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Laurel Grocery Company is a wholesale company providing groceries, meat, produce, and general merchandise.
Bardstown Bourbon Company
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Bardstown Bourbon Company is producing whiskey, bourbon, and rye for its own brands as well as for its Collaborative Distilling partners.
Takeout Taxi
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Since 1987, Takeout Taxi has been providing a wide variety of timely breakfast, lunch and dinner solutions.
DDW The Color House
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DDW is a supplier of natural colors to the food and beverage industry.
Poplar Level Player’s Plaza
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Poplar Level Player’s Plaza is a sports bar and restaurant.
Fazoli’s
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Grab your fork and dig into some of our favorite things!
Phocus
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Phocus is an e-commerce based firm dealing in online sales of caffeinated sparkling water Infused with natural tea, caffeine & L-theanine.
Novo Capital, LLC
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Private Investment Company. Hospitality, Restaurant Concepts, Technology.
Inspired Go
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chef inspired salads, bowls, and more – delivered to your home
Doc Popcorn
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Doc Popcorn is a food and beverages company that offers snack products and gift items.
Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions
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Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions is a restaurant providing supply chain management services.
SuperFat
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SuperFat is a food company that specializes in making gluten-free, ketogenic, real, nutritious cookies, butter and chocolates.
Organic Meadow
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Organic Meadow is a leading organic dairy company which sells organic milk and milk products,
Dinovite
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Dinovite manufactures and sells natural pet products online.
Fin Gourmet
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FIn Gourmet is a producer of wild-caught Asian Carp products.
United States of Espresso
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United States of Espresso is a pioneering coffee consumer and franchise.
The Lost Explorer Mezcal Company
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The Lost Explorer Mezcal is a handcrafted spirit made in Oaxaca.
Castellini Company
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Castellini is a distributor of fresh produce in the US with locations in Wilder, KY, and Conley, GA for foodservice operations & wholesale.
Four Roses Bourbon
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Four Roses Bourbon is handcrafts distinct and 10 extraordinary bourbon recipes.
Willow Ridge Plastics
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Willow Ridge Plastics, Inc. is the leading manufacturer of oxo-biodegradable additives, with over 27 years of experience.
Good Foods Co-op
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Good Food Co-op is locally owned and operated natural products market and cafe based in the USA.
Snappy Tomato Pizza Co.
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Snappy Tomato Pizza Co. is a restaurant offering pizzas, hoagies, and salads.
Cal-Organic Farms
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Cal-Organic Farms is a food and beverage company, that also a pioneer farm with strong roots in organic produce.
LOCA Foods
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Loca Foods is the first plant-based cheesy sauce that’s both devilishly delicious and shockingly healthy.
Grindmaster-Cecilware
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Grindmaster-Cecilware is a manufacturer of hot, cold and frozen beverage dispensing equipment, including coffee machines.
Hilco
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Hilco is a food & beverages company that specializes in manufacturer of candy filled novelties for seasonal and everyday distribution.
Mesa Foods
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Founded in Louisville, Kentucky, is a leading manufacturer of private label flour and corn tortillas, flatbreads, tacos shells, taco kits
Woodford Reserve
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Woodford Reserve is a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of handcrafted whiskeys.
C.C. Clark, Inc.
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C.C. Clark, Inc. provides excellent customer service while representing the best beverage products available.
Wendy’s of Bowling Green, Inc.
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Wendy’s of Bowling Green is a hospitality company providing restaurant services.
Flavorman
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Flavorman is specializes in the technical side of beverage development.
Parallel Products
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Parallel Products is a renewables & environment company that offers beverage recycling services.
PrestigeHaus
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PrestigeHaus functions to create products that are timeless and distinctive.
Club Chef, LLC
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Club Chef is a food production company offering fruits and vegetables.
Louisville Water Company
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Louisville Water Company has provided high-quality drinking water to the communities we serve.
The People’s Platter
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The People’s Platter is an e-commerce store that offers deluxe mini flat graze, chocolate dessert cones, and baked brie dip.
De’Aruhuä Indigenous Chocolate
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Indigenous chocolate nutrition starts deep in the forest on the tree. Wild grown, organic cacao, cupuaçu, fruits, teas and medicinal plants.
Winchell’s Donut House Inc
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Winchell’s Donut House is an operator of food outlets that sells donuts, cinnamon rolls, muffins, bagels, etc.
Tequila Herradura
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Tequila Herradura, a Mexican company that produces the Casa Herradura tequila brand.
The Comfy Cow
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The Comfy Cow provides one-of-a-kind handcrafted ice cream & believe in real authentic flavor.
Masterson’s Food & Drink, Inc.
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Masterson’s Food & Drink is a restaurant providing catering services.
River City Distributing, Inc.
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River City Distributing is a consumer goods company that offers wine and spirits products.
New Riff Distilling
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New Riff Distilling is a spirit and beverage manufacturing company.
Lockbox
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Lockbox is a restaurant that offers fine dining, culinary expertise and hospitality services.
Frozen De’Lites
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Frozen De’Lites is a food and drinks service provider company.
The Bourbon Review
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The Bourbon Review is a publishing company that provides news in the food and beverages industries.
Winston Industries
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Winston Industries is a food & beverages company that provides holding cabinets and thermalizer ovens.
Pizza Today
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Pizza Today is a publication for pizzeria owners and operators.
Boxney
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Boxney is a Disney subscription box service delivering authentic snacks and goodies directly from Disney World to you!
Grindmaster
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Grindmaster manufactures professional beverage dispensing equipment.
Blendex Company
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Blendex Company is a dry food blender and packager.
Bulleit Distilling
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Bulleit Distilling is a beverage company that produces a wide variety of whisky, wine and spirits to its customers.
Molecular Health Technologies
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Molecular Health Technologies is a dietary supplement supplier.
Barr Farms
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Barr Farms provides meats and certified organic vegetables.
Bourbon Raw
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Bourbon Raw Bar and Restaurant is the best Restaurant in Louisville located in 446 S. Fourth St. Louisville, KY 40202. USA.
Winston Foodservice
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Winston Foodservice manufactures commercial foodservice equipment for restaurants, health care facilities, and schools.
Rudy Green’s Doggy Cuisine
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Rudy Green’s Doggy Cuisine provides home cooking for dogs.
OraMD
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The Mouth Doctor – The All Natural Toothpaste and Mouthwash
ILLUMINATEA
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ILLUMINATEA is a producer of premium matcha spread.
Hemp Foods America
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We are developing the first organic domestic supply of hemp for the $500 million annual US market for Hemp Foods.
Novohub.co
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Novohub.co offers user interface between customers and their favorite local restaurants.
Paradise‰ã¢ – Signature Sauces, Signature Services
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Paradise is a food production company specializing in sauces.
Petthrive
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Petthrive provides food for dogs to support joint, bone and metabolic health.
The Ooh! Box
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TheOohBox. The most exclusive wine and gourmet tasting club in South Africa.For life’s little pleasures.
Master Provisions
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Master Provisions is a faith-based nonprofit organization that provides direct assistance to people in need.
B&B Systems
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B&B Systems provides custom-designed items in large and small quantities in the food industries.
Caralis Rotisserie Chicken
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#CharcoalChicken in Louisville Ky
Wallace Station
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Wallace Station Deli is a popular restaurant.
Rafferty’s
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Rafferty’s serves burgers, steaks, and American staples.