Mark Smith
This article showcases our top picks for the best North Carolina 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 North Carolina Food and Beverage Startups
Data sourced from Crunchbase and SemRush.
Pairwise Plants
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Pairwise is a purpose-driven food+tech company dedicated to building a healthier world through better fruits and vegetables.
Ekos
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Empowering craft beverage producers to make more through our cloud-based business management software.
FoodLogiQ
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FoodLogiQ provides a food traceability, food safety, food sustainability, and supply chain transparency software.
321 Coffee
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321 Coffee is a coffee shop and roaster that provides work opportunities to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Murphy’s Naturals
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Murphy’s Naturals is a celebrate nature and inspire good through natural products.
Dewey’s Bakery
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Dewey’s Bakery has had the privilege of offering customers deliciously sweet and savory treats that reflect the local flavors we love.
Tiamat Sciences
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Tiamat Sciences makes plant-based growth factors & proteins for cell-culture
Precision Fermentation
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Precision Fermentation offers a real-time monitoring solution that enhances control over the fermentation process.
Improved Nature
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Improved Nature is a plant-based company offering a delicious, sustainable, and high-quality meat substitute.
Counter Culture Coffee
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Counter Culture Coffee is a food and beverage company offering coffee and coffee making services.
Seal the Seasons
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Seal the Seasons is a premium national local frozen food brand that makes locally grown and produced food available 365 days a year.
Jellatech
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Jellatech is a B2B biotech business that produces pure, animal-free collagen and gelatin.
SinnovaTek
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SinnovaTek is a developer of processing technologies for foods and bio-materials.
Imperial Frozen Foods
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Imperial Frozen Foods was formed in 1957 as an extension of the Fruitcrest Preserve Company
The Mushroom Meat Co.
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B2B food tech company that transforms gourmet mushrooms and upcycled plant proteins into mushroom-based meats.
Abbys Better
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Abby’s Better Nut Butter offers healthy sweet, whether on toast, fruit, or by the spoonful.
TRU Colors
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TRU Colors is a large for-profit brewery with a tightly integrated social mission—stop street violence and unite communities across America.
Sustainable Food Ventures
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SFV backs globally early-stage founders building leading Future of Food companies that are: #Cell-based #Plant-based #Recombinant
BIOMILQ
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BIOMILQ leverages breakthrough mammary biotechnology to produce human milk outside of the body to nourish a world to its full potential.
MATI Energy
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MATI Energy is redefining energy drinks for health and function-driven consumers.
Barvecue
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Barvecue is a food company that offers barbecues for vegetarians.
Tryon Distributing
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Tryon Distributing is a wholesaler, distributor, and manufacture of beer, wine, and spirits.
No Evil Foods
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No Evil Foods produces environmentally sustainable, socially conscious, plant-based food.
ChowCall
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ChowCall provides food delivery services to military and civilian customers on and near military bases.
PlantPure
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PlantPure is a food company that produces affordable plant-based foods and meals for home delivery.
Induction Food Systems
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Induction Food Systems is a solid-state heating solution that improves food and beverage manufacturing and product development.
Bevana
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Bevana is a platform that connects artisan beverage makers with the eager consumers they would otherwise be unable to reach.
Good Kitchen
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Delivers clean, sustainable, chef-driven meals to the doorsteps of active individuals with hectic schedules.
Durham Distillery
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Durham Distillery is a gin, vodka, and liqueur distillery that creates spirits that are both classic and contemporary.
Social Beverage
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Social Beverage Company specializes in the production of alcoholic beverages.
International Agriculture Group
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International Agriculture Group produces innovative tropical ingredients for the natural products and food and beverage markets.
Village Juice & Kitchen
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Village Juice & Kitchen retails a variety of juices such as pressed, squeezed, ground, pureed, mixed, chopped, and crafted in-house.
Creek Water Whiskey
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Creek Water Whiskey is a beverage company that offers and crafts American whiskey.
Slingshot Coffee Company
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Slingshot Coffee Company specializes in single-origin Cold Brew Coffee and Cascara Tea.
CurEat App LLC
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Restaurant finding App using curated chefs and other influencers
CZero Foods
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CZero Foods is a software company that makes food operations easy and carbon-neutral.
Tribucha
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Tribucha is the largest kombucha brewery in the triangle of NC.
Devil’s Foot Beverage
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Devil’s Foot Beverage is a new craft beverage company.
Riverbend Malt House
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Riverbend Malt House provides quality, locally sourced craft malt to the craft brewing and craft distilling industries.
Mosi
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Mosi is the portable, multi brew infuser with mess-free attachments to make the perfect cup of anything.
Untappd
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Untappd is an app that enables users to socially share and explore the world of beer with others.
Broadtree Partners
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Broadtree Partners is an operationally-focused lower middle-market private equity firm.
Next Glass
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Next Glass is dedicated to advancing the global beverage industry through innovative technology.
Drink Sarilla
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Drink Sarilla is a healthy and flavorful bubbly drink, providing a streamlined source of focus and natural energy.
Sneaky Penguin Brewing
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Sneaky Penguin Brewing is a beverage company that produces brewery beers.
Lazy Hiker Brewing
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Lazy Hiker Brewing provides a community gathering place and serves craft beers.
Simple Kneads
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Simple Kneads makes artisan, gluten-free bread, made with whole food ingredients a clean label, no GMOs, and no eggs or dairy.
Lazy Gator’s Hemp Farm
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Lazy Gator’s Hemp Farm is produces hemp oil.
ALLPUR Nutrition
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ALLPUR Nutrition develops nutritious, chemical-free and consumer favorite beverages.
SPX FLOW
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SPX FLOW is a manufacturing company that helps customers lower costs, increase uptime, save energy, reduce waste, and improve quality.
Glean
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Glean is a food and beverage company that delivers healthy and fresh foods to its consumers.
Milkful
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Milkful lactation bars help support breast milk production for breastfeeding moms.
BearWaters Brewing
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BearWaters Brewing Company was born from the passion of home brewing.
French Broad Chocolates
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Chocolate specialist using carefully sourced beans to create truffles, bars & other sweets.
The Historic Magnolia House
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The Historic Magnolia House is a restaurant, event space, and guest housing for private gatherings, weddings, and intimate performances.
RiceWrap Foods
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RiceWrap Foods is a food manufacturer that provides sushi rice.
Dojo Fresh
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Dojo Fresh creates a plant-based food mix that allows users to easily create a protein-rich meat alternative.
Coca-Cola Bottling Co.
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Coca-Cola Bottling Co. is independent Coca-Cola bottler.
Kolé Life Foods
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With operations in Baltimore and Charlotte, the purpose of the group is developing and selling natural, healthier and “better for you”.
Epiphany Craft Malt
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Epiphany Craft Malt is converts raw barley and other cereals into malt for local brewers and distillers.
Foodbuy
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Foodbuy is a largest foodservice procurement organization in North America.
Tom & Jenny’s
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Tom & Jenny’s is a food production company that offers nutritious, low carbohydrate sugar-free, and gluten-free caramels.
S&D Coffee
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S&D Coffee is coffee and tea manufacturer and supplier to restaurants and convenience stores.
cbdMD
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cbdMD is a consumer products brand offering a large selection of cbdMD branded CBD products primarily through its ecommerce.
TABLE
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TABLE is a non-profit that delivers healthy food and nutrition education.
Bojangles’
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Bojangles’ offers chicken, biscuits, fixin’s and tea.
Jabin Beverage Co.
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Jabin Beverage Co. is a maker of drink apple cider vinegar beverage that balances great taste with incredible health properties.
Well Seasoned Table
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Well Seasoned Table is a one-stop-shop for spices and herbs.
Big Cheese Pizza
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Big Cheese Pizza engages in the franchising business of a pizza brand.
NovaDine
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NovaDine provides enterprise-class POS integrated digital ordering solutions to multi-unit restaurant chains.
Big Delicious Brand
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Big Delicious Brand is a food company that offers gourmet specialty food.
Canine Harvest
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Canine Harvest is a pet service company that offers farm-fresh foods for dogs.
Zaria’s Milk
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Zaria’s Milk is a food company that offers homemade lacctation cookies and baked goods for breastfeeding moms.
Alamance Foods
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Alamance Foods manufactures private label water, flavored drinks, freeze pops, and aerosol whipped cream.
Kind Cultures
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Kind Cultures good cheese is cruelty-free, cultured, accessible, and sustainable.
Case Foods, Inc.
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Case Foods is a food production company specializing in poultry products.
Clean Juice Bar
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Clean Juice Bar is a juice bar located in Concord, NC.
Hissho Sushi
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Hissho Sushi’s mission is to provide the highest quality sushi and unparalleled customer service to consumers.
Resistor Brews
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Resistor Brews is a provider of unique flavors distributed in grocery stores, coffee shops, and restaurants.
Lowes Foods
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Carolinas based grocery chain with 75x locations
Speed Energy Drink
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Speed Energy Drink provides vitamin energy drink.
Holman Distillery
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Holman Distillery is a Farm Distillery in the Brushy Mountains of NC.
National Gypsum Company
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National Gypsum Company is an company which produces drywall gypsum boards
Plantnrgy
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Plantnrgy is a health startup that offers plant-based protein and superfood mixes with simple ingredients.
Genpak
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Genpak, LLC manufactures disposable, foam, plastic, and other food packaging products
Sara Lee Frozen Bakery
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Sara Lee Frozen Bakery is a maker of frozen bakery and dessert products.
Carolina Beverage Group
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Carolina Beverage Group is a world-class co-packing specialty-sized can producer for numerous national international beverage brands.
Harris Teeter
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The dedication to our shoppers dates back to 1960 when our company was formed through the merger of two regional grocery stores committed
Alex Lee
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Alex Lee is a holding company whose primary operations are in food distribution and retailing.
Canteen, NA
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Canteen is a national vending machine operating company offering vending, office coffee service and dining services.
Pepsi Bottling Ventures
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Pepsi Bottling Ventures is a brand of manufacturing, selling, and distributing some recognized consumer brands.
Fresh Market
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Fresh Market is a restaurant specializing in chicken caesar, Cobb, and chef special salad.
Biscuitville FRESH SOUTHERN
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Biscuitville FRESH SOUTHERN is a restaurant that provides southern local food and hand-made biscuits.
House Autry Mills
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House-Autry Mills is a leading supplier to restaurant chain groups and independent operators in most states across the country.
Cultures for Health Inc.
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We supply hundreds of products to support a real food lifestyle including starter cultures, cheese making supplies, soy cultures and more!
