Bring Your Food Brand to the U.S. Market

    Trusted by founders and brands from Tokyo to Toronto — now it’s your turn. The most effective way to launch your food brand in the U.S.

    US-Based Food Products

     

     

     

     

     

    Your Roadmap to U.S. Market Success

    Whether you're launching into the U.S. for the first time or localizing an existing product, our Accelerator gives you the roadmap, ecosystem, and network to translate your success into the U.S. market.

    Our Accelerator starts with two packages -- Product and Market Fit, helping you sell more, faster and for less capital upfront. 

    → Chat with our Team

     

     

    Maspanadas - International Columbian Empanadas

    Our Proven Process

    • Commit – We get to know each other and sign on
    • Product – In 180 days, your product is on shelves and in a distributor in the U.S. market
    • Market Fit – Grow into 50-100 local stores while building profitable manufacturing to meet demand
    • Regional Scale – Secure regional distribution and expand production profitably 
    • Grow – Achieve national scale or deep regional saturation via investment


    Launch Your Product

    Our Product Package gives international startups and brands the roadmap, ecosystem, and network to translate early traction into real, retail-ready results. You’ll launch faster, reduce capital risk, and build a product that sells. in U.S. markets. 

    → Ready to build ? Connect with us

    Highlights

    • Accelerated U.S. readiness. Launch in months, not years — with built-in access to our network of buyers, suppliers, industry experts, and partners we've already vetted. You'll skip the costly trial-and-error of finding packaging, labeling, and ingredient vendors approved in the U.S.

    • Localized for success. Adapt your product, packaging, and pricing for the U.S. customer — with expert guidance every step of the way.

    • Real-time product testing. Use our six Union Kitchen grocery stores to test packaging, positioning, and pricing before full launch — and learn directly from U.S. consumers.

    • Retail-Ready Execution. We help you finalize packaging, barcodes, and compliance so stores and distributors can say yes without delays.

    • Professional sales assets. Leave with sell sheets, shelf talkers, and templates built to win meetings with U.S. buyers.

    • Get direct introductions. We connect you with District Distribution and Union Kitchen Stores, opening immediate sales opportunities.

     

    What's Included

      • U.S. market packaging, labeling, and compliance

      • Pricing and costing models tailored for U.S. retail

      • FDA-approved kitchen access and operational support

      • One-on-one coaching and regulatory troubleshooting

      • Introductions to proven supply chain and packaging vendors

      • Professional sales toolkit + go-to-market materials

      • Retail and distribution onboarding

      • Tools: Supplier Directory, Product Checklist, Production Workbook, Pricing & Projections Workbook

    OUR ADVANTAGE AS EXPERTS IN INNOVATION

    • Over 10+ years working with hundreds of founders, corporate innovation teams, and international food companies on consumer-driven innovation
    • Hundreds of successful product launches that have landed on more than 40,000 store shelves around the U.S.
    • Integrated Ecosystem of buyers, suppliers, experts, and partners that speeds up market entry, reduces the need for capital, and drives faster, more sustainable growth.
    • Our expertise is real and comes from running businesses in every part of the food system, not theory or academic research. 
    Jesse & Ben's Placement in Whole Foods
    Snacklins - food startup launch in CVS
    Giant Foods, Susosu Water launch

    Success Stories from our Founders

    the Six-Month Sprint That Brought Japan’s Rice Cream to America

    Inside the Six-Month Sprint That Brought Japan’s Rice Cream to America

    It started with a phone call from Tokyo one late Wednesday night. Hiroya Hashizume (Zume), the founder of the Japanese food tech startup Kinish, was pitching his idea for a rice-based ice cream to the team at Union Kitchen in Washington, D.C. 

    Through advanced molecular farming, Zume had discovered a way to extract animal-free dairy proteins from inside rice grains. The ingredient created a creamier, more environmentally friendly, and better for you version of non-dairy ice cream. His only question was: Would Americans embrace rice-based ice cream?

     

    Read the full story about how a Japanese Startup launched in the U.S. in less than six months

    Snacklins, Samy K food founder DC
    Luis Solis, Caribe Juice Union Kitchen food founder and accelerator member
    Vegetable & Butcher founders and entrepreneurs
    Berg Bites, Food Founder

    Our Team of Experts

    Cullen Gilchrist, CEO of DC-based food accelerator
    Cullen Gilchrist, CEO & Founder
    Elena Gonzalez
    Elena Gonzalez, Chief Operating Officer 
    Barney Rubin, DC Food Startup Director
    Barney Rubin, Accelerator Director
    Pablo Bravo-Olle
    Pablo Bravo Olle, Memberships Director

    (SOME OF) OUR ECOSYSTEM PARTNERS

    STARTUP STORIES FROM OUR ACCELERATOR MEMBERS

    From Launch to Scale