Let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there. How did your company get started and why?

In 2019, I found myself frustrated at the lack of real, clean, and ethically sourced ready-made desserts. I only really had two viable healthy dessert options: either make something from scratch or buy a packaged “healthy” dessert made with preservatives to extend shelf-life, harsh chemically refined oils (canola, sunflower, etc), and artificial sugar substitutes. Neither of these options worked for my lifestyle, my sensitive gut, or my health goals. dalci was founded on the belief that everyone deserves to indulge in a treat they can feel good about, from their taste buds to their gut. We officially soft-launched online with four gut-healthy brownies in July 2020 and started selling in speciality retailers in Nov 2020. dalci is woman, minority, and POC owned. Our team is made up of gut health enthusiasts that have a passion for creating and sharing wholesome food.

What is your product and how would you describe it?

We strive to make gut-healthy treats accessible (treats that are made with real, noninflammatory, and nourishing ingredients). Our first product is the dalci gut-healthy brownie and blondies. We use zero cane sugar, sugar substitutes and alcohols, emulsifiers, soy lecithin, refined oils, & preservatives. Our brownies are made with a base of avocado oil, almond flour, coconut sugar, and organic and nonGMO ingredients. We’re are gluten, grain, soy, dairy, and refined sugar free. Our brownies are batch baked by our own artisan bakers, hand cut, and packaged at our New Jersey commercial kitchen.

How have you pivoted your business this year?

We started dalci during the pandemic and launched during a very stressful period for many Americans. Since we had to start during the pandemic, we framed our plan around the new normal that we were experiencing. Our aim was to focus on reaching customers through our online shop versus trying to get into retailers. Without being able to demo or do sampling, we had to rely on social media to get the word out.

What is your next challenge to overcome?

Scaling and distribution. We’re raising our first round and it would be great connecting with F&B investors that invest in early stage startups.

What do you predict for the food industry over the rest of the year?

I believe there will be a shift in customer mindsets about ingredients. We will still see a lot of purchasing decisions being made by beliefs that lower calories, 0 sugar, and low net carbs is associated with health. However, I believe there will be a rise in food transparency and customer knowledge about sugar substitutes, alcohols, and refined oils, which will in turn impact demand for natural products with nourishing ingredients versus a product that touts low metrics but is made with ingredients that harm the gut, body, and overall health.

Learn more at: dalci – gut-healthy & gluten-free brownies