SKU Spring '26 Showcase in Austin
Join us in celebrating the journey of our Spring '26 cohort at the SKU Showcase Pitch Event – an evening of powerful storytelling, authentic connections, and the energy of a room packed with CPG superstars! Showcase is the culmination of the rigorous 12-week program, which includes weekly classes on key topics and mentoring by industry leaders.
We’re excited to welcome Daniel Goetz, Founder & CEO of GoodPop, as the keynote speaker! A University of Texas alum who started GoodPop as a student in 2009, Daniel will share the journey of building a nationally loved, mission-driven brand.
Details:
Tuesday, May 19
Doors open at 4:30 PM | Pitches begin at 5:00 PM | Reception to follow
Expect an unforgettable evening featuring:
Live pitches - Meet eight standout brands as they share their stories and big visions.
A special keynote - Daniel Goetz, Founder & CEO of GoodPop
Product sampling and brand showcases - Get a taste (literally!) of the innovation – sample products from the participating brands during the reception.
Networking - Connect with founders, investors, mentors, and CPG insiders from across the country.
The eight SKU Spring '26 Track brands are:
After Noon Foods: Founded by Kelly Duerr and Erica Gendell, After Noon Foods is on a mission to bring homemade back to the table, even when life gets busy. The brand makes dried dressing blends crafted from real ingredients and individually packaged for ultimate convenience, with no refined sugar and no preservatives. Just add oil and vinegar for a delicious, fresh dressing in seconds.
Alive & Well Kombucha: Alive & Well Kombucha is a Texas-based, culinary-inspired kombucha brand focused on smooth, balanced, botanically crafted flavors that are built for modern consumers seeking a more elevated, thoughtful take on kombucha. Founded by registered dietitian Shyler Landry and Trevor Landry, a hospitality professional, the brand blends functional nutrition with refined flavor design.
Crease Beast: Founded by Matt Jones and Xavier Correa, Crease Beast redefines sneaker care by going beyond traditional shoe-care products, with a focus on innovation, thoughtful design, and the nuances that define the sneakerhead lifestyle. Unlike traditional hard plastic alternatives which are notoriously uncomfortable and prevent natural foot movement, its unique memory foam–based crease protectors reimagines the category by filling the negative space inside the toe box to comfortably minimize the appearance of creases.
Dohjoy: Founded by Julie Lincoln, Dohjoy makes super-nutritious, zero-sugar breads and rolls that make meeting your daily nutrition goals more joyful. The brand’s Fiber + Protein breads come in three flavors: Sourdough Style, Three Seed, and Golden Wheat. Dohjoy also offers bakery rolls and foodservice loaves. Dohjoy products are nutrient-dense, easy on the digestive system, and help keep blood glucose steady, so almost anyone can enjoy them every day and stay on track with their health and nutrition goals.
OOSO Sparkling Tea: Founded by Oliver and Sophia Spring, OOSO offers sparkling teas for people who want flavor, balance, and function in every sip. Each can is brewed with fermented, organic teas and powered by L-theanine, vitamin B12, and vitamin C. No artificial ingredients. No artificial sweeteners. Just honey and functional ingredients that help you feel centered, focused, and balanced.
Seoulmate: Founded by Joyce Choi and Josh Kim, Seoulmate (formerly K-Mama Kitchen) handcrafts authentic, small-batch kimchi and fermented pickles designed to preserve maximum crunch and probiotic benefits. From the best-selling Daikon Radish to the innovative Banh Mi Pickle, every jar is made fresh weekly and delivers on the brand’s motto: “Made by my Korean mama, so it’s as real as it gets!”
The Nice Bum: Founded by Oscar Chen Wang and Cisy Ye Liu, The Nice Bum is a modern household essentials brand focused on everyday comfort. The brand creates premium facial tissues and flushable wipes designed to prioritize softness and skin comfort, especially for repeated use, reimagining overlooked daily products with a higher standard of quality and experience.
Yee Mama: Founded by Chiuyee (Dora) Cheng, Yee Mama delivers traditional Cantonese flavors through convenient, high-quality frozen wontons and sauces that help people save time in the kitchen without sacrificing taste. Dora launched Yee Mama in August 2020 to reconnect with her roots and share those flavors with the community.
Schedule at a glance:
4:30-5:00 pm: Drinks, bites & sampling
5:00-7:15 pm: Founder pitches (including brief intermission)
7:15-8:30 pm: More drinks, bites & sampling
Parking & Getting There:
Paid parking is available in the parking garage attached to Rowling Hall and directly next door at the AT&T Conference Center. There is also paid street parking nearby. Otherwise we encourage you to Lyft/Uber. From the Rowling Hall garage, take the stairs/elevator to the first level where you'll find Crum Auditorium. From the street/campus level, enter the main entrance to Rowling Hall across from the AT&T Center/courtyard area and Crum will be on the right side on the first level.
A special thanks to our host The Jon Brumley Texas Venture Labs at The University of Texas at Austin (TVL). TVL is a university-wide award-winning initiative to support technology commercialization, entrepreneurship and innovation, while providing a unique and directly applicable educational experience for participating students. TVL's purpose is to provide the intellectual horsepower to promote new venture creation at The University of Texas at Austin through education and mentoring; market and business plan validation; team-building and networking; and providing direct links to resources and funding.More details to come including our outstanding keynote speaker and impressive judge panel.