Sure! Launches Plant-Based Beverages for Toddlers and Infants

When her baby daughter, Tavi, had a severe reaction to infant formula, April Kelly dove into researching the formula industry, desperately seeking a product her child could tolerate. Her research led her into the kitchen where she experimented with ingredients to develop a plant-based recipe her pediatrician would approve to feed Tavi. 

As April’s mom community started requesting her recipe to help their own feeding struggles, she realized that manufacturing her product commercially could meet an important need.

Partnering with the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab (NCFIL), April, with her husband Caleb Kelly as co-founder, started her company Sure! and is set to launch the first product, a ready-to-drink toddler beverage, this fall.

NCFIL: Tell us more about the plant-based formula you created in your kitchen.

AK: I wanted to develop a formula with recognizable ingredients. My original recipe was almond-based and used MCT oil (a derivative of coconut oil), other nutrition-rich oils, oats and dates as a natural sweetener. We blended it up with a Nutribullet® blender and strained it using cheesecloth.

NCFIL: How did your partnership with NCFIL come about?

AK: Early on, I connected with several free resources for entrepreneurs. I secured a business counselor with the Small Business Technology and Development Center, and through them, I came across NCFIL. When I researched NCFIL further, I learned they were heavily focused on plant-based products and thought they might be good partners.

In early conversations, I told NCFIL Executive Director Bill Aimutis we had a recipe that we could leverage with NCFIL’s expertise to turn it into a commercial product. He gave us a shot and worked with us to fine-tune the recipe, using FDA guidelines as a backdrop. We’ve been with NCFIL for about four years now.

NCFIL: What services has NCFIL provided Sure!?

AK: All services are on the product development side. I was even able to go to the facility, make my recipe and then taste it. In the lab, I used similar equipment to what I used at home: a commercial blender to mimic the initial recipe, specifically taste and texture. From there, NCFIL staff reviewed with me which pieces of equipment would be used to produce our product on a larger scale.

Now, we are working with Bill on a research study, for which he is clinical director, which utilizes our toddler beverage. The data from the study will be used to formulate our infant formula. Our relationship with NCFIL has blossomed into more than we could have imagined in the beginning.

NCFIL: What has been your favorite piece of equipment to use at NCFIL?

AK: NCFIL has a piece of equipment that, using just a drop of our formula,  quantifies the exact amounts of proteins and fats. It helped us consider if we’re meeting the numbers and amounts we need to meet [for the nutritional profile].

That was actually one of our proudest moments. I don’t come from a science background; I truly am just a mom trying to solve my own problems with my own baby. Yet, NCFIL Product Developer Chris Patillo, who worked closely with us in development, said our formulation wasn’t far off at all. There were only a few tweaks NCFIL needed to make to scale up the recipe and to consider shelf life.

NCFIL: What will be your first product?

AK: We will launch our toddler beverage this fall. We’re marketing it as plant-based milk until we finalize the research to back our claims and market it as an allergy introductory beverage. It will be a ready-to-drink beverage packaged in a pouch, similar to squeezable applesauce.

We will start small, targeting a regional audience in eastern North Carolina. We’re rebranding as well as changing our name and website to fit an ecommerce storefront where people can see and purchase our product.

I let all four of my kids — ages 2 to 13 — try the formula, just to make sure it tastes good. They’re our taste testers. Tavi has just turned five, and she loves it — she gave it a thumbs up!

NCFIL: What impact has working with NCFIL had on your business?

AK: It’s been impactful in many ways. Before, everything was just an idea or something I cooked up in my own kitchen. Working with NCFIL helped me think about how we can get this product from our kitchen to store shelves and into the hands of other moms and children who could benefit. They had the expertise that I lacked; they knew the food science behind what we were doing. Without NCFIL, I don’t know how we would have started.

NCFIL: What’s next for Sure!? 

AK: Infant formula will be our next launch. After that, our goal is to grow with the child. Even now, we are continuing to do research and talk to our customers about their child’s needs. What do they wish was better?

I envision a baby category, a toddler category and a tinies category. The products won’t necessarily all be beverages but will likely remain in the food and beverage industry. We hope to continue partnering with NCFIL as we bring about newly formulated products.

Work With Us

At NCFIL, we’re eager to work with entrepreneurs looking to enter the market with innovative products. We assist with everything from conceptualization to commercialization. Reach out through this online form to start a conversation.