Each year, Hooley Brown looks at the food and drink companies pushing their categories forward and showing impressive growth.
For 2026, we’ve selected 26 food and drink brands to watch, based on recent product development, funding activity and market progress. Take a look at the full list below.
1. Beeup
Beeup products use real honey as a better source of everyday energy for kids. Founded by footballing legend David Beckham, the brand grew out of his interest in beekeeping and a desire to offer his children an alternative to sugar-heavy sweets.
Beeup’s snacks centre honey as the hero ingredient, drawing on its long history as a natural energy source. The fruit flavoured pieces are non-GMO, gluten-free and contain no artificial colours or flavours.
2. Brite
Brite is a zero sugar energy drink. It combines caffeine with L-theanine, a pairing known for supporting alertness while softening the overstimulation many consumers associate with coffee or traditional energy drinks. The result is a calmer, more even lift that compliments long workdays, studying or creative focus.
Rather than leaning on intensity, Brite positions itself around mental clarity and sustained attention. As interest in cognitive performance and nootropic products continues to grow, Brite has found traction by staying grounded in well-established ingredients.
3. Butternut
Butternut Box was inspired by a flatulent dog called Rudie, whose owners wanted to improve its health by replacing ultra-processed dog food with fresh, home-cooked meals. Founded by friends Kev and Dave, the brand is becoming one of Europe’s leading fresh pet food businesses, delivering personalised, human-grade meals through a subscription model.
Recent €75M investment and manufacturing expansion reflect how far the company has come from its early kitchen experiments. With a growing presence across multiple European markets and a move into fresh cat food, Butternut Box continues to build scale while holding onto its original focus on quality, low-temperature cooking and tailored nutrition.
4. Chickapea
Chickapea was created to make everyday staples work harder nutritionally without losing their place at the table. Founded in Canada, the brand produces organic dried pasta made from chickpeas and yellow peas, which are higher in protein and fibre than traditional pasta ingredients.
Backed by recent investment from AGT Foods, Chickapea is expanding its distribution across North America while continuing to develop its product range. Its momentum reflects a wider shift toward high protein, plant-based pantry products.
5. Chococo Chocolates
Chococo Chocolates began in Dorset in 2002, founded by husband-and-wife team Andy and Claire Burnet. From the outset, the business focused on making chocolates by hand using seasonal ingredients, local fresh cream and carefully sourced single-origin cocoa, with no additives or preservatives.
Over the years, the brand has grown thoughtfully, expanding its Chocolate Houses across the south of England and opening its first London location. Alongside chocolates, Chococo now produces gelato and hot chocolate flakes, with multiple Great Taste and international awards recognising the brand’s quality and sourcing valies.
6. Doughlicious
Doughlicious started in a home kitchen, where founder Kathryn Bricken’s American-style cookie dough quickly became a favourite among friends and family. Her small-batch passion project grew into a gluten-free cookie dough brand built around premium ingredients, inclusive recipes and formats designed to reduce waste. Every dough portion is pre-measured, allowing consumers to bake only what they need.
Now stocked across major UK and US retailers, Doughlicious has expanded beyond bake-at-home dough into frozen snackable formats, including cookie dough and gelato bites. Recent investment from Future Back Ventures supports the brand’s international growth.
7. Every
Every is reinventing one of food manufacturing’s most relied-upon ingredients: eggs. Using precision fermentation, the company produces animal-free egg whites that deliver the same functional properties bakers and manufacturers expect from traditional eggs, without the supply volatility linked to conventional egg production.
With significant new funding secured in late 2025, Every is scaling production to meet growing demand from commercial bakeries and food brands. As avian flu and rising feed costs continue to disrupt egg markets, Every’s approach offers a reliable alternative, making it easier for manufacturers to adopt animal-free ingredients without redesigning products from scratch.
8. Final Boss Sour
Final Boss Sour has carved out a distinctive position in snacking by blending sour flavours with gaming culture. Its snacks use real fruit and natural ingredients, and each product doubles as a challenge. Co-founder, Tommy Riggs, says “our fans don’t just snack – they participate.”
Backed by recent seed funding, the brand is building a highly engaged online community through TikTok Shop.
9. High & Dry
Functional beer brand High & Dry grew from founder Louis Church’s decision to step away from alcohol and rethink what a beer can offer. The result is a low-alcohol lager brewed in the UK that stays close to the taste and ritual of a traditional beer while incorporating functional mushroom extracts.
Using lion’s mane and cordyceps sourced from British growers, the beer is designed to leave drinkers feeling clear-headed rather than depleted. Early listings with independent stockists show its huge market potential, as the brand aligns with drinkers who want moderation without avoiding beer altogether.
10. Jawcko
Jawcko is a chewing gum that acts as a jawline trainer. Made to be significantly tougher than standard gum, the product aims to provide resistance-based exercise for facial muscles, tapping into growing interest in facial fitness and aesthetics.
With plans to expand beyond the US into international markets, Jawcko is positioning itself as a functional product that blends oral care, fitness and convenience. Its growth is being driven largely through social media and creator partnerships.
11. Jay & Joy
Jay & Joy was founded by cheese lovers who wanted plant-based alternatives without sacrificing the rituals and flavours of traditional French cheesemaking. Drawing on techniques learned from affineurs, the company produces fermented cashew- and soy-based cheeses that mature and evolve over time, much like their dairy counterparts.
With recent funding and the acquisition of a fellow French plant-based cheese producer, Jay & Joy has expanded its production capacity and begun entering new markets, including its UK launch of a camembert-style wheel.
12. KatKin
Premium pet food is a huge growth category and KatKin focuses on fresh, meat-based nutrition designed specifically for cats; a segment that has historically lagged behind dog food.
The company delivers frozen meals through a subscription model, with recipes built around cats’ biological needs rather than convenience-driven formulations. It has delivered over 100 million meals to date.
Following a £37m scale-up investment in late 2025, KatKin is expanding its UK footprint while exploring new markets. Alongside direct-to-consumer growth, recent retail partnerships signal a broader ambition to build awareness for fresh cat food as a category.
13. KoRo
KoRo challenges how everyday food is sourced, packaged and priced. Starting with nuts and dried fruit sold online, the Berlin-based brand has built a broad product range that now spans snack bars, nut butters, dried fruit and functional foods. Its larger pack formats and streamlined supply chains allow KoRo to provide value without leaning on frequent promotions or excessive packaging.
We featured KoRo on our 25 fast-growing food and drink brands to watch in 2025 list, and we’ve brought them back again in 2026 following a stellar 12 months. The brand has grown a customer base of more than two million people and now appears in over 13,000 retail locations.
14. Lucky Energy
Lucky Energy’s energy drinks are formulated with a short ingredient list, zero sugar and no artificial additives, offering a cleaner profile than many established players in the same category.
Its founder, Richard Laver, also has an incredible story: he survived a plane crash that killed 136 passengers, including his father. Since then, he vowed to start brands that embody perseverance, blind faith, rebellion, and never giving up on yourself.
Following a $25 million Series B raise, Lucky Energy is scaling rapidly across the US, with national retail expansion underway and sales on track to double year-on-year.
15. Matr foods
Matr Foods approaches plant-based eating through fermentation. Founded in Copenhagen, the company uses mycelium to bind and transform upcycled vegetables and legumes into meat alternatives. The process relies on whole ingredients and minimal processing, with fungi doing much of the work traditionally achieved through additives.
Recent Series A funding will enable Matr to build a large-scale production facility. Demand from chefs and foodservice partners has consistently outpaced supply, signalling continued appetite for plant-based products.
16. Mitsoh
Mitsoh began as a personal reconnection with indigenous food traditions and has grown into a premium meat snack brand rooted in cultural storytelling. Founded by Ian Gladue of the Bigstone Cree Nation, the company produces protein-forward snacks using natural ingredients, while foregrounding Indigenous ownership and language in its branding.
With new investment from Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, Mitsoh is expanding manufacturing capacity and distribution across Canada.
17. Momo Kombucha
Momo Kombucha began as a kitchen experiment after founders Josh and Lisa Puddle discovered kombucha while travelling in New York. Brewed in small batches at New Covent Garden Market, Momo positions kombucha as something to enjoy first, with function following naturally.
A recent £2 million funding round is enabling the brand to expand its brewing capacity and meet growing demand, particularly from retail and foodservice partners. With strong performance on platforms like Ocado and its first supermarket listing secured, Momo’s growth reflects sustained consumer interest in low-sugar, fermented drinks.
18. Neutonic
Founded by podcaster Chris Williamson and fitness influencer James Smith, Neutonic sits between coffee and energy drinks, offering mental focus without the usual spikes and drops. The drink centres on researched nootropic ingredients such as Cognizin, Rhodiola rosea and Panax ginseng.
In under two years, Neutonic has topped Amazon’s energy and grocery categories and sold more than three million cans. Fresh funding is now supporting retail expansion across the UK and US.
19. The Oh Collective
The Oh Collective was created by four friends who wanted to address gaps in intimacy, education and pleasure rooted in cultural silence. Drawing on traditional Chinese medicine and natural ingredients, the brand produces aphrodisiac chocolates designed to support energy, connection and confidence in intimate settings. The products are positioned as part of shared experiences rather than quick fixes.
20. Pimentae
Pimentae was founded by Alice Parmiter and Wynter Karo with the goal of bringing bar-quality margaritas into ready-to-drink formats. Focused exclusively on tequila-based cocktails, the brand prioritises ingredient quality and balance, offering canned and bottled options.
A recent £1.5 million investment is supporting retail expansion, European growth and increased brand activity. Already stocked by major UK retailers and travel partners, Pimentae has built momentum by staying tightly focused on one cocktail family.
21. Pots for Tots
Pots for Tots was created to take pressure off one of the most emotionally loaded parts of parenting: feeding young children. Founded by Cherrelle Beckitt following her own experience navigating allergies with her son, the brand offers frozen meals made from recognisable ingredients, developed with dietitians and cooked by professional chefs.
Recent funding is supporting the brand’s move toward larger retail partnerships while maintaining its direct-to-consumer roots. Pots for Tots is deliberately open about the realities of family life, positioning its meals as support rather than perfection, treating nutrition, honesty and convenience as compatible priorities.
22. Ripple
Ripple Foods built its business around the yellow pea, developing plant-based milks and shakes that deliver protein levels comparable to dairy without common allergens. Founded in the US, the brand invested early in proprietary processing to remove pea flavour while retaining nutritional density, allowing it to compete directly with both dairy and alternative milks.
With new funding secured at the end of 2025, Ripple is expanding into organic formats and doubling down on high-protein lines for both adults and children.
23. Quarter Proof
Quarter Proof explores a middle ground between full-strength spirits and abstinence. Co-founded in 2021, the brand produces distilled spirits bottled at 15% ABV, designed to preserve flavour, mouthfeel and ritual while giving drinkers greater control over how much they consume.
Following recent investment, Quarter Proof is expanding distribution across the UK, Europe and the US, with listings in both retail and hospitality. Its measured approach speaks to a growing audience interested in alcohol consumption that feels intentional and social.
24. Sauz
Sauz is bringing personality back to the pasta aisle through flavour-led sauces. Founded by Winston Alfieri and Troy Bonde, the company has focused on unexpected flavour combinations and visual identity, positioning sauces as part of social moments, not background staples.
In addition to institutional funding, Sauz has taken an unconventional route by inviting content creators onto its cap table. This approach has helped build organic visibility while strengthening ties with its audience. Sauz’s progress shows how brand-building, community and product strategy can reinforce each other.
25. Superloaf
Superloaf was developed to address a nutritional gap in everyday diets: bread that contributes meaningfully to metabolic health. Created by Modern Baker, the seeded loaf uses added fibres and protein to support steadier blood glucose responses. In their words, “seeing as a sandwich is around 72% bread, it’s about time bread started pulling its weight when it comes to keeping us healthy.”
Backed by recent Series A funding, Superloaf is being scaled through licensing partnerships with major manufacturers, allowing the brand to reach mainstream shelves.
26. XOXO
XOXO Soda was launched to bring energy and personality back to soft drinks without leaning on sugar or artificial sweeteners. The brand produces prebiotic sodas that combine bold flavour with fibre to support gut health, wrapped in a playful visual identity.
First featured on our 24 fast-growing food and drink brands to watch in 2024 list, we’ve brought XOXO back in 2026 because a recent £4 million funding round and new national listings have accelerated its presence across the UK and Europe.
With strong repeat purchase rates and rapid expansion, XOXO is showing how functionality and enjoyment can coexist, and how soft drinks can focus on flavour, feeling and self-expression in equal measure.
Congratulations to every company that made this year’s list! For more updates on all-things food and beverage, make sure you follow Hooley Brown on LinkedIn.
