This time last year, the future did not look very promising for small brands in America. When the U.S. went into pandemic lockdown, families reached for the familiarity of house-name brands like Campbell’s, Kraft Heinz, and Nestlé to provide both comfort and utility. But as incumbent brands struggled to keep up with demand, challenger brands regained share on grocery shelves and with it, a surer foothold in the mainstream market.

As winter fades into spring, restaurants across the country are reflecting on the hard decisions they faced this year: to stay open or hibernate? For those who stayed open, an additional revenue stream was not a nice to have - but a necessity to survival.