Glen Powell has done it all on screenfrom battling storms in Twisters to trading banter in the rom-com Anyone but You. But his latest role? Its a little unexpected: reinventing the American pantry.
The actor is stepping into the food world as a cofounder of Smash Kitchen, a new condiment brand hitting Walmart shelves nationwide on April 2. The line includes ketchup, mustard, mayo, and BBQ sauceall made with better-for-you ingredients like organic tomatoes and mustard seeds, cage-free organic eggs, and none of the usual suspects like high-fructose corn syrup or artificial additives. The goal? To bring all your favorite condiments under one cleaner, tastier brand.
Were trying to give you the flavor that you love and youre used to, with more integrity, Powell tells Fast Company. When you look at these legacy brands, they dont evolve because they dont have to evolve.
The Powell-backed brand is leaping into the $12 billion U.S. condiments category, which is projected to grow an additional $1 billion by 2029, according to market researcher Mintel. Unlike other food categories like coffee, soda, and yogurt where upstart brands have made inroads, Unilevers Hellmanns mayonnaise, Kraft Heinzs namesake ketchup, and McCormicks Frenchs mustard are the market leaders and have easily retained those positions for decades.
[Image: Smash Kitchen]
We have a tremendous sense of loyalty to these brands, says Matthew Barry, food and beverage insight manager at researcher Euromonitor International. People are really attached to Hellmanns and Heinz ketchup.
Smash Kitchen is the first business venture that Powell has announced outside of his career as an entertainer, which began with his big screen acting debut in the 2003 film Spy Kids 3: Game Over. Powell has since racked up dozens of film and TV credits and recently formed his own production company called Barnstorm. The creation of Smash Kitchen, Powell says, was inspired by his affinity for hosting dinner parties and barbecues in Los Angeles and his home state of Texas.
My family life and my favorite memories always evolved around the kitchen, says Powell. Food is how we show our love.
Smash Kitchen is backed by venture capital firm Collaborative Fund, an early investor in Olipop, Sweetgreen, and Blue Bottle Coffee. Powells co-founders Smash Kitchen CEO Sameer Mehta, a cofounder of dog food brand Jinx and former VP of strategic partners at mattress company Casper, and President Sean Kane, who co-founded consumer goods purveyor the Honest Company. The trio were brought together through a mutual connection with venture capital fund Iconiq Capital founder Divesh Makan.
Ultimately, you shouldn’t have to choose what’s better for your budget and and better for your health, and Glenn is super excited to be able to bring that to not only his family, but people everywhere, says Kane.
Smash Kitchens pitch to shoppers is not only a focus on a cleaner nutritional label that avoids high fructose corn syrup and tomato concentrate, but prioritizing the creation of condiments that taste good. Retailers, Mehta says, told the team that people arent picking up condiments for health benefits. They are picking it up for the flavor.
The more distinctive flavors from Smash Kitchen, like hot honey BBQ sauce and spicy mayo, may have greater success luring shoppers, as those flavor profiles arent as intrinsically linked to childhood memories as the classic Heinz ketchup. Weve seen hot honey get household recognition within the pizza category, says Mehta. Nobody has infused it with ketchup. Its a flavor profile that we know consumers are wanting.
Theres no hot honey sauce that is so emotionally resonant and widespread among the American consumer, says Barry. Its open to disruption. Anyone could be the hot honey sauce of America.
Smash Kitchens range is priced slightly above what larger rivals command. The classic 20-ounce ketchup has a standard list price of $3.97 versus Heinzs $3.48 at Walmart.com. Smashs yellow mustard is priced at $3.47, compared to $2.54 for Frenchs. Barry says inflation-wary shoppers remain particularly sensitive to grocery prices, but may be willing to spend a bit more on a cleaner ingredient label. The organic claim, he adds, has lost some luster because it has become so ubiquitous across the grocery store.
If you can be a little fun treat for people, a little moment of happiness and joy at a reasonable price point, thats really prominent right now, says Barry.
