Katie Lefkowitz, founder and CEO of “superfood-infused” candy bar company HarkenSweets, was a self-described “Snickers fanatic” for most of her life. But health issues and a colon cancer scare led her to “stop eating.” [her] “My world was turned upside down.” She began thinking about food as medicine and began experimenting with the concept in her own kitchen.
“We wanted to recreate that classic candy bar, but in a way that's actually healthier to eat,” Lefkowitz says. entrepreneur“And that's exactly why I started Harken.”
Lefkowitz was perfectly positioned to launch a health-food brand: After earning a bachelor's degree in the biological foundations of human behavior and consumer psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Harvard Business School, he served as chief operating officer and then senior adviser at Caulipower, a company that makes frozen cauliflower-based products.
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So Lefkowitz brought her expertise to Harken in 2022. She named the company to “hearken back to the good old days when you could enjoy all the candy you wanted and not feel like hell afterwards,” she said.
“We see ourselves as the third wave of the chocolate confectionery industry. [where] Candy bars have functional benefits.”
Lefkowitz said the chocolate confectionery industry has changed over time, and Harken strives to evolve with it.
“You had the classics like Snickers,” she explains, “and then they evolved into more natural versions. The corn syrup may have been removed, but the nutritional value didn't change dramatically. So we think of it as the third wave of chocolate candy.” [where] Candy bars have functional benefits.”
Images/Photos Courtesy of Harken Sweets
Lefkowitz had to try “a zillion different versions” of a product that became a standard in Harken's kitchen, incorporating dates to create her dream bar. “We used dates. [and] “We macerate the caramel so that it has a gooey, caramel-like texture,” Lefkowitz says. “We don't use butter or sugar or any of the traditional caramel ingredients, but we still get that taste and texture.”
But Lefkowitz points out that perfecting a recipe in your own kitchen is one thing, and replicating it on a large scale is another entirely. It was a big challenge, she admits, but one that a dedicated focus on the product and how it would be made in various manufacturing facilities helped Harken overcome.
Currently, Harken offers its plant-based, high-fiber bars in several flavors, selling them in packs of 12 for $39.99: Nutty One, Crunchy One, and Gooey One, all of which feature date caramel.
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“We pitched this to a variety of retailers and partnered with Walmart early on.”
Harken started with a direct-to-consumer approach but quickly became popular. Lefkowitz explained that the company received a ton of positive feedback via email, and people were happy to eat a tasty, nutritious treat that was “not always easy to come by.” So Lefkowitz looked at other ways to grow and expand.
“We believe retail is still a big focus for all food brands,” Lefkowitz says, “so we're taking this to different retailers and partnered with Walmart early on.” [It] was our first national retailer.”
To date, Lefkowitz has not received any outside funding, preferring to bootstrap the brand.
“That's unusual for people in this field,” she says.[But] For me, at this early stage it was important to run the business on my terms. That's not to say we can't raise money, but I'm happy with where we are now. [proving] We were able to bring the concept to fruition without needing a traditional funding round.”
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“Innovation is at the very core of Harken. [we’re] We are looking to expand our product lineup even further.”
Harken is currently sold in 3,500 Walmarts nationwide, and the company, which has seen 50x quarter-over-quarter growth, also sells its products at KeHE, UNFI, ShopRite, Fairway, Gourmet Garage, McCaffrey's, Pop-Up Grocers, Better Health Markets, and will soon be available at Albertsons and Fresh Markets, Lefkowitz said.
“We've been surprised by the enthusiasm among retailers,” Lefkowitz added.[It] It shows how much demand there is for products like this in the checkout aisle.”
Images/Photos Courtesy of Harken Sweets
Lefkowitz noted there is still a lot of space in the market and is excited to see Harken continue to grow and innovate.
“Innovation is absolutely core to Harken,” Lefkowitz said, “and [we’re] Aiming for further product development [and] “We are committed to expanding our product line to continue offering products that meet the needs of our customers as they look to enjoy healthier treats.”
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“To be successful in this field, it's important to work hard and persevere every day.”
Needless to say, the “superfood power of dates” was not only the secret ingredient in Harken’s first healthy treat, but it also laid the foundation for a growing brand built around functional benefits that Lefkowitz sees as the future of the industry.
Lefkowitz encourages aspiring entrepreneurs looking into the health food space to experiment in their own kitchens and discover the secrets to success for themselves, because “you'll be amazed at what you can do with just a few homemade samples” – and then get to work.
“Get people familiar with it as soon as possible,” Lefkowitz said. “Start testing, start iterating, and if your gut tells you you have a chance, you probably will. To be successful in this field, working hard and going door to door every day can make a big difference.”
