Founder & CEO Keisha Smith-Jeremie, also seen on Shark Tank, disrupts the applesauce industry with gluten-free sanaía, the re-imagination of childhood treats for adults. sanaía is the first company to recognize that millions of adults still love applesauce.
While the rest of the category was focused on kids, Keisha seized the opportunity to cater to adults who wanted to enjoy applesauce without being subjected to pouches or uninspired flavors.
Growing up in the Bahamas, Keisha fell in love with fruits. Her favorite childhood pastime was climbing the fruit trees in her backyard, stuffing her little pockets with the sun-sweetened treasures of each season. While attending the University of Virginia, she missed the flavors of home. It was there that Keisha created her own version of applesauce using Granny Smith’s green apples.
Currently, a $900M market with 99% of the spending focused on children, Keisha believes that applesauce is ready for the kind of disruption that grew yogurt from an 8BN category to the 125BN category that it is today – and that sanaía is the brand that will lead the way. Her hunch that the applesauce category was ripe for disruption has been affirmed in so many ways along this journey. The most exciting manifestation of this journey has been the sanaía launch in 800 Walmart stores across the country.
Infused with plant-based ingredients and exotic fruits like guava, ginger, tamarind, and lavender, sanaía is made with whole Granny Smith green apple wedges and has all the makings of the next 1BN entrant to the adult snacking category. She developed sanaía with the goal of creating a healthy snack that proves what she has long known to be true – fruits are nature’s most delectable desserts.
sanaía applesauce is the perfect snack for vegan and kosher palettes and for adults that are craving snack options that are non-GMO, low sugar, gluten-free, dairy-free, allergen-free that taste delicious and is only 60-80 calories per serving. Keisha shares: “I created sanaía because I believe that what we eat provides us with the fuel we need to live the life we want.” sanaía APPLESAUCE, reimagined for everybody.
Keisha’s journey as a small business owner has been truly transformational. Her first time pitching sanaía to investors happened to be on ABC’s Shark Tank! Not only did she secure an investment offer from investor and business mogul Mark Cuban, but her episode went viral sparking conversations: “Being a black entrepreneur while maintaining a corporate job has been challenging and rewarding. For some of us, quitting the day job is not an option for many black entrepreneurs, particularly black entrepreneurs of color who tend to be the first of their generation to ‘make it.”