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Katie Lefkowitz, founder and CEO of “superfood-infused” candy bar maker Harken Sweets, has been a self-proclaimed “Snickers fanatic” for most of her life. But when health problems and fears of colon cancer “took a hit,” [her] The world is upside down,” she began to view food as medicine – and experiment with the concept in her kitchen.
“I wanted to recreate the classic chocolate bars, but in a way that was actually healthier,” Lefkowitz tells Entrepreneur, “and that’s exactly why I started Harken.”
Lefkowitz had a good chance of starting a healthier food brand. After earning a bachelor's degree in the biological basis of human behavior and consumer psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Harvard Business School, she worked first as COO and then as a senior advisor at Caulipower, the company behind a line of frozen cauliflower-based products.
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So Lefkowitz brought that know-how to Harken in 2022. She named the company after what it means to “think back to the good old days when you could eat as much candy as you wanted and not feel totally sick afterwards,” she says.
“We see ourselves as the third wave in the chocolate sector, [where] “Chocolate bars have functional benefits.”
According to Lefkowitz, the chocolate sector has changed over time and Harken is committed to evolving accordingly.
“There were classics like the Snickers of the universe,” she explains. “Then the more natural version evolved, maybe the corn syrup was left out, but the nutrients weren't really drastically changed. And so we see ourselves as this third wave in chocolate confectionery, [where] “Chocolate bars have functional benefits.”
Photo credit: Courtesy of Harken Sweets
Lefkowitz had to try “countless different versions” of the product that would become Harken’s standard in her kitchen – using dates to create her ideal bar. “We take the dates [and] we macerate them to create this sticky, caramel-like texture,” says Lefkowitz. “We don't use butter, sugar or the classic caramel ingredients, and you still get that flavor and texture.”
However, Lefkowitz notes that it's one thing to get the recipe perfect in your home kitchen – and quite another to replicate it on a large scale. It was a big challenge, she admits, but Harken was able to overcome it by carefully focusing on the product and how it was made in different production facilities.
Today, Harken offers its plant-based, high-fiber bars in several flavors for $39.99 per 12-pack: The Nutty One, The Crunchy One and The Gooey One, all with date caramel.
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“We rolled this out to a number of different retailers and got Walmart involved very early on.”
Although Harken was initially aimed directly at the consumer, it didn't take long to become a success. The company received a flood of positive email feedback, Lefkowitz says. People were happy to have a nutritious treat that also tasted good – “which is always hard to come by.” So Lefkowitz started thinking about other ways to grow and expand.
“I still think retail is a big focus for all grocery brands,” says Lefkowitz. “So we rolled this out to a number of different retailers and got Walmart involved very early on.” [It] was our first national retailer.”
To date, Lefkowitz has not accepted any external financing, preferring to build the brand using his own resources.
“This is unusual for people in this field,” she says.[But] It was important to me to make sure I ran the business the way I thought was right at this early stage. That is not to say we will never raise money, but I feel good about the position we are in and [proving] the concept without ever having to conduct a traditional financing round.”
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“Innovation is at the core of who we are here at Harken, and [we’re] We want to expand into additional products.”
Harken is now available in 3,500 Walmart stores nationwide. The company, which boasts 50-fold quarterly growth, also carries its products at KeHE, UNFI, ShopRite, Fairway, Gourmet Garage, McCaffrey's, PopUp Grocer and Better Health Markets, and Albertsons and Fresh Market will soon carry them, Lefkowitz says.
“I am surprised by the great response from retailers,” adds Lefkowitz.[It] has shown that there is a great need for such a product at the checkout.”
Photo credit: Courtesy of Harken Sweets
Lefkowitz looks forward to Harken's continued growth and innovation, but points out that there is still a lot of uncharted territory in the market.
“Innovation is at the core of who we are here at Harken,” says Lefkowitz, “and [we’re] We want to expand into additional products [and] product lines to continue to offer our customers products that suit the occasions when they would like to enjoy a healthier treat.”
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“To be successful in this field, you have to really put in the effort and give it your all every day.”
It goes without saying that “the power of the date superfood” was not only the secret ingredient for Harken’s first healthy treat, but also laid the foundation for a growing brand built on the functional benefits that Lefkowitz sees as the future of the industry.
Lefkowitz encourages aspiring entrepreneurs interested in healthier foods to experiment in their kitchens and find their own key to success—because “you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish with just a handful of homemade samples.” And then you can get started right away.
“Get it in front of people as soon as possible,” says Lefkowitz. “Start testing, start iterating. And if you have a gut feeling that you have a winner, chances are it is. To be successful in this space, you have to really put in the work and go door to door every day, and you can make a huge difference.”
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