Los Angeles-based food tech start-up Better Brand is gearing up to transform the multi-trillion-dollar refined carb space, starting with the Better Bagel.

The traditionally carb-heavy food “takes the ‘guilty’ out of ‘guilty pleasure,” touting a carb equivalent of half of an orange or one-fifth of a banana.

The Better Bagel is produced with the company’s Grain-changing Technology. It also contains more protein, “chef-crafted flavor” and clean label ingredients, positioned to give consumers the freedom to indulge in their favorite comfort foods without restriction.

“We’ve found that the majority of anxieties surrounding diet are weight-related and largely driven by refined carb consumption,” says Aimee Yang, CEO of Better Brand. 

We’re excited to innovate in this category, with the goal of creating a world wher consumers have the ability to eat freely without restriction or worry while improving human health on a macro level.”

The Better Bagel will feature 5 g of net carbs and be housed in sustainable packaging with a transparent case, showcasing the brand’s all-natural and Non-GMO Project Verified product. 

Raising capital 
The announcement comes on the heels of Better Brand’s raising of over US$1 million in a venture-led pre-seed round across the food tech, food and beverage, and consumer sectors. 

The round was led by Verso Capital, an active player in the food tech space who has invested over US$245 million in start-ups across the food tech, climate tech and biotech sectors throughout the past four years. 

The move places Better Brand in a portfolio among food tech giants Impossible Foods and Eat Just.

Verso was joined by a suite of notable investors, including Wendy’s heir Sean Thomas, actress Emmy Rossum and Venture for America’s CEO Dorie Smith.

Making foods better
Recognizing consumer demand for F&B configured to deliver a rich nutritional profile, Innova Market Insights has named “Nutrition Hacking” as one of its Top Ten Trends for 2021. 

Bread has been a continued area of innovation in better-for-you design trends. 

Last July, FoodIngredientsFirst spoke with key suppliers who highlighted trends in enriching bread with omega 3s and added fiber.  

Tapping into the low carb bread trend, in March Ardent Mills unveiled a keto-friendly, low net carb flour to replac conventional flour. 

Bread fortified with alternative proteins is also being explored by the Finnish start-up Solar Foods.