Gourmet ice lollies and a salt substitute with virtually no sodium are among the initiatives to have won places on business mentoring and investment scheme The Grocery Accelerator.

Hundreds of start-ups applied for the chance to secure £60,000 investment and entry into a six month intensive mentoring programme. Eleven finalists then pitched to a Dragon’s Den-style panel over the last three days at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair in London.

The winners are:

• Taking the Pea – savoury flavoured pea snacks

• Naturelly Jelly Juice – natural fruit jelly pouches for children

• Saltrite – low-sodium salt substitute

• JimJams – low-sugar jams, marmalade and chocolate spreads

• Equinox Kombucha – fermented tea with fruit and herbal flavours

• Polar Pops – ice lollies made from fresh fruit and vegetables

“The standard of applications was incredibly high,” said The Grocery Accelerator co-founder Paddy Willis.

“We believe each of our winners has the potential to become a serious contender in the food and drink industry – and they all bring something different to market. We look forward to guiding and encouraging them, as they take their next step towards growing their business into a nationally recognised brand.”

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