Marketing: Kinzie Foods Seeking Creator with Special Sauce

Kinzie Foods Seeking Creator with Special Sauce

Barbecue sauce startup Kinzie Foods is kicking off a nationwide search for a breakout content creator. The winner will earn a $100,000 salary to lead the brand’s content and storytelling as a key creative partner, a remote role designed to accommodate other projects and clients, according to the company.

Kinzie Foods, known for its unusual flavor combinations such as Pickle, Espresso and Reaper, will document the process across its social channels. Applicants must submit a “scroll-stopping” short-form video demonstrating an understanding of the brand, flavors and tone, said founder Walter Kinzie.

“We’ve watched brands which we considered to be aligned with our own, like Truff, Nerdy Nuts, and PopUp Bagels, explode in part because they nailed an authentic, creative social presence that resonated with real people,” Kinzie told Nosh. “These brands found their tribe and let the internet do the rest.”

He emphasized the $100,000 salary isn’t a “media buy” but an investment in building reach and a cultural footprint for the business.

“We don’t have a rigid expectation. The whole point is to be surprised. The submission could be a skit, a cooking demo, a review, a dance… Ideally, it’ll make us say, ‘Whoa… this person gets it.’” Kinzie said. “We’re letting the product and the public shape what the Kinzie voice becomes. Just like we iterate with customer feedback, we want to do the same with content — starting with this hire.”

Kinzie said the team is particularly interested in TikTok-first creators “who know how to move product and build personality” and are operating at the affiliate or brand-partner level.

“The creator we’re looking for is strategic, funny and unafraid to try weird things. Someone who understands that in 2025, brand storytelling is sales. If you’re not leveraging short-form content, you’re missing the single most powerful driver of food brand growth today. We want someone to help us build something people crave — on their plates and on their feeds,” he said.

Submissions will be accepted through Aug. 31. A full job posting and more details may be found on the brand’s website.

Hellmann’s Highlights ‘The Art of the Mayoment’

Hellmann’s is working to curate “The Art of the Mayoment” through a new campaign with comedian Kareem Rahma that will invite fans to a pop-up gallery filled with “bold, incomplete artworks — pieces left deliciously undone after their creators were swept away mid-stroke, mid-thought, mid-bite.”

Opening today, the gallery is located at 155 Suffolk Street in New York City. Guests will be invited to walk through the halls of the pop-up exhibit while enjoying light bites and assorted beverages.

“I was halfway through an incredible sandwich – the kind that makes everything disappear – when it hit me. That feeling of being totally lost in the moment, that was the spark,” said Rahma in a statement. “So I asked each artist to do the same: step away from the work, savor something delicious and let that joy fuel their creativity.”

Hellmann’s pop-up gallery comes just weeks after its “Eat Your Words” campaign featuring reality TV duo Lindsay Hubbard and West Wilson.

Lakeview Brands Adopts New Name

Following its merger with noosa yoghurt earlier this year, Lakeview Farms has officially rebranded as Novus Foods, effective July 1. The name Novus, which means “new” in Latin, aims to reflect Lakeview’s evolution, growth and focus on innovation.

“This rebrand is more than a new name – it’s a reflection of who we are becoming. We’re building on our strong foundation to bring even more thought leadership, innovation and the highest quality ingredients to our customers,” said Tom Davis, CEO of Novus, in a press release.

Noosa will continue to operate as a standalone entity under the Novus Foods umbrella, with nearly 240 noosa team members having joined the new entity, per terms of the agreement. There are no changes to noosa’s structure, leadership or operations as part of Lakeview’s rebrand.

Cleveland Kitchen Tells Consumers, ‘Don’t Settle for a Limp Pickle’

Cleveland Kitchen’s latest campaign is the real dill (sorry, we couldn’t resist).

As gut health goes mainstream, the Ohio-based fermented food brand is targeting snack time with its “Bite a Better Pickle” campaign, introducing its new lightly fermented pickles. Unlike heat-processed, shelf-stable pickles, the lightly fermented, raw and unpasteurized pickles deliver gut-happy live cultures thanks to being produced in the same facility as Cleveland Kitchen’s fermented kraut and kimchi, according to a press release.

“Today’s consumer is craving snacks that are both delicious and functional. With our ‘Bite a Better Pickle’ campaign, we’re inviting people to upgrade their pickle game with a product that not only tastes better but is also gut-friendly,” said Drew Anderson, co-founder and CEO of Cleveland Kitchen, in the release.

The new campaign, featuring messaging like “Don’t Settle for a Limp Pickle” and “Hot Pickled Summer,” spans outdoor advertising, social media activations, in-store tastings, and influencer partnerships across major markets.

Offered in two flavors – Classic Dill and Kimchi – the lightly fermented pickles are available at major grocery stores nationwide, including Publix, Walmart, and Sprouts Farmers Market, as well as regional and local grocers such as Giant Eagle and Wegmans.

Mighty Sesame Teams Up With Live Cooking Community

Premium tahini maker Mighty Sesame is teaming up with culinary community Homemade to participate in a series of interactive livestream and on-demand cooking classes led by Chef Joel Gamoran and special guests.

The first class, “What to Bring to the Party,” slated for July 17, will feature Mighty Sesame in a harissa seven-layer dip and zesty lemon loaf cake. The second session, “Back to School,” on Sept. 18, includes the brand in recipes for spicy chicken wings and tahini apple dippers.

Registration is open at homemadecooking.com. Additional classes will be announced soon.